A Hard Case

Chapter 7

When they got to the bottom they pulled on latex gloves so they wouldn't leave any fingerprints. Lucas knelt on the driver's side and looked in and saw what he knew he would. "We found April, Kris."

"Obviously. Why didn't anyone notice?"

"Probably wasn't paying attention. Or just didn't pull over. We would have driven right past it if I hadn't thought to pull over." Lucas stood. "Though out of the two of us, I'm the one that's going to deliver the news. Can't wait to see how Madison reacts."

"Strange how there are no paint marks from the other car."

"It's possible they didn't hit it."

"True."

"Let's go call it in." They went back to their cars, then called it in. Thirty minutes later Lucas was at Madison's house. He and Kris were shooed from the scene as soon as his boss arrived. Kris had decided to come too. Lucas knocked on the door and she opened it a minute later. "Hello, Mrs. Parker. I am afraid that this time I come as the bringer of bad news."

"Please come in." She led them to the kitchen. They all sat and Kris studied the knives that were on the table. "What news?"

"I'm sorry to say that your sister, April Cooper, was found dead this morning." He now watched her closely, waiting for something to give her away.

He wasn't so lucky. She brought her hand to her mouth and her eyes filled with tears. "No," she whispered.

Yup, this was going to be one difficult case. "We believe it is the same person who killed your parents." He watched her closely again. No outward emotions but maybe she is hiding them inside?

"Did you tell Jonathan or Simon yet?"

He blinked. "I have a detective telling them as we speak." Actually, he had Clover telling Jonathan. He preferred to tell his brother-in-law himself. It would be too insensitive to have someone else do it. That is what he thought.

"Which detective?"

Now that surprised him. "Detective Clover. Why?"

"I thought detectives work alone and not in a team. Who's the one you brought with you?"

"Oh, sorry. I forgot to introduce you. This is Detective Wells." I shouldn't have apologized! What is wrong with me?, he sighed, Old habits die hard.

Kris gave a sad smile that Lucas could tell was fake. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Parker." Kris's eyes were quite wary, Lucas noticed. Did his friend notice something he missed? Or does he just not like Madison?

"So you both are on this case because you think it's connected to the death of my parents?"

"More like we are a team," Lucas said. "Did April talk to you at all in the last couple of days?"

"No."

Lucas knew that was a lie. That day in the park April said Madison had talked to her. "Please tell the truth, Mrs. Parker."

She glared. "I am!"

"No, you aren't. I talked to April two days ago. She had told me you had talked to her."

She paled. 'I don't remember talking to her."

"Do you have trouble remembering things, Mrs. Parker?" Kris asked.

"Sometimes."

Lucas raised an eyebrow at his friend then said, "She told me you had told her that you had spoken to me. You told her that you told me you weren't invited to that dinner. Though I have since learned that you were. You lying to me makes me suspect you. So tread carefully." He got up and went to his car. Kris was right behind him.