The Monarch by Shannon Esposito

Author:Shannon Esposito
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: mystery, florida, paranormal, serial killer, women sleuths, murder mystery
Publisher: Shannon Esposito

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Every muscle in Sam’s body tensed. He could almost see the mob mentality jumping like sparks from person to person in the hot thick air of the room. He glanced back at the bar where Simon and Jerry watched him expectantly and nodded. They came around and flanked him. Brian pushed through the crowd and began helping Gina clean and wrap Vick’s arm.

“Okay, guys!” Sam held up his hands. “That’s enough! We’ve already got one man wounded with no way to get him to the hospital. Do you want more injured people? You guys seem to be forgetting that there are women and children here. Stop acting like a lynch mob and think for a minute.”

In the silence, the winds tossed something into the building with a loud thud. Anne saw a few people jump. She realized she was holding her breath.

“Brad has an alibi for the night Molly disappeared, so you all can stop harassing him about that.” He turned to Brad and pulled out white flex cuffs. “Bradley Stark, you’re under arrest for assault.”

“Aw, come on, Detective,” Brad said as Sam motioned for him to get off the stool and turn around. “Where am I gonna go? Huh?”

Sam leaned in close to his ear as he loosely bound Brad’s hands behind him. “Trust me, this is for your safety, not theirs. Let’s go find somewhere comfortable for you in the kitchen.”

As Sam and his prisoner left the room, the tension broke as applause erupted. Sam glanced over his shoulder and then patted Brad on the back.

“When that many people want some kind of justice, it’s best to give it to them…or at least make a show of it.”

When Sam came back out, everyone had returned to their tables or sleeping bags. He felt his chest loosening, his breath coming easier as he went to check on Vick.

“How’s the arm?” Sam asked.

“Hurts like hell,” Vick blew out a long stream of gray smoke. “I always knew that son-of-a-bitch wasn’t right in the head.” He shook aspirin out of a bottle Simon handed him and swallowed a few with a long swig of beer. “This shit’s getting warm, Simon.”

“Yeah, well, you can take it up with Oscar.” As if in answer, the roof groaned and rattled.

“Glad to see you all haven’t lost your sense of humor.” Gina said. Then nodding at Sam she said, “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Sure.”

“Be right back,” she said to Brian.

Sam followed her over to the jukebox. “What’s up?”

Gina folded her arms and leaned a hip against the jukebox. “I’ve been thinking. Brad’s an asshole, but he may have a point about Vick Jr. being someone of interest.”

“You know something I don’t?”

“I know mounds of things you don’t.” She grinned. “People actually open up to me, Sam, because I don’t walk around all grumpy glaring at everyone.”

“Point taken. So who talked?”

“A few people, actually. Over the past couple of years, I’ve met some of the ex girlfriends of Vick Jr. and none of them had anything nice to say.

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