Free Who Glares Wins (Lexi Graves Mysteries) by Camilla Chafer Page A

status, and I figured it was better to be safe than sorry in the food department. If nothing else, I could have a hot meal with in four minutes every evening.
    By the time I got back, I had just enough time to take shower number two . I wanted to lose the lingering cigarette smell, blow out my hair and pull on my nice jeans and a light sweater . I buzz ed Maddox in just as I unearthed my red Converse sneakers from the bottom of my closet.
    As he walked up the stairs, I hopped into the living room, one shoe on, the other not quite on, and transferred my notes to the file , before relocking the drawer . I remov ed a balled - up sock from my too- tight shoe, with my mind still on Marissa. It wasn't the contents of the car that bothe red me—my c ar was pretty much the same, minus flashlight and wrench—but why did Marissa leave her keys in her car, with no other visible means of transport and just vanish ?
    Again, I latched onto the inconvenience of leaving town without a vehicle. A car was comfortable, practical and a lot nicer that being crammed onto a bus. If she'd left the car at a train station or airport, I could understand, but not on the street with its keys still in the ignition. Montgomery didn't have an outrageously high car theft rate, but most thieves were opportunistic. Plus, with twelve days between then and now, there was ample opportunity for her to retrieve it.
    There were no signs of damage or of a fight in the vehicle , so I had to assume that Marissa had either gone willingly with someone else, who must’ve had a car nearby or, worse, she was snatched from the street. I needed to get a look at some camera footage, if any existed . T hat would be most useful , but I suspected they wouldn't show it to me without a warrant . After all, Marissa wasn't officially missing and she wasn't on the police radar.
    A fter all that pondering , I was officially worrie d that Elisabeth Fong was right. S omething bad had happened to her best friend.
    ~
    Maddox and I strolled hand - in - hand through the park towards the bandstand, the soft strains of music floating on the breeze towards us , only to blend with the laughter of unseen children. The jazz band had drawn a decent crowd of families, couples, and older folk, all present to enjoy the last days of summer. The heat had ratcheted up a few degrees, but the trees were still green, the ir leaves thinning slightly and turning shades of brown and gold at the tips . I t was just warm enough to get away without a jacket. Even better, I had a huge ice cream cone. Maddox was watching me lick the ice cream while steadily going cross - eyed.
    "Where do you want to sit?" Maddox asked, blinking and looking around while I played innocent after running my tongue from cone to peaked tip.
    "We could sit with my sister-in-law , Traci , who is pretending not to look at us," I suggested a s Maddox looked over his shoulder. "Great going, Detective. Now they know we've seen them," I scolded, swatting his arm while picking my way towards them, with Maddox still holding my hand.
    "Fancy seeing you here," I smiled.
    "We come for the last concert every year," said Traci, patting the blanket they'd thrown out under a tree. Garrett stretched down one side, his arms folded under his head and his eyes closed. The two younger children, Sam and Chloe, had drawi ng books open . With stubby crayons in their little hands, they lay on their stomachs, their crossed ankles bouncing in the air. "N ow that you've run into us, I can officially let you off babysitting du ty tomorrow night."
    "Yay. Where's Patrick?" I asked, looking around for my oldest nephew, nicknamed Patrick t he Teenager.
    "Over by the lake with his friends. We're too embarrassing to be seen with," explained Garrett, opening one eye. "Take a seat, Maddox. I won't shoot you."
    "Nice welcome there," said Traci , punching him lightly on the arm. Garrett grabbed her and pulled her against him a s he planted a kiss on her cheek .
    "Yuck.