Free Dead Water by Victoria Houston Page A

shortly. We found Ashley’s body just a few hours ago, Gina. This is a very small town up here, and I help out as a deputy when the chief is shorthanded. As I said, I have some forensic experience, but I’m no expert. All I can safely say at this time is we know she was shot and it looked to me—but I could be wrong—it looked like she had multiple stab wounds in her chest … and …” He stopped before he went too far.
    “And … ?” Too late. She knew he had more to add.
    But Osborne balked, remembering that Lew had specifically directed him to keep the bite marks confidential.
    “Brutally slashed across the throat and the chest … but, again, I may be wrong. There was a lot of blood.”
    “Revenge,” said Gina grimly. “It’s a revenge killing. Why stab when you can shoot? I’ve seen a few murders in my day; I know the signs.”
    Osborne wasn’t sure what to say next. As it turned out, he didn’t have to say a thing. Gina had finally decided to answer his first question.
    “I’ve been looking after Ashley’s house and her cat, Doc. I’m sorry, do you mind if I call you Doc? I know it’s a little familiar but—”
    “Certainly not. And her family?”
    “She has none. Both parents have been dead for years. She had one sister who was killed in a car accident a year ago and a husband she divorced ten, maybe fifteen years ago. Doc, was she alone when she died?”
    “We think so. She appears to have been out for a run.”
    “That fits. Ashley was a fanatic runner … ten miles a day, sometimes longer. She was in excellent physical shape. She could defend herself, too. She must have been with someone she knew.”
    “Miss Palmer, is there any chance you might be able to come up here to identify the body and—”
    “No problem. I know her lawyer. I’ll make some calls regarding arrangements and all that stuff. It’s the least I can do…. I feel so … responsible.” Her voice dropped, and Osborne heard heartbreak in her last words. Then a quiet sobbing.
    The receiver held tight to his ear, Osborne lowered his head as he waited in the swivel chair at Helen’s desk. “Do you have the time for just a few more questions?”
    “Look, I’m going to set aside what I’m doing here, take the day off, and get up there as fast as I can. Sure, go ahead, whatever I can do.”
    “The obvious one: Do you know anyone who would want to kill your friend?”
    “I certainly do. Her ex-fiancé.”
    Ah, thought Osborne, the wedding ring.
    “And this gentleman is who?”
    “Who knows what name he’s wearing these days….”
    “Michael Winston appeared on the scene four years ago,” said Gina. “He rolled into Kansas City flashing a roll of Texas money, made a big hit with the local bankers, and got himself invited to all the right parties. That’s where he met Ashley. She liked him immediately, brought him in as a consultant, then they were dating, and before long, he wanted to buy into her company. Every step of the way, she was impressed with the guy.
    “Can’t blame her; anyone would be. According to his résumé, he had an MBA from Harvard, had been a vice president for several of the big ad agencies on Madison Avenue, his family had made a fortune in real estate down in Houston, yadda, yadda, yadda. She resisted letting him buy in, but she did hire him … brought him on board as her right-hand person and CFO. Bottom line? She was in love with the twerp.”
    “You didn’t like him.”
    “I met him after the fact. I was assigned to write a profile on the guy for our business section. But …” Gina underscored her but with a long pause. “This was not a random assignment. Her late sister was a copy editor here, and she came to me one day and asked me to do a story on the guy. Chris wanted him investigated. She said she thought he was after Ashley’s money.”
    “She had good reason to think that?”
    “Yes. She told me her sister had a weakness for the narcissistic type who would say whatever