Diane Bator [Yin Yang Mystery Death of a Jaded Samurai (v5.0)

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.Apparently, Thayer had thrived on his sudden celebrity and had gotten a lot of dates because of the exposure.Gilda had cowered in her house for weeks before Marion was able to drag her out and help her get a job in the karate school so she could get a backbone.Marion batted her eyes."Good morning, Detective Thayer.Are you here to arrest the kitchen staff for beating the eggs or just to harass Gilda some more?"Thayer twisted his face into a grimace then turned his attention to Gilda, who sat motionless, the whipped cream blob beginning to slide down her finger toward her hand."It looks like you were expecting me.I'd happily lick that off for you, but I have an image to uphold.""Yeah.We wouldn't want to improve on that now, would we?" Gilda pushed away her plate and fought the urge to flick the goo at his suit jacket.She wiped her finger on her napkin.No point in giving him more ideas."What do you want?"He shrugged."Nothing.I just stopped by to say hello."Marion rolled her eyes."Oh, brother.You want to stick with that or tell her the truth?""Which truth is that?" Gilda asked."The one where he says he loves me and would die for me, or the one where he cheats on me with any woman who'll have him?"Thayer's face turned pink."I'm just trying to be sociable.""I overheard him tell a couple officers he's this close to taking you back." Marion held her index finger and thumb a quarter inch apart.What kind of man refused to take no for an answer even after two years? Gilda shut her eyes and inhaled slowly.I am not going to make a scene.Thayer frowned."What I said was—"His partner, Detective John Fabio, clapped a hand on his left shoulder."Just ask her out already so she can deck you and get it over with.We have work to do today."Thayer growled, the color in his face deepening to crabapple red."If you guys don't mind, I'd like to do this alone.""I don't mind at all.I was just leaving." Gilda stood and grabbed her purse.She marched up to the cashier to pay for their food.This week it was her turn.A convenient excuse to escape.Marion joined her, shoving the cell phone into Gilda's back pocket."You might want this before I get too attached.""Who does Thayer think he is?" Gilda reached for a mint then took three.She needed something to crunch."One of Sandstone Cove's finest." Marion sighed."He certainly does look the part, even if he does need a complete attitude adjustment."When Gilda's phone buzzed, she gritted her teeth and growled."Not again.""Ah, and there's another one who looks the part," Marion said."Mick?" Gilda left her change as a generous tip and pushed the front door open."What do you mean, he looks the part?"Marion popped a mint into her mouth."Handsome and authoritative, but from the stories I've heard—"Gilda covered her ears."I don't want to hear any more stories.It's bad enough I have parents at the school spreading rumors.I don't really want to hear them from my best friend.Keep in mind, I do have to work with those guys.""Even if I know the stories are all true?" Marion asked."Especially if.""Oh, Gilda, Gilda, Gilda.You live in such a secluded little world." Marion draped an arm across her shoulders as they walked toward the doctor's office."Someday you'll be grateful for all of us looking out for you.I have to get to work.You be careful, okay? I'll try to find you a guy who isn't such a jerk."Gilda was ten minutes early for her appointment, which left her enough time to catch up on all of Mick's "urgent" texts while her stomach gurgled, as it had for over a week.Her gaze darted to the clock on the wall for the fifth time in the past minute, and she sighed.Eleven thirty.Normally she never had to wait so long for Doctor Ryan Graham, who'd delivered Gilda as a baby, to appear in the doorway.She tapped her foot against the leg of the chair.The karate school she worked for held classes every day at noon.If Doc Graham didn't show up soon, she'd miss class for sure.Not that Mick would be concerned.He could handle anything that came up while she was away.Still…After sitting on a board-hard chair for half an hour, Gilda sent Mick a quick text to say she wouldn't be in the lunch hour class.When he didn't text her back within seconds, she remembered Walter Levy, the school's most senior black belt, was supposed to teach class today.Mick planned to be halfway to Detroit to attend a family function.She punched in the school's phone number from memory, not surprised when the answering machine picked up.If she said she'd be there by one, she'd have time to grab a peppermint tea at Café Beanz on her way to work then clean up before classes started at four.CHAPTER TWOGilda set her cup of tea on the ground by the brick wall and stuck her key in the front door lock.One more afternoon of work before the karate school closed for the long weekend.After training at seven, she'd be free to go home, change into her bathing suit, and head to the beach for a dip before dinner.Doc Graham's orders: Relax and eat more fiber.The door was already unlocked.Her stomach clenched as she walked through the small room, which served as a hazardous containment room for wet boots all winter, to the second set of doors that led to the lobby.Either Walter was still inside, or he'd gone off in a rush.The back of her neck tingled."Hello? Anyone here?"No answer.No lights on.No movement."Hello? Walter? Mick?" She peered around the corner toward the dojo.Still nothing.Gilda flicked on the lights.The lobby was empty, but something—someone—was on the mats in the dojo, the training hall.She reached over and turned on the second set of lights to illuminate the dojo and changing area.Someone forgot to tell Walter Levy that samurai don't commit seppuku with a sword.They normally carried a much smaller knife to kill themselves with.He lay still on the mats; a long, gently curved blade stood straight out of his chest.He was dead, and there was no earthly way it was by his own hand since the katana blade was longer than his arms.At best, he could have stabbed his lower belly, not his chest.And the murderer could still be inside the school."Oh, wow." Eyes hot with tears, Gilda struggled to catch her breath.Heart racing, she dove between the two chairs behind the reception desk, knocking her head against the one Walter had brought only two weeks earlier, and clutched her cell phone to call 9-1-1."9-1-1.What's your emergency?" a woman asked.Gilda spoke in a loud whisper, praying the killer was already long gone."Somebody stabbed Walter.I think he's dead."The woman sucked in a sharp breath but remained professional, as though she'd received this type of call a thousand times before."What is your name and location, ma'am?""Marion," Gilda said."It's me, Gilda.I'm at the karate school.""Gilda? Sorry, but you sound weird." Tapping sounded through the phone [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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