Free 1 A High-End Finish by Kate Carlisle

about that. When I heard what you did to that guy on the beach, I was damn proud of you. But I probably should’ve kept my mouth shut.”
    I couldn’t disagree. But to be fair to Tommy, Thor had admitted he’d already heard the story from someone else. “Just tell me what’s going on. I have a right to know and I won’t get anything out of your irascible boss.”
    “He’s cool, right? Did you know he surfs?”
    My eyes widened in mock amazement. “That’s so awesome, Tommy.”
    He laughed. “I know you don’t care. But I gotta tell you, it’s great to have a regular guy in charge after all those years with old stick-up-his-butt Raymond.”
    “I’m glad you’re happy,” I said, and meant it. “But can you just tell me why he let me go?” I wanted to know whether to keep looking over my shoulder or not.
    Tommy glanced around the parking lot, as if someone might be eavesdropping. Finally, he whispered, “The coroner just called with his preliminary report. He thinks the body’s been lying there in that basement since around nine o’clock last night. You’ve got an alibi for that time frame. Lizzie told us you were at her house from six until about midnight.”
    “We had dinner and then watched a movie,” I said, remembering how the girls had teased me about my big Saturday-night plans with Lizzie and Hal and the kids.
    But Lizzie was one of my best friends. Why would Jensen believe her? I asked Tommy that very thing.
    He looked embarrassed. “He wasn’t inclined to believe Lizzie, but then Hal corroborated the story.”
    Oh, fine. It figured Jensen would put more faith in Hal’s story than Lizzie’s. But, then, I probably would, too. “So that’s it? That’s why he let me go?”
    “Well.” Tommy wore that same pained expression as he scanned the parking lot again. It was fully dark now and clouds were rolling in. It looked like it might rain. Tommy leaned closer. “We also found out that Mr. Boyer wasn’t calling you from San Francisco like he told you. He made that phone call from Sweet River. He was shacked up at the Cliff Hotel with someone who wasn’t Mrs. Boyer.”
    “Whoa.” Sweet River was south of here, about fifteen miles down the highway. Stan Boyer could’ve made the drive there and back with plenty of time to spare. But why? “So, what are you saying? Is Stan a suspect?”
    Why would Stan Boyer kill Jerry Saxton? And in his own house?
    Tommy scowled at me. “Damn it, Shannon, I shouldn’t have said anything.”
    “My lips are sealed, Tommy. I swear.” I stretched up and kissed his cheek. “Thanks. You’re a peach.”
    “Just stay out of trouble, kiddo.”

Chapter Four
    The next morning I woke up early and after a long shower and a healthy breakfast of coffee and Pop-Tarts—blueberry flavored, to get my daily requirement of fruit—I headed for another one of my work sites. While it remained a crime scene, the Boyers’ house was in limbo, so I’d shifted my men around to other jobs in town.
    As I drove away from my house, I remembered Tommy’s warning from the night before to stay out of trouble. But come on. When had I ever been in trouble? It still galled me that Chief Jensen had actually told me not to leave town.
My
town! Sure, he’d claimed he was just kidding, but I’d bet there was some truth in there. So what was with the cops around here? Honestly, if I had a nickel for every time I’d caused
trouble
in this town, I’d have maybe one or two nickels at the most. Of course, Jensen had no way of knowing that.
    Chief Jensen knew nothing about me and that was starting to become a problem. Maybe it was time to ask my friends to talk me up to him. It might help him see me in a more positive light. Because, frankly, I figured the only reason he’d allowed me to go home last night was because Boyer had lied, not because my alibi had been so strong.
    I needed to win him over to my side. How hard could it be? After all, the pitiful truth was, my life was the