DEAD OF NIGHT (Clean Suspense) (Detective Jason Strong Mysteries Book 14) by John C. Dalglish

Author:John C. Dalglish [Dalglish, John C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-08-25T22:00:00+00:00

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Steve Larson’s address was a set of apartments with a Spanish motif located on the edge of Balcones Heights, roughly five miles from where Colleen Blackwood’s body was discovered. The ground floor apartment faced the pool, which was surprisingly empty on such a hot day.

Jason gestured toward the water as Vanessa knocked. “Sandy and I talked about putting one in for the kids.”

Vanessa laughed. “Yeah! For the kids!”

He grinned. “Okay, for the family.”

“And friends?”

“And friends.”

Vanessa banged on the door a second time. After another minute or so, the door cracked open to reveal a man in his underwear, his eyes shielded against the sun. “Yeah?”

Vanessa flashed her badge. “I’m Detective Layne, this is Detective Strong. Are you Steven Larson?”

“Yeah. What’s this all about? I work nights and was sleeping.”

“We’d like to ask you a few questions. It won’t take long.”

“Uh… okay. Let me get some pants on and you can come in.”

He closed the door and Jason grinned at his partner. “Your lucky day.”

She snorted. “Hardly.”

A moment later, the door opened and they were allowed in. The apartment was devoid of any furniture with the exception of a folding chair. “I’m sorry, but I just moved in and haven’t got my furniture unpacked.”

Vanessa took out her notepad. “No problem. Do you know a nurse by the name of Colleen Blackwood?”

He was still groggy. “Yeah… um, I met her last night at the hospital.”

“When was the last time you saw her?”

“In the parking lot, like I said, last night at the hospital.”

“Did you meet her somewhere away from the hospital after your shift?”

“No. What is this all about?”

Vanessa was not in the mood to be delicate. “Colleen Blackwood was murdered last night.”

Larson looked like he was going to choke on the news. “Murder… murdered! Are you joking?”

“Do I look like I’m joking, Mr. Larson.”

“What happened?”

“I can’t reveal that at this time.”

“So you think I might have something to do with it?”

Vanessa shook her head slowly. “Just following up on anybody who saw her. Do you remember anyone arguing with or bothering Miss Blackwood last night?”

“No. It was a quiet night.”

“Where is your car parked?”

“Out front, next to the U-Haul truck with my furniture in it.”

“Can we look at it?”

“Be my guest.”

It occurred to Jason he might know how to eliminate the man quickly. “Where were you on Friday night around midnight?”

Larson, now fully awake, rubbed his chin. “I was asleep…”

“That’s not much of an alibi, Mr. Larson.”

“In Houston!”

“You hadn’t moved to San Antonio yet?”

“No. I was packing Thursday and Friday, left Houston on Saturday morning.”

Jason knew he didn’t need it, but he asked anyway. “Is there someone we can call to verify that?”

“My mother.”

Vanessa turned to go back outside while Jason got the phone number to Larson’s mother. When he’d thanked the young man for his help, he followed his partner out front. She was standing next to Larson’s Ford Focus. The car was too small to have done the damage to Colleen’s truck, and its bumper was in perfect condition.

Jason stopped next to her.

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