Free Almost Dead by T.R. Ragan Page A

just letting you know that you might be better off spending that money on security around here. An alarm, perhaps a camera installed outside. Keep your car in the garage. Be vigilant about locking your doors and windows.”
    “I could move in with the chief of police and I still wouldn’t feel safe. I need to know who’s behind these killings. I need you to say yes. If you agree to do this, I’ll feel safer knowing that every time we take someone off the list of suspects, we’ll be one step closer to finding the person responsible.”
    Lizzy stood and gathered her things. She held up the envelope. “I’ll get started right away.”
    “I appreciate it.”
    Lizzy shook her hand. It was a done deal.
    She disliked Melony Reed, and she wasn’t sure she even wanted to take on the job, but the idea that Detective Chase was responsible for this woman coming to her for help spurred Lizzy onward.
    Somehow, someway, she’d make the big man eat crow. Again.

CHAPTER 14
    Eighty-year-old Donna Kingsbury talked faster than an auctioneer on speed. And louder, too, although she needed to talk loudly if she wanted to be heard over the television blasting in the other room. Mrs. Kingsbury stood in the middle of the kitchen in her trailer home wearing a flowery muumuu, nylon knee-highs, and slippers. The place smelled like old dishrags and cat pee, which made sense when an orange-and-white cat appeared from the other room and began to weave around her thick ankles, its tail curling around her calves.
    Hayley had been listening to her talk for ten minutes nonstop. Her cavernous mouth just kept running like a faucet that couldn’t be turned off.
    She couldn’t remember it ever being so difficult to get information out of someone. Adoption searches were usually easy. Hayley could do them with her eyes closed. But getting anything useful out of this crazy lady felt never ending.
    The good news was Donna Kingsbury lived in Citrus Heights. At least she hadn’t had to drive too far.
    Kitally and Hayley had learned from their short visit with Dan Blatt that he’d been unable to handle all the grief stemming from the death of his first wife and had asked his mother-in-law, now ex-mother-in-law, to take care of his daughter for a few weeks. A few weeks turned into a few months and a few months turned into years. At least, that’s what Mr. Blatt had told them. The man was slime. How could you give away your daughter as if she were a cat or dog and then never look back?
    “That child was the devil’s offspring,” the old woman assured her. “I always wondered if Barbara and Dan made a trade with some new-aged gypsies.”
    Hayley opened her mouth to speak, but she wasn’t fast enough.
    “I don’t have too many good things to say about Dan, either, you understand. That man couldn’t take care of a cactus, let alone his own wife and daughter. My Barbara deserved better. She would probably still be alive if it weren’t for that man taking advantage of her, forcing her to slave over him day and night.
    “As Mrs. Kinsbury droned on, Hayley found herself wishing she’d waited for Kitally to return from her morning surveillance, another workers’ comp claimant with an alleged neck injury. Kitally had patience, and she knew how to handle people like Mrs. Kingsbury.
    When the old lady finally paused for breath, Hayley jumped in. “Please, Mrs. Kingsbury, I need to know what happened to Debra Blatt.”
    “I told you already. I gave her away.”
    The words came out so fast, Hayley thought maybe she heard her wrong. “You gave her away?”
    “Damn straight,” she said, lifting her chin, daring Hayley to judge her. “She was nothing but trouble.”
    Another cat appeared. This one was solid black.
    “I had four cats at the time, and she used to pull on their tails. Once she started peeing in the bed, I couldn’t take it any longer.”
    “How long did Debra live here with you?”
    “Two hellish years. She must have been five or six when