It was half a sheet of blank paper, and on it was written, 'SO, MO, DA, NO.' I found it was something much less straightforward. I figured I'd discovered an old grocery list or a note she'd written the boy who sat beside her in fourth period in high school.

I turned the book upside down and shook it, and a piece of paper fell out. You look at the history, I'll look at the biology.' 'So's putting a man in jail on trumped-up evidence. 'So you decided right away to just break in my house? You know that's illegal?' 'I thought you were avoiding me, and I figured you wouldn't let me in.' 'Why didn't you just wait for me to get home?' Maybe he sounded a tad bit less angry. 'I found your spare key in less than two minutes. 'I'm looking for whatever Sally was thinking about that night,' I said. 'What the hell are you doing in here?' I guess part of me had absorbed the small sounds of Hollis arriving home, because I didn't jump. Both the history text and the biology text were predominately red, at least on their spines. There was a basic biology textbook, too, much battered and torn.Īccording to Hollis, the book had had a red cover. Sally Hopkins Boxleitner had kept a book of British poetry, a copy each of Julius Caesar and The Merchant of Venice, and an American history textbook. I was willing to bet he hadn't packed them away yet, and I was right. Hollis had told me his wife had gotten out one of her old school textbooks. Back in the living room, I squatted by the jammed shelves. The kitchen had a couple of cookbooks, and the bathroom a wicker basket of magazines. The bedroom didn't have any bookshelves, and the second bedroom (used as a computer room/storeroom now) held only computer manuals and video game guides. I did a quick tour of the house to make sure I was looking in the right place. There were a few adventure/mystery paperbacks - Lee Child and Thomas Cook - which more likely belonged to Hollis. Within arm's reach was a particle-board bookcase crammed with books, mostly romantic suspense-type paperbacks by Jayne Anne Krentz, Sandra Brown, Nora Roberts, and the like. There was the usual coffee table in front of the love seat, and an occasional table cluttered with a lamp, some magazines, and a book, plus various remotes by the recliner. cozy, with an overstuffed love seat and matching recliner. I'd only passed through on my way to the bedroom the last time I'd been here, so I wasn't familiar with the layout. Since the day was once again gloomy and overcast, I switched on a lamp in the living room. I was glad to find it it would spare me from breaking one of the panes of glass in the back door - also a security risk, as any cop should know.

It was in a dark corner, and partially hidden from view, but my fingers patted around until they felt the nail, and in a second the key was in my hand. I found his spare key in the third place I looked - hanging from a little nail in the roof over the porch. For a policeman, he sure had lousy security.

Grave sight by charlaine harris