Shadow Of Suspicion (Margot Harris 3)

Margot saw Lori live and in person for the first time. She was standing just off to her left holding an S&W thirty-eight casually by her side. Margot might be able to turn and shoot her before she raised the gun, but she’d never get turned around in time to take down Chuck before he put a bullet in her.

“I think you ought to drop the gun,” Chuck told her.

She saw Lori smile; the way her face was bruised, it looked like it hurt.

“Thank god you’re here,” Lori said to Margot.

“What are you talking about?” Chuck asked, “just shoot her already.”

Lori was smiling when she shot Chuck in the back of the head twice. Margot swung around so she had Lori in her sights.

Lori put down the gun and raised her hands.

“Don’t shoot, I’m the victim here.”

“He didn’t seem to think so.”

“Yeah, well, that was dumb on his part.”

“He let you have a gun.”

“No, this was Dan’s. I found it while he was trying to kill Gale and saved everybody’s life. Well, everybody but Dan. You should be thanking me.”

“I had the drop on him and you shot him in the back.”

“I didn’t see it that way. When you saw me, you were distracted. He was turning around to kill you. I saved your life.”

“I’m pretty sure you're full of shit. Keep your hands where I can see them.”

“Whatever you say.”

Chapter 13

“I know you don’t like to talk shop when we’re eating dinner but…”

“You’d like to know what happened to Lori Thompkins?” Radcliff said as he lowered his fork and looked up from his enchiladas.

“I was going to ask about Dean Stone, but yeah, I want to know about that one too,” Margot replied.

She was glad to be here eating enchilada and drinking Margaritas with Detective Rick Ratcliff. After the mess she got him into with Dean Stone and Lori Thompkins, she was afraid he wouldn’t want anything to do with her.

“Stone made his phone call. I could only hear his end and he was vague enough I couldn’t tell you what he was talking about, even though I kind of knew what he was talking about.”

“Good news or bad?”

Radcliff shrugged. “I couldn’t tell, but he let me drive him to the F.B.I., and after some haggling, he let me bring him in.”

“Haggling?”

“He was very specific about which agents not to turn him over too.”

“He told me when I found him in Riverside that there were agents on the cartel payroll. He seemed to think they’d kill him.”

“Yeah, I don’t know if there’s any truth to it, but I’d say Stone believed it.”

“I suppose if he and the up-and-comer didn’t get to some sort of arrangement, he wouldn’t have cooperated.”

“I hope you’re right. I’d miss you.”