Free The Switch by Sandra Brown Page B

quickly. He has a knee-jerk response, and somebody winds up dead. No premeditation."
    She glanced toward the bedroom and said quietly, "This wasn't like that? You think it was premeditated?"
    He nodded grimly. "I think your sister was. .. targeted. And it's more than a gut instinct. Evidence indicates it." "What evidence?"
    Caltrane entered and, speaking for the first time, said, "Hennings is on his way."
    Lawson nodded an acknowledgment to the officer's announcement, but his eyes never left hers. "How involved were your sister and Mr. Hennings?"
    "They were dating exclusively."
    "How long had they been seeing each other on this exclusive basis?"
    "Let's see ..." She did a mental calculation. "Almost a year."
    "And the relationship was intimate?"
    "Are you asking if they slept together?" she asked testily, and when he nodded, she said, "They had a sexual relationship, yes. Is that relevant, Mr. Lawson?"
    "It could be. What kind of guy is Hennings?"
    "What kind? Successful. Overachiever. Nice-looking." "Ethnicity?"
    She looked at the detective with puzzlement. "I'm not sure. Hennings is Irish or English, isn't it? Frankly, I don't see the relevance," she said with a trace of impatience.
    "And you're sure that Hennings was the only man your sister was seeing?"
    "What are you getting at?"
    "In your opinion, is Hennings the jealous sort?"
    "I don't know. Maybe. Why? Detective Lawson—"
    She broke off when she heard the wheels of the gurney squeaking along the floor of the hallway. She never remembered standing, never recalled taking several halting steps before gripping the back of an armchair for support. The body had been placed in a zippered bag and then strapped to the gurney.
    "I want to see her."
    Lawson advised that she let the coroner take the body downtown and prepare it for formal identification.
    "I want to see her," she repeated.
    After a long hesitation, Lawson gave his reluctant approval. He stood close to her and she moved toward the gurney, which was now crowding the entryway. Lawson nodded to the medic, who unzipped the bag only far enough to reveal the face.
    It was so still and pale, it could have been formed of wax. It also could have been her face, except for the brown flecks on the very white skin. Those spatters puzzled her for a moment, and then she realized that they were dried droplets of blood.
    Reality hit with the impetus of a freight train.
    She felt her knees giving way. "I'm going to be sick."
     

CHAPTER 7
    " Ms. Lloyd?" A policewoman tapped softly on the powder room door. "Are you all right?"
    All right? Am I all right? Hell, no, I'm not all right. She didn't speak her sarcastic thoughts aloud. The woman's intentions were good. "I'm okay," she called. "I'll be out in a moment."
    She'd had the dry heaves, but the nausea had passed now, and she was left feeling only hollow, emotionally as well as physically. She bathed her face and neck with cold water, rinsed her mouth out, and washed her hands. She looked ghastly, but she couldn't think of a single reason why it mattered.
    When she opened the bathroom door, the policewoman smiled sympathetically. "Can I get you anything?"
    "Yes. Detective Lawson."
    The policewoman accompanied her back into the central room, where the detective was kneeling down in front of a window. Another cop was explaining to him that footprints had been found outside. "We'll dust. Impressions have already been made of the footprints. We're getting soil samples, too."
    "The drinking glass in the kitchen?"
    "Already bagged."
    Lawson nodded as he stood, favoring what appeared to be arthritic knees. The policewoman got his attention. "Ms. Lloyd has asked to speak to you."
    "Sure."
    As he approached, she geared herself for the argument she knew was coming. "I want to see the bedroom."
    He shook his head. "I don't think that's advisable."
    "You mentioned evidence that indicates Gillian was targeted. If I see what you're talking about, I may be able to shed some light."
    "We'll