Chapter 8

The ringing of her cell phone woke her from a troubled sleep.Liberty had been dreaming of people walking in a circle with protest signs while she stood alone on the dais, afraid that the protesters would do her harm as they circled closer and closer.She tried to call for help, but the words refused to come out of her mouth.

Now, reaching from under the covers, Liberty grabbed her phone off the nightstand and answered the call with a groggy murmur."Preston...I don't want you tonight."

"Hello?Ms. Sloane?Is this Ms. Sloane?"

The strange man's voice brought her fully awake and she scrambled to sit up."Oh, yes, yes, this is she."

"I'm sorry to call you so late, Ms. Sloane.I'm not sure of you remember me, but I'm Rhett Baumgard, Daniel Baumgard's son."

"Oh, yes, I remember you.What can I do for you?"

"Again, I'm sorry to call so late, but we have a situation here.I mean, my father has been murdered and we need some legal advice."

Dr. Baumgard murdered?Liberty swung her legs around and planted her bare feet on the rug, her attention fully riveted now on her caller."Where did this happen?"

"At the house, the doctor's house.Well, it's a little complicated and I really don't want to talk too long on the phone because of the police.They're still here at the house and they've been asking us so many questions.I know my head is spinning."

"Who is we?"

"Oh, Ms. Kime and myself.It was Ms. Kime who found my father's body after he went to answer the door.She was in the kitchen, making tea, and when he didn't return after awhile she went to look for him.She found him lying in the foyer, stabbed in the chest...dead."

"What time was this?"

"Ah, I think ten or ten-thirty."Liberty figured that Maddy Kime must have arrived just after she and the doctor finished their business around nine-thirty.

"Ms. Sloane?" Rhett continued. "If you decide to help us, I'll fill you in on all the details.Of course, I understand if you decline.This is hardly the kind of information you want to hear at this time of the morning."

Liberty glanced at her bedside clock and registered the time, two-thirty a.m.Had she been asleep for only two hours?With the length of her disturbing dream, she thought it had to be close to dawn."No, that's okay.Dr. Baumgard was a good friend, and I'll be glad to help.Give me about forty-five minutes."

She heard Rhett Baumgard's audible sigh of relief."Thank you so much, Ms. Sloane.We certainly appreciate it."