Today's Reading

Barbara shook off the unwelcome memories as "Shake it Off" filled her ears. She loved Taylor Swift. So did Daphne. Her retired cop pal had started creating a playlist of Taylor's latest songs until she had to stop when she messed up her shoulder. Barbara had offered to finish the playlist for Daphne, but kept getting sidetracked.

No time like the present. Pivoting, Barbara jogged toward Daphne's condo, enjoying the cool September breeze after the scorching heat of August. On the way, she ran into Atsuko, a Tupperware container in her hands. "What do you have there, Atsuko?"

"Mochi for Daphne."

"I love mochi."

"If you're nice, I might give you some."

"I'm always nice."

Atsuko lifted an eyebrow.

"Well, most of the time."


An unsteady Claire sat on the couch in Daphne's living room. "Take deep breaths," Daphne instructed. "Nice and easy.

That's it."

Unable to look at the dead man, Claire fixed brown eyes on her friend. "Why can't I call the police?"

"I know that guy."

"You know him? How?"

"I arrested him years ago. He'd killed someone, and I was first on the scene. Thanks to my testimony, Benny—that's his name, Benny Popov—went to prison. He told me when he got out, he'd kill me." Daphne lifted her shoulders in a shrug. "I didn't know he'd been released."

"He came here to make good on his promise?"

"Evidently."

"And if I hadn't shown up, he'd have killed you?"

"You got it." Daphne patted Claire's hand. "Thanks for saving my life. I owe you."

"You'd do the same for me." Claire's eyes flicked to the figure on the floor. She still couldn't believe she'd killed a man and that he was lying only a few feet away. Daphne seemed to take it all in stride, but then she'd probably seen a lot of dead bodies in her former profession.

A green bottle fly buzzed overhead. Zooming to the body, it landed in the blood.

Claire gagged, ran to the kitchen, and threw up in the sink. When she returned to the living room, Daphne handed her a mint. Keeping her eyes averted from the dead man, Claire said, "Now, tell me why we can't inform the authorities this Benny person was in the process of strangling you, and I stopped him." She swallowed hard. "Permanently."

"It's complicated. And dangerous. The less you know, the better."

A light tap sounded at the front door. "Daphne," Barbara trilled as she and Atsuko entered, "we come bearing gifts." Seeing the body and blood on the floor, she screamed.

Atsuko approached at a clip, mochi in hand. "Is it a workman? Did he fall? Have you called 911?" She pulled out her phone.

"Put that away," Daphne said. "It's not a workman, and he's dead."

Atsuko blanched. "Dead?"

"Yes, and I killed him," Claire said, trying to make peace with the fact. Knowing the man had been a convicted murderer in the process of killing her friend helped.

"What?" Barbara gaped at Claire.

"I walked in on him strangling Daphne and hit him in the head with my shovel."

"Claire saved my life," Daphne said.

"Oh my God." Barbara's eyes were huge above taut cheeks. "And for some reason, we can't call the police," Claire said.

"Daphne says it would be dangerous." A loud knock sounded.

"Daphne?" Condo manager Connie called from the other side of the front door—the door that, thankfully, Atsuko had closed behind her. "Are you OK? Someone said they heard a scream." 

"I'm fine," Daphne yelled. "We were just playing a game."

A game? Atsuko mouthed.

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