Wild Fyre by Ike Hamill

Author:Ike Hamill [Hamill, Ike]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: www.ikehamill.com
Published: 2015-09-22T23:00:00+00:00

CH.11.Investigation ()

{

Stronghold();

/*****

AUGUST, 2013 (3 WEEKS A.J.)

Ploss was leaning against the trunk of his car. He pulled his foot up and propped it on the bumper.

“Where is this guy?” Aster asked.

Ploss looked at his watch. It was almost one fifteen. “I don’t know. They said noon.”

Aster crossed his arms. Ploss had only seen Aster in the formal dress of a detective. He looked ridiculous in his t-shirt and jeans.

“Maybe we should just go over there without him,” Aster said.

“You want a sweatshirt or jacket or something? I probably have something in the trunk,” Ploss said.

Aster nodded. Ploss fished the keys out of his pocket.

“I thought it was supposed to be hot down here,” Aster said. “What’s your guy’s name?”

“They said it was Leslie,” Ploss said. He turned the key and popped the trunk. From his getaway bag, he pulled a hooded sweatshirt and handed it to his partner. It was a little too small for Aster, fitting his torso snugly and revealing a little too much wrist. It made Aster look even more ridiculous.

“That’s a guy’s name?”

“It can be.”

Ploss closed the trunk and leaned back again. The day was overcast, chilly, and damp. Despite the fresh puddles around, they had felt no rain, just a steady cool breeze from the west. Aster walked slowly across the parking lot towards the road. they had parked between the motel and bar. Since noon, patrons had been trickling into the bar. The motel seemed quiet.

A yellow Datsun pickup turned in and headed for the bar. Aster strolled back towards Ploss.

“My grandfather used to drive a pickup just like that,” Aster said. He nodded towards the Datsun. “He died in eighty-four. I wonder how that lady got fifty years of rust on a thirty-year-old truck.”

The lady he referred to was clearly younger than the truck. She pushed open the squeaking door and stepped out, mashing her boots into the strewn cigarette butts on the asphalt. She didn’t go into the bar—she approached the two men slowly, with her head tilted.

“You should be younger,” she said.

“Pardon?” Ploss asked.

“Two cops drive down unsanctioned from Virginia? You guys are too old to be trying to prove yourselves like that,” she said.

“We’re just curious,” Aster said.

“You must be,” she said.

“I’m Ploss. Thank you for meeting us.”

“No problem—glad to help. I assume I can call you if I ever need any contacts up your way?” she asked.

“Of course,” Ploss said.

“And I’ll make sure that we don’t have any official visitors, but if someone calls us in, then we have to go.”

“Understood,” Aster said. “Let’s get going.”

Leslie nodded and led the way. The two men walked behind her and on either side. They paused at the edge of the highway and then strode across when it was clear. There wasn’t a lot of traffic on the two-lane road, but it ran fast. Leslie didn’t head for the paved entrance of the industrial park. She walked up over the landscaped hill. Aster and Ploss followed.

They were looking at two long rows of buildings.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.