Free Death Loved A Woman (Happy Holloway Mystery Book 2) by Audrey Claire Page B

hand in front of her nose, but she was sure she had the right room. What lay behind the door must be Racine’s personal sitting room. She dared to believe the space held secrets.
    The doorknob rattled but didn’t give, and Annie grumbled. After first checking the stairs, she stooped and braced her giant purse on her lap. Her thighs burned a bit, but she bore it to search for something to pick the lock.
    This is crazy, Annie. If you’re caught, you’re going to jail.
    She had done some harebrained things in her life, but normally she stayed within the confines of the law. This wasn’t one of those times, and she put it down to—well, she wasn’t sure what it was. Maybe losing her sister, sometimes thinking she would eventually end up like Jane.
    No matter what Annie encountered in her life, she faced risks head on. With bobby pins in hand, she tried to do what she had researched for a book. The research in this case was all from watching YouTube videos.
    The first bobby pin broke inside the lock. She squeaked in alarm and stared at the tiny bit of metal sticking out of the hole. “Crap.”
    Her knees were beginning to catch fire in pain, so she straightened to rub them. Someone shouted from the first floor, and Mr. Witman raised his voice above the female one. “Racine, calm down. This is not the time for your theatrics.”
    Annie wished she were down there to see it all. If Racine truly wanted Barbara Jean gone, she would have called the police by now, wouldn’t she? Or had the butler do it?
    A window above the door caught Annie’s eye. She had seen that type of thing before, a window that could be propped open with the attached lever. Only older homes included it. She judged the space and wondered if her plump figure could squeeze through. For that matter, did she have enough time?
    “Nothing ventured…”
    She pulled off her heels and set them inside a closet she found. If anyone came upstairs, she could hide, and her shoes wouldn’t be in the hall to give her away. She slung her purse over her head to hang on her back. Once she made it through the window, she would maneuver it better.
    Annie placed a bare foot on the doorknob and held onto both sides of the doorjamb. “I should really learn that I don’t have the figure for this kind of nonsense.”
    With a deep breath, she hoisted herself up.

Chapter Ten
    A voice on the stairs made Annie freeze. Her butt was hiked up in the air and her legs flailed about as she tried wigging enough to get through the window. This was what she got for sliding over to the bad side and breaking the law. All she could envision was being stuck in the window and the whole crowd of people downstairs coming up to see the spectacle.
    “I’m just getting some migraine medicine, Wes!” Racine said. Annie judged her to be still on the stairs but heading up.
    “Let a servant get it,” her husband said. “You have guests.”
    “You know I don’t like anyone in my private space, and I left the bottle in there. If you want to make yourself useful, see what that woman is doing.”
    Annie had a moment of panic thinking they meant her, but obviously Racine didn’t want her husband following her upstairs. She also doubted she had landed on either of their radars yet. If she didn’t get down quick, Racine was liable to find her, and she wouldn’t delay calling the police. Annie bet Sheriff Appleton would just love to toss her in jail.
    She wiggled harder, and something tore on her dress. Groaning and thinking of the beauty as well as the cost, she leaned the front part her body down into the room. Gravity did the rest, and she slid through the opening. She just managed to catch hold of the inside doorknob before she plunged to the floor.
    By sheer miracle, she swung her legs around as her feet cleared the opening. She landed hard and turned one ankle. Pain wrenched a small cry from her, and her eyes watered. She bit down on the inside of her cheek.
    While Racine delayed arriving,