Short Story by Slaughter Karin & Koryta Michael

Author:Slaughter, Karin & Koryta, Michael [Slaughter, Karin & Koryta, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery, thriller
ISBN: 9781982139612
Goodreads: 46212963
Publisher: Simon Schuster
Published: 2017-06-06T07:00:00+00:00

4:04 P.M.

“HOLSTER THE SIDE ARM,” JOE told Lincoln Perry.

Joe had heard decent things about Detective Jeffrey Tolliver of Birmingham, Alabama, already from the DEA, and the surveillance video had proven beyond question that he hadn’t killed anyone today. But more important, Tolliver hadn’t packed up his shit and headed home once they kicked him loose from the holding cell. Joe had an idea that he was going to like the reason why.

“How long you been out of that cell?” he asked.

“Less than an hour.”

“And you’re here nosing around the car. Why?”

There was a little spark in the other man’s eyes that Joe liked an awful lot when Tolliver said, “A woman was gut shot in an alley and left to die. They never charged me, never searched me or my room or my car, and never asked me why I was here or what I was doing. The fact that I was locked up until the second shift came on—which consists solely of the chief’s wife—leads me to believe that the locals aren’t all that good at the detecting business.”

“So you came back here to work,” Joe said, which was exactly what he’d have done in Tolliver’s shoes.

Or shoe, as it were.

Tolliver nodded. “It’s been made clear that my help isn’t wanted, but it seems like they could use it.”

Joe said, “Okay. Here’s what I’d like to suggest. You close that trunk before we compromise the scene any more than already has been done, which would take some real effort.”

Tolliver closed the trunk with his elbow.

“We’ve got a surveillance video that will clear you completely, if they’re still talking about charges,” Joe said. “But we’ve also got a few questions. We came down here from Ohio to serve a warrant on the guy who did shoot the girl. What we’ve been told is that you think she stole your car. But this isn’t your car.”

Tolliver told him about the shaved tumblers, his theory about Antonio going to get a cup of coffee at the wrong place at the wrong time. He ended with, “Nora probably saw the Mustang on my key, thought she had the right ride, and ended up making the last mistake of her life.”

“The first cop who was on scene. What did you think of him?”

“Paulson?” He didn’t look impressed. “Young. Built like a radio antennae. Real jittery.”

“Jittery because he’s young, or jittery because he was scared?”

“Both, I guess.” Tolliver cocked his head and studied Joe through the falling snow. “Why’re you asking?”

Joe blew on his hands to warm them and then said, “Why don’t we talk in the car. Our car. We’ll drive, you ride, we’ll talk.”

“Where are we going?”

“I’ve got three possible addresses in the mountains for a guy named Double Simpson, who may have been waiting to inherit a stolen Mustang from his sister this morning.”

“I can pin that down for you. Millar Road near the falls. Second trailer on the right. I heard he’s a small-time pimp, wannabe big-time pusher. Runs his own sister.

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