Paint It Black by P. J. Parrish

Author:P. J. Parrish [Parrish, P. J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
ISBN: 9780786014194
Publisher: Pinnacle
Published: 2002-01-30T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-five

Emily’s glass of Chianti sat untouched on the patio table. She was sitting on the edge of her chair, elbows on knees, hands clasped. Wainwright was prone in a lounge chair, his beer on his belly, eyes closed.

Louis glanced back at Farentino, watching her from behind sunglasses that he would soon need to remove. The sun was setting behind her, casting her in a soft, orange light, turning her red hair copper.

The three of them had barely said a word in the last half hour.

Louis had not told Wainwright that Emily was coming, and when she had shown up—a half hour late—Wainwright simply cracked open his second beer and headed to the patio. Louis knew Wainwright was pissed that he had invited her. This patio had become their sanctuary, their platform for discussing the gruesome aspects of their case. Outsiders weren’t allowed in, although Louis and Wainwright had given Dodie a sort of special dispensation. But women weren’t welcome. Even Margaret understood that.

The small talk had died quickly. After that, Margaret had lured Dodie inside to help with dinner. Wainwright had downed his beer too quickly and retreated to the lounge. Louis wondered how in the hell they were going to get through dinner, let alone any productive discussion of the case.

Emily looked at him suddenly and he knew he had been caught staring at her. There was this strange look in her eyes, this plea for some kind of communication, some kind of acknowledgment that she was here.

Louis took off the glasses and stood up. “Refill, Farentino?”

She shook her head, her eyes flitting to the comatose Wainwright and then back out to the canal. Louis could hear Dodie and Margaret. They were arguing about something, trying hard to keep their voices low. But not low enough that Louis didn’t hear Emily’s name . . . and his own. To his horror, he realized that Margaret was talking about how he should ask Emily out.

He glanced at Emily and knew she had heard it.

“Margaret thinks I’m lonely,” he said.

“I gather,” she said with a small smile.

He was glad when she let it go at that.

After a moment, she reached down and dragged forward her huge briefcase.

“I have something to show you,” she said, pulling out some manila folders. “It’s why I was late.”

She tossed the stack on the table between them with a thunk.

“I spent the day going through VI-CAP,” she said. “He’s killed before.”

Louis stared at the folders, then slowly came forward and picked up the top one. “Where?” he said.

“I found three other cases, similar MOs. All unsolved.”

Louis was scanning the first file, a report out of the Ocean County, New Jersey, Sheriff’s Department. A black man, shotgun wound, beaten, stabbed, and painted. His body was found August twenty-eight of last year.

He picked up another file. The second and third cases were from Broward County, Florida, in November of last year. Both with the same MO, including that the two men were likely killed on Tuesdays.

Louis looked over at Wainwright.

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