Perilous Gambit: A Mike Stoneman Thriller by Kevin G. Chapman

Author:Kevin G. Chapman [Chapman, Kevin G.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-11-23T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 28 — Identifying Marks

Tuesday, January 7

Las Vegas, NV

JERRY SUGGESTED THAT HE GO WITH THEM back to the Mardi Gras to talk with Jackie and show him the photo of the dead dancer, Sheila Buchanan. A half hour later, they walked onto the pool deck and spotted their gang at their pool-side table. A waitress was taking food orders, so Mike motioned for Jason and Jerry to wait before talking about the situation. Lizzy and Jackie ordered cottage cheese and fruit. Mike whispered to Michelle that it must suck to be in Vegas around so much great food, but have to constantly diet to fit into their costumes. Rachel, who had ordered a cheeseburger, changed her mind and asked the waitress to bring her the low-cal fruit plate also.

“Jackie,” Jerry said in a soothing, fatherly voice once the server left, “I need to show you a photo and ask you if you recognize the person in it. I’ll warn you that it’s a pretty disturbing picture. The woman was in a car accident and she died. This is a picture from the scene. I know it’s hard, but it’s important. Can you do that for us?”

Jackie reached out for a glass of ice water on the table and took a healthy swig. Then he nodded and reached for the phone containing the picture. When he first looked, he grimaced and turned away, but then forced himself to look again and study the shot. “Oh my God! Do you know who that is?”

“We think so, but we need you to confirm it.”

“That’s Cricket. She’s the other dancer from that photo, the one with me and Mimi and the old guy. Look,” Jackie pointed, “you see that pink butterfly tattoo on her neck? That’s Cricket’s tattoo. She told me she was going to get a cricket, but they aren’t very pretty so she went with a butterfly. Oh my God! She’s dead?”

“Yes. She is,” Mike said, taking a serious tone. “Which means that in the past week, two of the three people who were in that picture have died. One was a clear murder. The other was a car accident, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t also a murder. The detective said she was intoxicated. The question is whether she got drunk voluntarily or whether somebody got her drunk and sent the car off the overpass. We have no way to get the file, at least not very quickly. And then somebody tried to kill you, so that can’t be a coincidence.”

“And now,” Jerry broke back in, “the detective says he’s going to arrest you. I think he’s bluffing and just wants you to come in for questioning. We are certainly not going to have you go in voluntarily. Now, remember what I told you. If they arrest you, immediately ask for me – for your lawyer – and say nothing, no matter what they say and no matter what they threaten you with. You have the right to remain silent and you should exercise it.

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