Free 2 A Dyed Blonde and a Dead Body by Cindy Bell Page A

begrudgingly.
    “One of my many talents,” Bekki quipped and swung the door open. As they stepped inside Nick flipped the light switch on. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets as he studied what was left of the scene.
    “Lydia really was murdered,” he said solemnly. “You were right all along, I really thought it was a suicide.” 
    Bekki was silent as she stared into space. She still could not comprehend how Lydia had ended up in the noose. How could a person be murdered and have only what appeared to be self-inflicted wounds?
    As if taking the thoughts right out of her mind Nick shook his head. “Someone had to be really sick to do this Bekki,” he turned to look her straight in the eye. “This is why I ask you to stay out of things like this. If it really was Julie that did this, who knows what else she might be capable of,” as his lecture continued Bekki could barely hear him. Her eyes were slowly widening as a horrible thought formed.
    "You're right," she whispered again, tears beginning to fill her eyes as she stared at the empty chair in front of her still positioned right beneath the area where the noose had hung.
    "Bekki," he reached out to grasp her shoulder gently when he saw the tears. "Don't cry, please, I don't mean to frighten you."
    "No, it's not that," Bekki shook her head slightly. "I mean you're right, Lydia did kill herself."
    "No," he shook his head. "Didn't you hear me Bekki? The handwriting analysis came back, it doesn't match Lydia's. Someone forged the suicide note."
    "Oh yes they did," Bekki nodded as she reached up to wipe at her eyes. "But Lydia still killed herself."
    "I don't understand," Nick frowned. "Did you figure something out?"
    "There was one piece I couldn't understand," she explained. "How did Julie get Lydia into the noose. She couldn't lift her, she didn't drug her, so how did she do it?"
    "I don't know," Nick shook his head. "Forensics is going to have a hard time figuring it out, since the crime scene has already been compromised."
    "She made her," Bekki uttered, absolutely horrified by the idea. "She made her do it herself."
    "How? How could someone force someone to do something like that?" he asked, scratching at his light brown hair.
    "There's only one way, and there's no way to prove it,” Bekki felt her horror transform into hopelessness as she murmured her next words. "She's going to get away with it, isn't she Nick?"
    Nick slid his arm around her shoulders and studied her intently. "Not with you on the case Bekki," he said firmly. She took a deep breath and felt her resolve to capture Lydia's murderer return. Maybe there would be no evidence to prove her claim. But evidence wasn't the only way to get a conviction. A confession could be just as damning.
    “I'm going to go,” Bekki said suddenly as she walked towards the door.
    “Bekki wait,” Nick followed after her. “I don't want you to be alone. If this woman already knows that you're on to her and finds out that we suspect her, she may come after you again.”
    “I can take care of myself Nick,” Bekki said sternly. “I'll be careful.”
    “She's going to try to confront you,” Nick frowned. “She'll wait until you're alone.”
    “That's what I'm counting on,” Bekki said under her breath.
    “What was that?” Nick asked, as he did not hear her clearly.
    “Nothing, I just said I would be very careful. I have my phone. I'll call you the minute I sense any danger, okay?” she smiled a little at him. “Remember, I'm always right.”
    “Until you're wrong,” he warned her with one furrowed brow.
    “I'll be careful,” she assured him a final time. “You see what you can figure out here, I have an idea I need to follow up on.”
    “Call me,” he reminded her as she stepped out of the bakery. As the door fell shut behind her she caught a glimpse of him through the window. She could tell from his expression that he was not at all convinced she would be safe. She was surprised that he let her