None Without Sin
by Michael Bradley
July 1-31, 2022 Virtual Book Tour
Synopsis:

Be sure your sin won’t find you out.
When a Delaware real estate mogul is murdered, newspaper journalist Brian Wilder wants the scoop on the killing, including the meaning behind the mysterious loaf of bread left with the corpse. Reverend Candice Miller, called to minister to the grieving family, quickly realizes that the killer has adopted the symbolism of sin eating, a Victorian-era religious ritual, as a calling card. Is it the work of a religious fanatic set to punish people for their missteps, or something even more sinister?
As more victims fall, Brian and Candice follow a trail of deceit and blackmail, hoping to discover the identity of the killerโand praying that their own sins wonโt catch the killerโs attention.
โLoaded with twists, Bradleyโs vibrant and gripping thriller will make readers eager for more.โ
โAugust Norman, author of Sins of the Mother
Book Details:
Genre: Mystery
Published by: CamCat Books
Publication Date: August 2, 2022
Number of Pages: 400
ISBN: 0744305950 (ISBN13: 9780744305951)
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | CamCat Books
Read an excerpt:
SATURDAY
CHAPTER 1
The loaf of brown bread looked distinctly out of place resting on the dead manโs chest, leaving Candice Miller to wonder if all crime scenes contained such incongruities. She expected blood. Yellow police tape? Definitely. But baked goods? This seemed outrageous even for the most imaginative of minds. Yet, there it was, reminding her of the artisan bread she would get at the steakhouse near the mall. Never going to eat there again, she thought.
The scene was not gory, at least not to the degree she had expected. What blood there was had pooled around the manโs sternum and left a crimson stain on the front of his white Oxford shirt. The round loaf of bread was split down the middle, and the bottom of each half soaked up enough plasma to darken the crust to almost pitch-black. The corpse of Robbie Reynolds was stretched out on a black leather sofa along the far wall. His faceโwhich was turned toward the doorโwas pale and lifeless. His vacant eyes stared at her from across the room. A sensation like a cold finger touched the back of her neck for one brief second.
Everything else looked normal. The pool table in the center of the room showed signs of a game in progress, with balls scattered across the green felt. A cue lay nearby on the plush beige carpet, as if it had been dropped on the floor by the dead man. Otherwise, there was no sign of violence. If not for the blood, Candice might have thought Robbie was just napping.
Chief Lyle Jenkins nudged her away from the doorway. โDown here, Reverend.โ The police chief moved between her and the doorโpresumably to block her viewโand then gestured toward an archway a few steps down the hall.
Candice took one last glance at the dead man. She should have felt a sense of revulsion or been horrified by her first murder scene. But there was only a sense of curiosity, of wonder. Who killed him? Why leave behind a loaf of bread?
She stepped from the door and moved along the hall in the direction the police chief had indicated. โSuch a shame.โ
โThatโs life,โ Lyle said, his voice deep and brusque.
Her jaw tightened with his words. His callousness angered her, but she knew Lyle Jenkins had a reputation of being an unfeeling hard-ass. She refused to be goaded by his insensitivity and tried to ignore his remark.
She passed through the archway across the hall into the sprawling living room. The early afternoon sun blazed through high windows, bathing everything in a warm light. Detective Mick Flanagan stood beside a stone fireplace opposite the archway. His ginger hair was tussled, his clothing wrinkled, as if he had dressed haphazardly before rushing to the crime scene. A silver badge dangled on a thin chain from his neck. He smiled momentarily, then his lips sank back into grave frown. He crossed the room to greet Candice.
โHow is Andrea?โ she asked.
โNot good.โ Mick ran his hand through his hair. โThanks for coming.โ
Chief Jenkins leaned in and asked, โDid she say anything yet?โ โNothing new,โ Mick said. โJust what she told you earlier.โ
Candice touched Mickโs shoulder. โLet me talk to her. She needs comfort, not questions.โ
The police chief grunted. โThatโs all fine and dandy, but weโve got a crime scene to process. The sooner we can get the family out of here the better.โ He turned abruptly and walked from the room.
Mick rubbed the back of his neck. โSorry about that.โ Candice rolled her eyes and shook her head. โWhat happened?โ
He shrugged. โYour guess is as good as mine. She found the body when she came home an hour ago. Thatโs all she told us.โ
โI canโt understand why anyone would want to kill him.โ This seemed like the right thing to say about a murder victim, but Can- dice knew Robbie Reynolds well enough to know he wasnโt with- out his secrets. In a small city like Newark, rumors were always easy to find.
โHe helped my wife and I buy our first home,โ Mick said. โGive me a few minutes with her.โ
Candice moved to the long Chesterfield sofa facing the fire- place. Its tan leather was cracked and worn. Andrea Reynolds sat with her head bowed; her shoulders quaking with each sob. Long ash brown hair fell forward and obscured her face from view.
Andrea clutched a balled-up tissue in her hand. She didnโt seem to notice Candiceโs arrival.
Seated at the opposite end of the sofa was Marissa, the Reynoldsโ pre-teen daughter. Her hands were folded in her lap, and her eyes held a blank stare. The girlโs blonde hair looked shorter than it had on Sunday. Must have got a haircut this week. The Reynolds family always sat in the front row during Sunday service, and it was hard to miss the beaming smile on Marissaโs face. The ten-year-old girl had pushed herself as far into the corner of the sofa as possible, as if trying to escape the horror around her. Marissa glanced up at Candice, then dropped her eyes to the floor.
Candice approached the sofa and took a seat next to Andrea. She wrapped her arm around the shoulders of the grieving woman, who glanced up to give Candice a feeble smile. Bloodshot eyes bore witness to her anguish.
โOh, Candice.โ Andrea sniffed, then wiped her nose with the tissue. โWho would do this?โ Her voice was broken and soft.
Candice stared at her for a long moment, searching for the right words. Despite her time at seminary and her short experience as an Episcopalian priest, sheโd always struggled with providing comfort to grieving families in the wake of a loss. Her words seemed inadequate, even trite. There was nothing she could say that wouldnโt sound like a clichรฉ, like some canned response to grief. โTime heals all wounds.โ โHeโs in a better place.โ โGod will get you through this.โ That last one, in particular, had been a source of contention for her lately.
โAndrea, I know it may not seem like it right now, but this pain will pass,โ Candice said, cringing within as she spoke.
Andrea broke into an uncontrolled sob and buried her face in Candiceโs shoulder. As the woman cried, Candice glanced at Mick.
He rolled his eyes and folded his arms as a faint sigh slipped from his lips. She suppressed a semi-panicked urge to giggle. Five years on the force, and he gets more like Chief Jenkins every day. Then, after a further momentโs thought, she caught the irony and chastised herself for her own callousness.
The seemingly endless stream of Andreaโs tears dampened the collar of Candiceโs blouse. When she lifted her head, the woman blotted at her swollen eyes with a tissue. Her face was red and blotchy, with a network of little purple veins on her nose.
โMick needs to ask you some questions,โ Candice said. โDo you feel up to talking?โ
Andrea blew her nose on the tissue. โI think so.โ
Candice took hold of Andreaโs hand and squeezed it. โIโll be right here beside you.โ
Mick mouthed a silent โthank youโ to Candice, and then said, โAndrea, I know this is a difficult time for you, but the sooner you can tell me what happenedโโ
Andrea cut him off. โWeโd gone up to New York City yester- day.โ She gestured to her daughter at the other end of the sofa. โA girlsโ night out.โ
Andrea dabbed once again at her eyes with a tissue to wipe away fresh tears. โMarissa and I took the train up to see a Broadway show. We had dinner before the show and stayed the night at a hotel on Time Square.โ
โWhen did you return home?โ Mick asked.
โAbout an hour ago,โ Andrea replied. โWeโd planned to be home earlier, but the train was running late.โ
Candice toyed with a hangnail on her right ring finger.
She felt a flutter of guilt for not saying or doing more. But, how to behave at a crime scene had not been part of the curriculum at seminary. First murder scene and I didnโt even pray with the widow. Way to go.
She looked toward Marissa. The young girlโwearing pale blue jeans with sequins in the shape of a flower on the right pant legโ hadnโt moved. She looked distant and afraid. Very different from the affable, high-spirited preteen Candice was used to seeing on Sundays. It seemed as if everyone had forgotten Marissa was even in the room. This was not the type of conversation the girl should hear.
โSorry to interrupt,โ Candice said. โWhat about Marissa? Does she need to be here?โ
At the mention of her name, Marissa looked up at them. Her eyes were wide.
โUntil weโve cleared the crime scene, you wonโt be able to stay in the house,โ Mick said to Andrea. โDo you have someplace the two of you can go?โ
Andrea toyed with the tissue in her hand. The flimsy material was creased and shredded. โWe can stay at my motherโs house.โ She gestured toward Candice. โI called her right after I called you. She can take care of Marissa while I . . .โ Her words drifted off.
Candice rose from the sofa. โWhy donโt I take Marissa upstairs and help her get a bag packed? You can stay here. Talk to Mick. Do what you need to do.โ
Andrea stared at her for a moment. Her eyes welled with tears, and she reached out her hand. โThank you.โ
Candice smiled, took the womanโs hand, and gave it a reassuring squeeze. โWill you be okay?โ
โYeah.โ There was some hesitation in Andreaโs voice.
Candice walked to the other side of the sofa and knelt before the young girl. โMarissa, how about you come with me? Weโll go up to your room and pack your suitcase. Youโre going to spend a few days at Grandmaโs house.โ
Marissa didnโt move at first.
โSweetie, go with Pastor Miller,โ Andrea said.
After a brief glance at her mother, the young girl slipped from the sofa. Candice took the girlโs hand and led her from the room. As they moved down the hall toward the stairs, Candice glanced back at the doorway of the room where Robbie Reynolds lay dead. The blood-soaked loaf of bread resurfaced in her memory. That was downright odd. Why would someone leave a loaf of bread on a dead manโs chest? Yet, the concept seemed eerily familiar some- how. A distant memory she couldnโt quite reach.
***
The girlโs bedroom looked as if every Disney princess movie had detonated within it. Movie posters from Moana, Frozen, and Tangled hung on the walls. Images from Beauty and the Beast covered the comforter on the twin bed. Small statuettes of the seven dwarfs lined the top of the nearby bookshelf. Candice hadnโt been to Disney World, but she imagined this was what almost every gift shop in the park might look like.
Marissa crossed the room and sat on the bed; her head bowed, staring at her feet. She bit her bottom lip and said nothing. Can- dice reached over and put her arm around Marissaโs shoulders.
The young girl looked up at Candice. Her blue eyes were puffy and bloodshot. โIs Daddy okay?โ
The question shocked Candice and left her reeling for an answer. How could Marissa not know her father was dead? Wasnโt she in the house when Andrea discovered the body? Candice struggled to find the right words. Talking with children had never been her strength. As an only child, she had never had a younger sibling to bond with. Never learned the art of relating to adolescents. Her jaw tightened at the idea of being the harbinger of tragic news. โLetโs not worry about that. Letโs pack a few things and get you outside. Your grandma will be here soon.โ
Marissa didnโt move, just turned her gaze to the floor and stared. โI saw the blood. Mommy doesnโt think I saw it, but I did.โ โYou saw it?โ Candice bit her bottom lip. Sheโs going to need years of therapy.
The girl nodded. โShe told me not to look, but I did.โ There was a pause. โIs Daddy dead?โ
Candice pulled the girl closer, giving her a comforting squeeze. Marissa stared up at her. A young life untouched by tragedy . . . until now. As much as she wanted to, Candice knew she couldnโt shirk this responsibility. โYes. Your fatherโs dead.โ
She waited for the girl to break down. To burst into tears. To kick and scream. To run from the room. But nothing happened. Marissa was silent. Her big eyes filled with sadness; her mouth curled down in a frown. But her grief seemed subdued, almost con- trolled, as if the girl had already come to terms with her fatherโs death. Candice touched the girlโs arm. โLetโs pack up a few things. Do you have a bag?โ
Marissa nodded, then climbed from the bed and drew a small Cinderella suitcase from beneath it. She set it on the bed and flipped open the top.
โPick out some clothes for an overnight stay,โ Candice said. โMake that a few daysโ stay.โ
Marissa wandered over to the nearby dresser and pulled open the top drawer. The young girl picked through her clothes as if having trouble deciding what to take. Candice allowed her gaze to drift to the end table. A paperback rested face down next to the Little Mermaid bedside lamp. She turned it over and read the title. It was a Nancy Drew mystery. She smiled. The Mystery at Lilac Inn. I remember that one, she thought. Ghostly apparitions. A stolen inheritance. No murder. Just one in a series of stories that always come with a happy ending. No one gets hurt and the world is perfect on the last page. When she set the book back down on the bedside table, a glint from the nearby bookshelf caught her eye. She spied a small crystal statuette of an angel sitting on the second shelf. Her pulse quickened for an instant.
With the suitcase packed, Candice led the girl from the bed- room and down the stairs. A uniformed police officer waited at the bottom. Two overlapping sheets of plastic had been hung over the doorway leading into the โdeathโ room. The sheets were attached along the edges of the doorframe with yellow tape. Blurred shapes and figures were all that could be seen through the semi-trans- parent plastic. Candice was grateful Marissa would be spared any further horror. She nodded at the officer, then led Marissa out of the house and into the afternoon sun.
CHAPTER 2
Brian Wilder downshifted and halted for the traffic light at the bottom of the off-ramp. His two-hour drive along Delawareโs beach expressway from Rehoboth Beach had been a blur. The Friday night birthday party had gone into the early hours of the morning, forcing him to crash on the couch of Chris Carson, the birthday boy himself.
Amber Fox, morning host at WREB-FM, had thrown a surprise birthday party for her co-host, Chris. Brian had the dubious responsibility of getting him to the Mexican restaurant for the par- ty. He never realized how difficult it would be to keep a surprise from a blind man. Theyโd only just stepped across the restaurantโs threshold when Chris leaned toward Brian to ask how many people were waiting in the back room for them. It wasnโt until later in the evening that Chris explained how he knew.
โDid someone let slip about the party?โ Brian had asked.
Chris shook his head. โNot at all. It was a perfectly planned surprise party.โ
โBut, howโโ
โHow did I know?โ said Chris. โDo you remember the loud music playing when we entered the restaurant?โ
โYeah, but whatโsโโ
โWhat about the soccer game on the bar TV?โ โNo . . .โ
Chris smiled. โAnd the woman at the bar nagging her husband about his drinking?โ
Brian shook his head. โNope.โ
โThen, you probably didnโt hear Amber in the back room trying to shush everyone when we arrived.โ
โNo.โ Brian sighed. โCanโt say I did.โ
He had known Chris Carson for years before the accident that robbed the radio DJ of his sight. Chris was just as much a smart-ass now as he had been then. Perhaps more so.
When the light changed, Brian turned left, heading toward downtown Newark. The fifty-plus-year-old car roared up the street and brought a smile to his face. The candy appleโred Mustang was one of the few luxuries he allowed himself. Brian was meticulous in his care and maintenance of the Mustang. If only heโd put that level of care into his relationship with Allison, his daughter. A sense of guilt washed over him.
He glanced at his mobile phone on the passenger seat. He toyed with the idea of calling her, but their last call had ended in a fierce argument, just like so many others. No point in upsetting her weekend, he thought.
The car raced across an overpass. Northbound traffic on the interstate below was backed up, creeping along. Early beachgoers on their way to the Jersey shore. Although the morning was windy, the weekend was shaping up to be the first nice one of the month. Rain, cold temperatures, and the occasional snow flurry had made the first two weeks of March less than pleasant. This third weekโ with temps in the mid-sixtiesโseemed to be the trigger for every- one to emerge from a self-induced winter hibernation.
As he glided past a slow-moving U-Haul, his mobile phone rang. He slipped the hands-free earpiece into his ear and pressed the button to answer.
โYo Brian, where are you?โ Jessica OโRourke asked. The part- time newspaper photographer spoke quickly; her young throaty voice full of excitement.
โJust got off the highway,โ he said. โMaybe ten minutes out.
Why?โ
โThe police scannerโs blowing up. Somethingโs rotten in New- ark. Cops and paramedics have converged on Annabelle Street. Sounds serious,โ she said, her words coming out in rapid fire.
Brian narrowed his eyes. Annabelle Street was in a select neighborhood on the north side of Newark. Half-million-dollar houses. Land Rovers and Mercedes in driveways. The mayor had a house in the neighborhood. So did the dean of Northern Delaware University. โThanks for the tip.โ
โLook,โ said Jessica, a hint of hesitation in her voice. โIโve got a wedding to shoot in three hours. I canโt meet you there.โ
Brian smiled. โNo worries. Iโve got my camera in the trunk.โ His years as a journalist had taught him to be flexible, often taking photos for his own articles. A photographer by his side was a luxury heโd learned to do without. His pictures would never be as good as Jessicaโs, but theyโd be just fine for the newspaper. โYou can criticize my picture-taking skills later.โ
โHow was the party?โ she asked.
Heavy traffic slowed Brianโs approach into the city of Newark. He braked as the line of cars ahead came to a crawl. โYou missed a good time.โ He thought again about the previous night. โChris was disappointed you werenโt there.โ
She sighed. Chris Carsonโs โcrushโ on Jessica was public knowledgeโas was her unwillingness to be tied down in any relationship. โHeโll get over it,โ she said.
Brian laughed. โGo to the wedding. Enjoy yourself.โ
***
Three police cars were parked in front of a house on Annabelle Street, and an ambulance was backed into the driveway. Brian parked the Mustang along the curb a few houses up the block. Be- fore climbing from the car, he reached into the glovebox and dug out a spiral notebook and a pen. From the trunk, he grabbed a black camera bag and slung it over his shoulder.
As he walked along the sidewalk, he noticed a small crowd of onlookers across the street. The house at the center of everyoneโs attention was a modern take on a classic Victorian. A police officer leaned on the white railing of the wraparound porch. A two-story turret rose high above the house, black shingles covering its peak. The white siding was bright in the afternoon sun. Brian recognized the house.
It belonged to Robbie Reynolds.
He sifted through a mental dossier of the man. Robbie Reynolds. Mid-forties. Married with one child. Wifeโs name is Andrea. Born and raised in Delaware. Attended and dropped out of North- ern Delaware University. Local real estate agent. No, local real estate mogul. Self-proclaimed โking of Newark real estate.โ
The facts came readily to mind, as did the rumors. Egotist.
Gambler. Womanizer.
As Brian approached a nearby police car, he was surprised to find Father Andrew Blake in conversation with Sergeant Stacy Devonport. The priestโs black hair was peppered with specks of gray; a few strands above his forehead waved with the afternoon breeze. He wore his customary black tab collar shirt and slacks. A black jacket hung awkwardly from Andrewโs gaunt frame, looking like it was a size too big. The priestโs presence was puzzling. As far as Brian knew, the Reynolds family wasnโt Catholic.
Stacy shook Brianโs hand and smiled. โI bet I can guess what brings you here.โ
โSame reason that brought you.โ He turned to Andrew. โIโm surprised. I donโt recall ever seeing the Reynolds at St. Matthews.โ
โHow would you know, Brian?โ Andrew folded his arms and tilted his head to the side. โYouโre not exactly a regular attendee at Sunday Mass.โ
Stacy laughed at the priestโs rebuke. โHeโs got you there.โ
Brian shrugged off their remarks. โIโve been busy.โ It was easier to lie than try to explain why heโd not been to church in a while. He gestured toward the house. โWhatโs going on, Stacy? Why the heavy police presence?โ
โI canโt tell you much.โ She rested the roll of crime scene tape on the trunk of the police car. โIโve been relegated to crowd control. Havenโt been inside.โ
Brian glanced at the crowd across the street. Ten, maybe eleven people. โYeah. I see youโve got your work cut out for you.โ
Stacy folded her arms. โHey, if that throng gets out of handโโ
โThatโs a throng?โ Brian raised an eyebrow. He let the moment linger before straightening up and narrowing his eyes. โSeriously, whatโs going on?โ
โSuspicious death.โ Stacy turned her gaze toward the house, then back at Brian. โRobbie.โ
A slight heaviness pressed down on his shoulders. Brianโs dealings with the real estate agent were infrequent and always all business. Robbie ran a weekly half-page ad in the Monday edition in the newspaper, but often sent it, along with a check, in the mail. Brianโs only other dealings with the man had been when he first arrived in Newark.
Robbie was the real estate agent who helped Brian find the building that now served as the office of the Newark Observer. Since then, Brian rarely had to see the man face-to-face. But that only meant the pang of grief was momentary. A death was still a death after all. โHow?โ
โAll I know is itโs suspicious.โ She shrugged. โNothing else.โ
Brian gestured toward a black Dodge Charger parked up the street. โI see heโs here already.โ
โThe chief? Yeah, heโs in there now. Want me to tell him youโre here?โ
Brian gave a nod, and Stacy spoke into the radio mic attached to her shoulder. He flipped open the notebook, made a couple notations, and closed it again.
โHeโll be right out,โ she said. โWord of warning. Heโs not in the best of moods. Heโs missing his grandsonโs Little League game for this.โ
โThanks for the heads-up. Whereโs Flanagan? Couldnโt he handle this?โ
Stacy gestured toward the house. โHeโs here, too, but you know how the chief is. Heโs got to stick his nose into every investigation.โ She looked over at the crowd, which had now grown to twelve people. โIf youโll excuse me . . .โ
As Stacy strode off, Brian turned back to Andrew. The priest stared across the lawn at the Reynoldsโ family home, arms hanging limp at his sides, his eyes wet and dull.
Brian touched the priestโs shoulder. โAndrew?โ
โManโs propensity to commit violence against another never ceases to amaze me.โ Andrew slipped his hands into his trouser pockets and sighed. โYouโve probably seen that more than most people. How do you get used to it?โ
Brian mulled over the remark.
A twenty-two-year journalism career had certainly shown him the darkest sides of human brutality. Heโd covered two wars in the Middle East. Been at ground zero on 9/11. Reported on the violence between the drug cartels in South America. Then there were more natural disasters than he could remember. All for Time, Newsweek, and a dozen other magazines and newspapers. Heโd seen more death than one man probably should. โYou donโt,โ he finally said.
Brian watched the black van from the county medical examinerโs office drive past and pull into the driveway. โWhy are you here?โ
Andrew rocked on the balls of his feet. โIโm just a chauffeur. Do you know Candice Miller, pastor at Trinity Episcopal Church? No?โ He paused for a second; his lips thinned to a downward arch. โRemind me to introduce you. Anyway, we were meeting at the rectory for our weekly chess game.โ
Brian knew of the church on the corner of Haines Street and Delaware Avenue, but he couldnโt recall ever meeting the pastor. He made a mental note to take Andrew up on his offer of an intro- duction. โYou found a sucker who doesnโt mind losing all the time?โ Andrew snorted with amusement. โWeโre pretty evenly matched, thank you very much. We were just settling down to play when Candice got the call about Robbie. His wife called. They go to Candiceโs church. I offered to drive her.โ
โSo, driving Ms. Miller?โ
Andrew turned to look at the house. โYou could say that.โ
A flurry of activity outside the house caught Brianโs eye. Police chief Lyle Jenkins stepped from the house, paused at the base of the porch steps, then moved across the lawn toward Brian and An- drew with purposeful strides. A moment later, two additional people emerged from the house. Brian recognized Marissa Reynolds, but the woman with her was a stranger. She was petite with dark hair and wore a lavender windbreaker. The woman carried a small, bright-colored suitcase. She guided Marissa to a porch swing, and they sat together.
Brian was still studying the pair when Lyle Jenkins approached. The stout police chiefโdressed in faded blue jeans and a gray poloโwore his holster and gun belt low on his waist. A gold badge hung from his neck on a silver chain and bounced off his chest. The touch of gray in his black hair was highlighted by his dark complexion. โWilder, how did I know youโd show up here?โ He held out his hand.
Brian returned the hardy handshake. โYou going to give me a scoop? Or do I have to wait for the press conference?โ
Lyle cocked his head. โHow exclusive can you really be with that rag of yours?โ
Brian snorted, knowing the chief had a point. The Newark Observer was a twice-weekly newspaper. Even if he was the first to a story, the larger news outlets would have covered it ad nauseam before the next issue of the Observer hit the streets.
โI hear its murder,โ Brian said.
Andrew shook his head and made a tsk-tsk sound. โI believe the words used were โsuspicious death.โโ
โThatโs all youโre getting at the moment,โ Lyle said. He then leaned toward Brian, conspiratorially. โOff the record, Flanaganโs got his hands full with this one.โ He glanced around, then hitched his thumb into his belt. โWhereโs your sidekick?โ
โShooting a wedding.โ Brian tapped the camera slung over his shoulder. โIโm on my own.โ
A gray Chevy Malibu slowly pulled up to the entrance of the driveway. The driver seemed confused as to where to park, first attempting to pull into the driveway behind the medical examinerโs van. Then, thinking better of it, the driver backed up and drove past the house to park along the curb. An elderly woman climbed from the car and headed for the house. She was stopped at the end of the driveway by two police officers. Their conversation started cordially enough. But when it was clear the officers werenโt going to let her pass, she became more animated. Her arms flew in wild gestures, pointing at the house. From where he stood, Brian heard the womanโs voice grow louder as she became more frustrated.
โ. . . daughter needs me! Donโt you have any sympathy for whatโs happened here?โ The woman placed her hands on her hips, almost as if she were daring the officer to stand in her way. Obviously, she was a force to be reckoned with. Brian took pity on the officer. It was probably not going to be a battle he would win.
โGrandma!โ
The cry came from the front porch. Marissa leapt from the porch swing and ran down the steps. The grandmother pushed past the police officers and met her granddaughter halfway. They embraced, and Marissa appeared to break down into tears.
Lyle let out a gruff sigh and shook his head. โI need to take care of this.โ
โChief, Iโd like to check on Candice, if you donโt mind,โ An- drew said.
Lyleโs eyes tightened and his lips curled down. He pointed at the house. โThat is a crime scene, not a social club.โ
Andrew folded his arms. โEven the comforter needs to be comforted sometimes.โ
Lyle allowed a loud sigh to slip from his lipsโa clear sign of reluctant capitulation. โFine. Come with me,โ Lyle finally said. โYou can go as far as the porch. But, stay out of the house, understand?โ The police chief turned and started toward the house, Andrew just steps behind. Brian shrugged his shoulders and took a step forward to follow.
โNot you, Wilder,โ said Lyle, without looking back.
***
Excerpt from None Without Sin by Michael Bradley. Copyright 2022 by Michael Bradley. Reproduced with permission from CamCat Books. All rights reserved.
Author Bio:

Michael Bradley is an award-winning author from Delaware. He spent eight years as a radio DJ โon the airโ before realizing he needed a real job and turned to IT. Never one to waste an experience, he used his familiarity with life on the radio for many of his suspense novels. His third novel, Dead Air (2020), won the Foreword INDIES Award as well as the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award.
Catch Up With Michael Bradley:
www.MBradleyOnline.com
Goodreads
BookBub – @mjbradley88
Instagram – @mjbradley88
Twitter – @mjbradley88
Facebook – @mjbradley88
Tour Participants:
Tour Host Info:
Book Formats: Print, Edelweiss
Hosting Options: Review, Interview, Guest Post, Showcase
Giveaway: There will be a tour-wide PICT Giveaway
More: According to the publisher None Without Sin does not include: Excessive Strong Language, Graphic Violence, Explicit Sexual Scenes, Rape, or other trigger situations. Generally the content is considered to be: Clean (mild language no more than a mild swear or two, no sex, mild innuendo) content. At this time, PICT staff have not yet read this book and cannot give additional information.
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