Deadly Secrets by Jude Pittman

Harriet Nelson.”
    Penny’s face clouded again and Jack corrected himself. “Sorry, that was an inside joke about an old television shows I’m sure you’ve never seen.”
    “Very bad thing. Krissie not like to talk.”
    “I’ll go easy on her. She’ll have to be told about her mother’s death though and she’ll need to explain to the police.”
    “I go get Krissie now? You like music?”
    Jack nodded and gave her a friendly smile. She reached across the table and turned on the radio. Another Asian custom—entertain your guests.
    “Thanks,” he said. “You go get Krystal. I’ll be fine.”
    She padded out of the room. Jack leaned back and listened to a country ballad. Sunlight streamed in the window and whoops of laugher drifted up from the swimming pool. After Penny’d been gone about five minutes, Jack started to get restless. He was up, pacing the floor, when a news bulletin caught his attention.
    “Early this morning the body of a white, middle-aged woman was found by a security guard at the Indian Creek flea market. The woman, whose name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, had been strangled. The coroner estimates time of death between eleven-thirty p.m. and one-thirty a.m.
    “Police are seeking a young woman who was involved in a struggle with the deceased earlier in the day. This woman is in her early twenties, attractive, with light blond hair and a slim figure. She is approximately five feet five or six and was wearing dark wool slacks and a red-and-blue print sweater. Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Department.”
    Jack heard a gasp and jerked his head around. Krystal stood in the doorway. She had her hair pulled back and tied with a scarf and her slim body was wrapped in an oversize white robe. All the blood had drained from her face leaving it the color of chalk. Just as she slumped, Penny—who barely reached five feet—grabbed her from behind.
    “I’ll get her,” Jack said, from behind Penny.
    Penny nodded and allowed Jack to lift Krystal into his arms.
    “This way,” she said and led him into a small living room.
    Settling Krystal onto the couch, Jack stood back and Penny, dropping to her knees, smoothed Krystal’s hair and crooned reassurances.
    The lyrics of a Texas line dance pulsed from the radio. Jack walked back to the kitchen and shut it off. Silence gripped the room. Tears spilled down Krystal’s cheeks and Penny fetched a washcloth to wipe her friend’s eyes.
    “I never even got to ask my mother why Daddy killed himself,” Krystal sobbed.
    “It’s okay, Krissie,” Penny soothed.
    Krystal lay silent for several moments, then opened her eyes and focused her gaze on Jack.
    “Is this why you’re here?” she asked in a barely audible voice.
    Jack bent down beside the couch and took her hand. “It was in the morning paper. I’m afraid I’m going to have to talk to the police but I wanted to give you some time to prepare yourself for their questions.”
    “Oh, no!” Her eyes sprang open. “I can’t see the police. I’ve got to talk to Uncle Andrew first. He doesn’t even know I hired you to find my mother. I’ve got to go to Houston. I can’t tell him on the telephone. I just can’t.”
    Jack frowned and shook his head. “I’m afraid I can’t wait that long. I could lose my license for withholding information in a murder case.”
    Krystal clutched his hand, her eyes wide and pleading. “Couldn’t you wait a couple of hours? Please. Just give me time to catch a plane to Houston and tell my uncle in person.”
    Her voice was pathetic. Damn! He always went soft when a pretty young thing begged for help. “I’m taking a big chance here but I guess I can give you that much. I have some business over in Arlington that’ll take me ’til about four. I’ll head over there now and call in at the cop shop after I’m done.”
    “Thank you,” she smiled through her tears.
    “I call. Get seat