"slaughter, karin - Indelible" - читать интересную книгу автора (Slaughter Karin)

INDELIBLE BY KARIN Slaughter This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real.

Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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Copyright 0 2004 by . All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022.

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FIRST EDITION Designed by Renato Stanism Printed on acid-free Paper Library of Congress Cataloguing and Publication Data Slaughter, Karin, 1971 : a novel stillЧIst ed.

people. c1n.

ISBN 0-06-056710-4 (alk. paper) 1. Linton, Sara (fictitious character)-Fiction.

2. Tolliver, Jeffrey (fictitious character)-Fiction. 3. Police-Georgia-Fiction.

4. Women physicians-Fiction. 5. Police chiefs-Fiction. 6. Georgia-Fiction. 1.

Title.

PS3569.1,275153 2004 813Ф6-(1c22 2004042480 04 05 06 07 08 DIX/RRD 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 FOR D.a.

river deep, mountain high 8:55 AM.

Well, look what the cat dragged in,Ф Marla Simms bellowed, giving Sara a pointed look over her silver-rimmed bifocals. The secretary for the police station held a magazine in her arthritic hands, but she set It aside, indicating she had plenty of time to talk.

Sara forced some cheer into her voice, though she had purposefully timed her visit for Marla's coffee break. УHey, Marla. How're you doing? The old woman stared for a beat, a tinge of disapproval putting a crease in her naturally down-turned lips. Sara forced herself not to squirm. Marla had taught the children's Sunday school class at the Primitive Baptist from the day they opened the front doors, and she could still put the fear of God into anyone in town who'd been born after 1952.

She kept her eyes locked on Sara. УHaven't seen you around here In a while.Ф

УHm,,Ф Sara offered, glancing over Marla's shoulder, trying to see into Jeffrey's office. His door was open but he was not behind his desk. The squad room was empty, which meant he was probably in the back. Sara knew she should lust walk behind the counter and find him herself-she had done it hundreds of times before-but survivor's instinct kept her from crossing that bridge without first paying the troll.

Marla sat back in her chair, her arms folded.

УNice day out.Ф she said, her tone still casual.

Sara glanced out the door at Main Street, where heat made the asphalt look wavy. The air this morning was humid enough to open every pore on her body. УSure is.Ф

УAnd don't you look pretty this morning,Ф Marla continued, indicating the linen dress Sara had chosen after going through nearly every item of clothing in her closet.

УWhat's the occasion?Ф

УNothing special,Ф Sara lied. Before she knew what she was doing, she started to fidget with her briefcase, shifting from one foot to the other like she was four instead of nearly forty.