Dead Pretty - Samantha Towle Page 0,60

tone that I don’t like. “We’re here to speak with your boss. Is she here?”

“I’m here,” Margaret says, coming up behind me. “Do you have news of Mike?” she asks them.

“Can we talk somewhere private?” Detective Peters says.

“We can talk here. As you can see, there is only us here.”

Detective Sparks’s eyes flicker to me.

“I can leave you alone.” I go to move, but Margaret stops me with a hand on my arm.

“Stay. Please, Detectives, can you tell us what is going on?”

“We recovered a male body late last night, which we identified through dental records as Michael King.”

Margaret gasps next to me, covering her mouth with her hand. I’m just standing here, not knowing how to react. What to do.

Hearing about death is not new to me.

“Ho-how did he die?” Margaret asks.

“We can’t determine cause of death until the autopsy is done. I hate to ask … but we have been unable to locate a next of kin. Do you know anything of Michael’s family?”

Margaret shakes her head. “He didn’t have one. He came from foster care. His parents died when he was young. No other family. I think he was close to one of his foster parents. I’m not sure of her name though …” She’s shaking her head, clearly distressed.

“Don’t worry. We can locate his details through the local foster agencies now that we know that is where we need to be looking,” Detective Peters says.

I can feel eyes watching me. Detective Sparks is just staring at me.

It’s unnerving as hell.

I look away, turning to Margaret, giving him the side of my head.

Her eyes are wet with tears. She gets a tissue from her pocket, dabbing at her eyes.

“I just can’t believe it,” Margaret says.

I put my arm around her. It seems like the right thing to do. “I know; it’s awful,” I say to her.

“Do you know if there is any connection between whoever killed Mike and the person who killed Sarah?” Margaret says.

“We’re not at liberty to say,” Detective Peters says. “We are sorry to be the ones to deliver this news and also for your loss. We’ll be on our way now. But if you think of anything that could be important—”

“I’ll call you,” Margaret assures the detective.

“And you too,” I hear Detective Sparks say, and I turn my eyes to meet his. “The same applies to you, Miss Hayes. If you think of anything that could help us in relation to this case or the death of Sarah Greenwood, then make sure you call us.”

I hold his eyes and nod. “Of course.”

I watch the detectives leave, a queasy feeling in my stomach.

I hear Margaret sniffling, pulling my attention back to her.

“I just can’t believe he’s gone,” she says. “I know we weren’t super close, but it’s still so hard to hear.”

“I know,” I say, trying to comfort her. “Why don’t you take the rest of the day off and go home? I’ll hold down the fort here.”

Her gaze meets with mine. I feel a pang of sympathy at the tears in her eyes. She is such a kind person.

“Yes, I might do that. Thank you, Audrey.” She pats my arm with her hand. “You still have the keys to lock up later?”

“They’re in the drawer,” I tell her. “I can bring them by your house on my way home—”

“Not necessary.” She waves me off. “I have a spare set at home. Take the keys home with you and then just bring them back in the morning.”

“Okay,” I respond.

She gives me another sad smile. “Well, I’ll just grab my purse, and then I’ll be off.”

“Don’t worry about anything here. I’ll be fine.”

Another smile, this one a little brighter. “I know. Thanks again, Audrey.”

Jack walks into the library fifteen minutes later. His laptop bag over his shoulder, two coffees in his hand.

His eyes seek me out, and a big smile lights up his face.

I love that I bring that smile to his lips.

He walks over to the reception desk.

“Hey.” He sets one of the coffees down on the counter for me. “I brought you a coffee.”

“I need it. Thanks.”

“Rough day already?” he teases. “It’s only been forty minutes.”

A lot can happen in forty minutes.

“The police were here a bit ago. Mike … they found his body. He’s dead.”

“Jesus,” Jack breathes. “Did they say what happened to him?”

I shake my head. “No. They said they can’t give out details regarding an open investigation. They only came here to inform Margaret and to ask if she knew