"Gardner, Renee - What Are Friends For" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gardner Renee)

"What was his answer?"

"The pig preferred to leave things status quo. That's when I shot him." Faith's emotionless voice shocked Sabrina.

"Why frame me for his murder? We're best friends." Sabrina fought to keep her voice calm.

"Hah!" Faith snorted. "When you stabbed Amos I saw my opportunity to get even with you for stealing him and all the other slights I suffered from you during our long, miserable friendship."

"That's crazy. You won't get away with this, Faith."

"Why not? Your prints are on everything and your stole is in the dumpster with his body. By the way, the letter opener isn't in his pocket. It's in plain sight, on top of his body. I used it to slash open the rubber sheet, so his body can't be missed. The workmen have probably found him by now."

"But you said he'd never be found under the debris."

"What debris? I didn't cover his body."

"I can't believe you double crossed me like this." Sabrina's voice trembled.

"Why not? What are friends for? Bye, bye."

Sabrina slumped back in her chair. The realization that she had been framed for murder by her life-long friend slammed into her with the force of a 120-mile an hour hurricane. How could she have been so stupid? Why didn't she notice that no blood spurted from Amos's chest when she stabbed him? Why didn't she see the bullet wound? Why didn't she call the police? Why didn't she question why Faith, who never wore gloves even in the dead of winter, chose to wear them last night? Why didn't she ask her how she knew that Amos was going to Barbados. And why wasn't she suspicious about how well Faith found her way around his office?

But her questions were too late. Any minute now the police would be knocking on her door. She gazed fondly for what might be the last time at the tools of her writing profession -- her computer, her reference books, her telephone! And now it was her turn to laugh.

The voice activated recorder attached to the telephone was on! The high-flying leap that her darling, precious, best friend Simon made onto the desk had activated the RECORD control. The machine began recording the moment Faith answered the phone. Her entire confession was on tape!

Simon stared down at Sabrina from his perch high atop the bookcase, his tiny lips curled into a smug smile.

"What are friends for, indeed!" Sabrina snickered.

THE END

Renee Gardner's first mystery short story was recently published in Woman's World magazine, another is scheduled to appear in Futures magazine. Her book reviews have appeared in Mysteryinternational.com. She is also the author of two pre-published full-length mystery novels. A resident of Manhattan, she is on the board of directors of the New York chapters of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.