Brittle Bones by Paulla Hunter

Author:Paulla Hunter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Epicenter Press Inc.
Published: 2023-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

Stunned by the implications, Darcy and Hank didn’t move for a moment in silence.

“If you received a note on similar paper, you could be in danger.” Hank said.

“The thought had occurred to me.” Darcy looked up at him. “But why? None of this makes any sense. John Walker was a kind old man who never hurt anyone . . . and I’m . . . I’m pretty ordinary. It gives me the creeps that someone was watching this house.”

Hank spun around and told the head of the crime unit he’d be right back, then he hoisted Darcy from her chair.

“C’mon. We’re going to try to find your note.” He propelled her out the door so fast she couldn’t argue if she’d wanted to.

It took only minutes for Hank to pull up next to Darcy’s Audi and jump out.

“Keys?” he asked perfunctorily.

“Just a second . . .” Darcy dug into the depths of her bag. She handed them over. Hank pushed the button twice and had the back door thrown open before Darcy could draw her next breath.

“Good Lord, Darcy. Don’t you ever clean out your car?” Hank said as he picked up and tossed food wrappers, notes from assignments and old beverage cups.

Under a box of half-eaten fries, Hank spied a green piece of paper and dragged it from the debris by one corner. Holding it in the sunlight, he read, “GOD’S WAY IS THE ONLY WAY.” It was in the same scribbled scrawl as the note at John Walkers.

“See why I thought it was just some crank?” Darcy said.

“Yeah,” Hank said. “What are you going to do now?”

“I need to call Zach and get a mobile crew over to John’s.”

Hank moved back to his truck. “Are you going to do the report?”

“I think so.”

Do me a favor,” Hank said as he handed her back the keys and then climbed into his truck. “Make the report general and don’t mention either of these notes. Okay?”

“Sure. That’s reasonable, but will you call me when they get a translation of the Latin one?”

“Yes . . . oh and Darcy?”

“What?”

“Watch your back. I don’t know why John was killed or why you got this note, but I think we’re dealing with a very irrational human being. Be careful.”

“I will. I promise.”

Hank drove off and Darcy watched him go before she dialed Zach.

“I need a mobile unit at John Walker’s house on 18th.”

“Why? Was he able to identify who the bones were from the reconstructions?” Zach’s voice sounded excited.

“He’s dead,” Darcy said. She couldn’t help that her voice sounded so flat. She was terrified to look at the truth of what she was saying. If she thought about it, she’d fall apart.

“Dead? Did he have a heart attack or something? “Zach asked.

“No. Hank and I found him in his living room, stabbed through the chest . . . so yes, I guess it was a heart attack of sorts.” Darcy sat in her backseat, no longer able to stand and talk.

“Are you okay? Do you want to go home? I could send someone else out there to do the report.

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