Free 4 Arch Enemy of Murder by Vanessa Gray Bartal Page A

sick?” Pearl was a large woman, and she was older—prime material for a heart attack or stroke.
     
    “No, she’s in jail.”
     
    “Oh.” There was no surprise in that answer. Pearl was one of those women who Lacy had someday expected to use her car as a weapon and plow into an unsuspecting crowd for no good reason.
     
    “Don’t you want to know why?” Tosh asked. He sounded more than a little annoyed.
     
    “Sure. Why is Pearl in jail?”
     
    “Murder.”
     
    Lacy had been expecting many answers; murder wasn’t one of them. Had one of her neighbors let a dog use the bathroom on her lawn? Because with Pearl, that would be enough to set her off in a murderous rage. For Tosh’s sake, she tried to muster surprise and sadness. “No way. What did she do?”
     
    “Nothing, she didn’t do it, obviously.”
     
    Lacy rolled her eyes. Tosh had a soft and blind spot for Pearl. He was that way with anyone on the fringes of society. Pearl was definitely on the fringe of something. “What do the police think she did?” she amended.
     
    “They think she shot her husband.”
     
    “Oh. Oh?” Suddenly she remembered Jason’s case, but she couldn’t say anything because she wasn’t supposed to know details. “What happened? I didn’t even know she was married.”
     
    “Neither did I. Apparently it was an abusive marriage and they were separated for some time. He decided he wanted her back and was coming to get her when he was shot.”
     
    “What do you need from me? Bail money?” Tosh had plenty of money to pay the bail on his own, but perhaps his trust was tied up and he needed quick cash.
     
    “No, I need you to come to the sheriff’s department with me.”
     
    Lacy was heartened that he needed her for moral support, even though he was angry and hurt. “Of course. Let me throw on some clothes, and I’m ready to go.”
     
    “I’m in your driveway.”
     
    “I’ll be out in five,” Lacy said. She threw on the first available clothes and gathered her hair in a loose bun on the top of her head. Because she had been so upset, she had fallen asleep with her makeup on. She wouldn’t have to go out in public bare-faced, but it was no doubt smudged and running by now. She would use Tosh’s car mirror to repair it as best she could.
     
    She grabbed her purse and tossed her phone inside. Who knew how long they might be there, and she wanted money in case she had to buy food from the vending machine. The short drive to the jail was silent as Lacy smoothed out her ruined makeup and Tosh concentrated on the road. He was still upset with her, but not as much as before. They would be okay. They had to because what would she do without Tosh?
     
    They arrived at the jail and walked inside. “It’s nice of them to let her have a clergy visit so soon,” Lacy said. They didn’t usually make exceptions, but maybe they sensed Pearl’s instability and thought it best to get help right away.
     
    “Um, about that. There’s sort of something I have to tell you.”
     
    “What?” They stopped in front of the jail door and faced each other.
     
    “I’m not the one who’s visiting with Pearl; you are.”
     
    “What? Why me? She hates me.”
     
    “No, she doesn’t.”
     
    “Tosh.”
     
    “Okay, she does, but she asked for you.”
     
    “Why would she ask for me?”
     
    “Because she thinks you can solve murders. She wants you to figure out who killed her husband.”
     
    “What?” Lacy yelled. The night guard, Trent, looked up from his post. She waved at him and lowered her voice. “What are you saying? Why does she think I can do that?”
     
    “Because you did it before.”
     
    “But they’re not going to let me visit her. We’re not family. They don’t let just anybody back there.”
     
    “There is someone they let through,” Tosh said.
     
    Unfortunately, Lacy knew exactly what he meant. “No, oh, no, Tosh. Pearl’s a little off her nut, but there’s no way she’s that