April's Desires (Larry Macklin Mysteries Book 6) by A. E. Howe

Author:A. E. Howe [Howe, A. E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-03-15T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Friday morning started well. Dad texted me that he had sent out a press release announcing that the department had called in a consultant to help with the current murder cases. This was a good move—it made Dad appear proactive to the community and made it clear that the department was using all of the available resources that it could. On top of that, Shantel reported that they had identified a number of hairs from Todd’s clothes that didn’t appear to match any of his roommates’ hair or Pete’s.

Since Mrs. Baxter’s house was so close to downtown, I’d checked with any businesses on the square and the nearby streets that might have had video cameras that could have captured someone coming or going from her house. I was driving around collecting the recordings when my phone rang and the caller ID told me that it was Steve Winter, the private detective. I was feeling upbeat and decided to talk to him.

“I’ve got some information that might be of interest to you,” he said.

“If you have evidence in the case, then you need to turn it over to me.”

“That’s real funny coming from you.”

His words caused a cold chill to run down my back. “Whatever you have to say, say it.”

“I want to meet with you and I want you to tell me exactly what you’re doing on this case. Because I have evidence that you and your old partner might be hiding something.”

This presented me with a dilemma. Did I agree to meet with him, which would practically be an admission that he was right; or did I blow him off in an attempt at a bluff and risk not finding out what he had?

“Where?” I finally asked.

“Meet me at the Express Burgers. One hour,” Winter said and hung up.

The number and variety of four-letter words that went through my mind would have impressed a particularly vulgar sailor. My first thought was to call Pete and warn him, but I quickly discarded that idea. I didn’t know the extent of the threat and I didn’t want to worry him if I didn’t have to. Next I thought that I should just walk into Dad’s office and lay it all out, but this didn’t just involve me. I’d be putting Pete’s life into the meat grinder too. The only thing to do now was to meet with Winter and find out just how deep a hole I was in.

I was in the parking lot of the Express Burgers fifteen minutes early. Winter showed up a few minutes later, parked next to me and got out. It wasn’t hard to know it was him. He looked like someone had dialed up central casting and asked for an ex-Texas law man. He was even wearing the requisite jeans, cowboy hat and boots.

“I’m going to grab something for lunch. Do you want anything?” he asked. I thought it was an odd start to a blackmail meeting.

“No. I’m fine.” Actually, I was pretty hungry, but the Express had the worst food in town.

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