The Program
Chapter One
Dray walked briskly through the kitchen and entry, wiping barbecue
sauce on her olive sheriff's-department-issue pants, which she still hadn't
had time to change out of. She pulled open the front door, and the image
hit her like a truck -- husky detective in a cheap suit thumbing a bound
notepad, dark Crown Vic idling curbside behind him, partner waiting in
the passenger seat, taking a pass on the advise-next-of-kin.
The detective crowded the door, imposing and cocky, which further
added to her disorientation. "Andrea Rackley? Mrs. Tim Rackley?"
Ears ringing, she shook her head hard. "No." She took a step back
and leaned on the entry table, displacing a tealight holder that rolled off
the edge, shattering on the tile. "No."
The man's forehead creased. "Are yo u all right, ma' am?"
"I just talked to him. He was in the car, heading home. He was fine."
"Excuse me? I'm not sure what you ... "< ... read full excerpt from Program, The ebook