Free R.P. Dahlke - Dead Red 04 - A Dead Red Alibi by R.P. Dahlke Page A

said.
    “Don’t worry. I have just the thing to sidetrack her from going back to California.”
    “Now, Lalla, let’s not ….”
    My nerves finally snapped and I whirled on him. “This was supposed to be a vacation for my dad too, Caleb, and you can see how that turned out, but we can’t go home. I say hang the forty-eight hours. If you won’t help, I’m going to start looking for suspects before they decide to arrest my father.”
    Caleb shook his head. I could tell he was thinking. If I let Pearlie in on this there would be no controlling the two of us. My thoughts exactly.
    “Listen,” I said. “I’d take ten annoying cousins over having my dad getting grilled like yesterday.”
    “You’re right, of course,” Caleb said. “Has he been taking his heart medication?”
    “He brought it. I know because I checked his bag, but the altitude here is the problem. I’m still huffing and puffing when I walk, and it must be twice as hard on him. Let’s go get Pearlie, bring her up to speed, and if Dad’s health doesn’t improve, I’ll look for a heart doctor in town.”
    Dad came out of the bedroom tucking the clean shirt into his pants. He swiped up the keys to the Jeep and announced that he would drive. “You two can fill me in on the way to pick up Pearlie.”
    I was hopeful my cousin’s arrival would help us. It would certainly improve my dad’s mealtime enjoyment.
    “So what’s the verdict, Caleb?” I asked. “ You talked to Homicide yesterday. Do they have any real leads to these murders?”
    Caleb shook his head. “Other than your dad’s jacket at the scene, and the fact that your great-aunt Mae once owned all one hundred and forty acres around here, they don’t have anything.”
    “I told you so,” my dad said.
    “Detective Tom said he’d keep us updated,” Caleb said.
    My dad snorted. “Then we just sit and wait until they find a suspect?”
    “We’ll see about that,” I said.
    “Where’re we going to put her?” Dad asked.
    “Pearlie? If she doesn’t want the couch, we’ll get her a hotel room at the Copper Queen,” I said.
    My dad hesitated. “Think we should tell her about the two murders?”
    I laughed. “Are you kidding? Why do you think I’m picking her up? She’s going to help us find a killer.”
    “That’s a great idea, Lalla,” Dad said. “Isn’t it a great idea, Caleb? And she’s a really good cook too.”
    Caleb shook his head again. “I don’t know, Lalla, your cousin is notoriously reckless.”
    I secretly smiled. Pearlie’s antics in the last murder case were distracting him from my own tendency to circumvent the rules. Still, I didn’t want him to count her out, and we needed her.
    “She helped us catch that contract killer from Vegas, didn’t she?” I asked.
    Caleb shrugged, “She can always use that bowling ball she keeps in the plane to bring this one down.

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    Chapter Thirteen:
     
     
    The waiting lounge at the Sierra Vista Airport was empty except for Cousin Pearlie and a uniformed pilot. Pearlie was perched on top of a metal desk, her short skirt hiked up to reveal sleek round thighs and dimpled knees. She was giggling at something the pilot said, and his grin said Pearlie was an unexpected and pleasant diversion for a long wait.
    She looked up, saw us, and pushed off the desk. Pulling her skirt down, she winked at her latest conquest then turned her bright blue eyes on us.
    “Cousin Lalla, Uncle Noah!” She hugged each of us in turn, then squinted her baby-blues at Caleb. “And that no-account skunk who left my cousin at the altar.”
    “Pearlie,” I whispered, “we’ll talk about it in the car.”
    “Fine by me,” she said, lifting her chin. “Then he can carry my bags.”
    Caleb glanced at the four suitcases, handed the lightest to my dad, and followed us to the parking lot.
    Settled in the backseat, I asked about her pilot friend.
    “He flies the big shots with some international mining company. After you