Retribution ("M" Mystery) Read Free Page B

photographer doing?” Ramos said.
         “I’m not sure,” Buck told him, “it’s a pretty gruesome scene up there. I want to make sure she’s alright and get a look at her camera work as soon as possible.”
     “I’m going up to the crime scene right now, you might check with hotel management, I understand a maid found the victims.”
      ***

            Thomas Seller stood behind the front desk of the Dungeness Hotel, but didn’t look up at the sound of approaching footfalls. It was a game he played, attempting to predict the character of a patron before actually laying eyes on them. When he looked up he was visibly surprised.
    “I suppose you guys want to talk to the maid that found the Greens?” he said to M, while looking at Buck. “I’ve got her back in the employee’s lounge with a cup of tea.”
    M stepped around behind the desk but paused in front of the lounge door, when Buck touched her on the shoulder.
     “I’ll be here at the front desk, I have some questions for Seller. My car’s double parked out front, I’ll meet you there.”
    Ginny Davis was sitting on a thread bare couch, knees pulled up to her chin, sipping on a steaming mug of tea. When M entered she nearly dropped the mug as she leapt to her feet.
    “Sensei,” she executed a quick short bow. “What are you doing here?”
    Then the tears began to flow and she stepped into M’s open arms.
    “C’mon let’s get out of here,” M said, leading her out of the lounge.
    By the time Buck returned to the car the two women were settled in the back talking. He climbed in the driver’s side and turned around.
    “Hi, Ginny.” He extended his hand. “I’m Buck Shore, Bay County sheriff’s detective. You up to a few questions?”
    She looked first at M then at Buck shaking his hand.
     “I guess so.”
    He shifted uneasily in his seat.
    “Why don’t you describe how you came to find the victims, and when you first saw the character?”
     She nervously looked over at M then back at Buck again.
    “I got no response to my knock, so I used the passkey. The entry opens into the living room, but I always start cleaning in the kitchen and work my way to the master bedroom.”
    She wrapped her arms around herself and began to rock.
    “I saw something on the floor before I opened the kitchen door. If I’d known it was blood I never would have gone in.”
    Tears streamed down her cheek, and Buck reached over and gave her arm a squeeze.
    “You couldn’t have known. After a couple hours blood doesn’t look like blood at all.”
    She shook her head and blinked away the tears, but didn’t stop rocking.
    “I saw the woman first.” Her eyes glazed then filled with tears again. “I forced myself to look away, that’s when I saw the character on the fridge door. I didn’t see the man until I started to leave, he was up against the wall, all curled up.” 
          Ginny suddenly bolted from the car and began vomiting into the gutter. M pulled off her sweatshirt stepped out onto the sidewalk and handed it to her, and helped her back into the car.
    By the time they got her home she needed assistance unlocking her front door. M helped her clean up and climb into bed. Buck was sitting at the kitchen table when M emerged from the hall leading to the bedroom.
    “How is she?”
    M went to the sink and washed her hands. “As fine as can be, considering what she saw.”
    “Yeah, that’s got to be rough.”
    She stiffened, “Ginny was pretty upset at the woman’s position, I don’t think she even noticed the decapitation.” She turned and leaned on the counter. “Just as well.”
    Buck fidgeted. “I won’t know if she was sexually assaulted until I see the ME’s report.”
    He stood up. “I’ve got to go, the bodies should be at the morgue by now. Homicides always produce a pile of paperwork, and Ramos will want it by afternoon along with the photos of the crime scene.”
    M walked to the door. “Think you’ll make