Playing Dead: A Novel of Suspense by Allison Brennan

Author:Allison Brennan
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Judicial Error, Murder, Sacramento (Calif.), Ex-Police Officers, Psychopaths, General, Romance, United States - Officials and Employees, Fathers and Daughters, Suspense, Fugitives From Justice, Conspiracy, Suspense Fiction, Fiction, Missing Persons
ISBN: 9780345502735
Publisher: Random House Digital, Inc.
Published: 2008-01-02T05:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-THREE

Mitch sat in the Fox & Goose drinking Guinness while Steve talked at him—at him, because Mitch wasn’t listening. He couldn’t get Claire’s stricken expression out of his mind. The strong beer did nothing to diminish the awful memory.

“Mitch, listen up,” Steve said. “We have to come up with another plan.”

“Plan. Right. Bring Nolan back to town and have him sidle up to Claire. Word from the single women around the watercooler is that he’s good-looking.” Mitch drained his first pint and motioned to the bartender to bring him another.

Mitch had never drunk Guinness before meeting Claire; the rich brew had ruined all other beers for him. Worse, the dark stout and Claire were a joint memory.

“Get serious, Mitch. I know it’s a blow, and I know you like the girl, but we have an overriding issue: finding O’Brien. Because we’re confident he’s in town, we need to stake out Claire’s house. We’ll bring in another team since we’re too recognizable.”

“Claire will spot a tail.”

“We don’t have a choice. We can ask for Lexie—being a woman might provide a bit of cover, and she’s one of the best at discretion.”

“Lexie’s good. And she doesn’t look like a Fed.”

“And we do?”

Mitch looked at Steve. “You more than me, but yeah, we do.”

Claire was never going to forgive him.

“Spill it,” Steve said. “Something’s different. I know you’re hung up on O’Brien’s daughter, but this—I’m sorry she had to find out like she did, but you knew it was going to happen sooner or later. Get over it. It’s just a job.”

Mitch slammed the pint on the table with more force than he intended. Beer sloshed over the sides. “It was more than the job.”

Mitch wiped up the spill with cocktail napkins and drained a third of the glass.

“You’re in love with her,” said Steve.

What did Mitch know about love? You don’t lie to those you love. You don’t manipulate them, use them, hurt them.

“You’ll get through this, Mitch. Focus on the job. Hell, that’s the only way I can go home to an empty house some nights.”

Steve motioned for another pint. What a pity party, Mitch thought. Steve hadn’t had it easy in the relationship department. He’d married his high school sweetheart, had a kid, then left, ostensibly because of his job. Steve, like Mitch, took risks. To save lives, sometimes you had to risk your own. Now his ex was remarried to a doctor—same long hours, but less risk of being killed. Steve saw his son every other weekend.

“I’ll take you back to Nolan’s. First thing tomorrow we head down to Isleton and canvass for information about Oliver Maddox. He met someone there. That someone may know more about whatever got Maddox killed.”

“Maybe he met his killer down there,” said Mitch.

“I don’t follow.”

“He goes down there, starts questioning the wrong person. That individual follows him, runs him off the road.” Mitch frowned.

“Sounds plausible. You don’t think so?”

“But if he was being chased down River Road he’d have both hands on the wheel.

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