Free Murder and Mayhem by B L Hamilton Page A

to have to
make a decision soon. You can’t leave a body lying out there in the open where
someone is bound to find it.”
    “You think I don’t know that!”
    “Well, I guess you know what you’re doing. Good thing
you’re the writer in this family, not me. Here you are, you’ve just committed
your first murder and you’re all calm and collected. If it was me I’d be a
mess.” Suddenly her expression changed from concern to anticipation. “Have you
written any more?” Despite all her protests I could see my sister was actually
enjoying herself.
    “I certainly have, Ollie.”
     
     
    Bright rays of sunlight streamed in through the glass
and fell in pools of gold on the polished wood floor in front of the sofa where
Nicola sat with her feet tucked up under her, the morning paper spread open on
her lap...
     
    “Stop right there!”
    “What?”
    “I thought you just killed Nicola.”
    I could see she was confused. I hope the reader would
feel the same way. Hate those stories where you know everything in the first
few chapters and then there are no surprises to hold the interest of the reader
right up to the end.
    “I just killed someone. I didn’t say it was Nicola.”
    “But you said…”
    “No–you assumed. Have I ever
lied to you?”
    “You lie to me all the time.
What about that time when I was six-years-old…”
    “Are you going to re-hash that
old thing again? I mean–in the last month?”
    “How would I know? You always keep a straight face. I
wouldn’t know if you were lying or not. So…, if it wasn’t Nicola you killed–who
was it?”
    “Do you want me to continue reading, or not?”
    She waved her hand in the air and nodded.
    “Okay, then just be quiet. No
more interruptions unless it’s to tell me you want something to eat, or go
potty!”
    “Oh! You are soo bossy!”
    “Didn’t anyone ever tell you, that’s what big sisters
are for?”
     
    Nicola smiled at the sound of soft footfalls padding
down the hall. She looked up as Danny wandered into the room barefoot and
bare-chested, dressed in faded blue jeans that hung comfortably from lean,
narrow hips, his face tranquil and dreamy, his eyes heavy lidded from sleep. A
day’s growth of golden fuzz shadowed his face.
    “Morning, sleepy-head,” she said.
    Danny took in the vision before him. The bright
sunlight that poured in through the large window created a shimmering halo on
her chestnut hair as it hung about her shoulder in waves.
    He leaned down and kissed the top of her head.
    “Good morning, beautiful. I didn’t realize it was so
late. Why didn’t you wake me?”
    “I thought I’d let you sleep. After your long flight I
figured you must have been exhausted.” Nicola’s eyes crinkled when she smiled.
“And, we certainly didn’t get much sleep last night.”
    “Mmm.” Danny grinned. His fingers lightly caressed the
side of her face as his thoughts strayed back to the previous night. As
memories go it was up there with the best. He might feel like shit this morning
– but, hell it was worth it.
    “When I woke up, I reached out for you but you were
gone. Then, when I looked at the clock I was surprised to see it was after
nine. I’m usually up and in the surf by sun-up.” Danny’s lips brushed against
the soft silky tresses as he breathed in the fragrance of her hair.
    “What time should we leave for the airport?” he asked.
    “The plane leaves at 1.35 so we should leave here in a
couple of hours to allow for traffic. Would you like something to eat?  Eggs
and bacon, French toast?”
    “Just French toast and coffee would be great. What a
wonderful day,” he said through a yawn as he stretched and walked over to the
window. He looked at the sun blazing through the tops of the trees like golden
fire raining down in shafts of light where tiny insects and dust motes drifted
lazily. Out the corner of his eye he thought he saw something move at the
bottom of the garden. He squinted and leaned into the window