AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I have the three preliminary reports.”
She opened the front door and Barker handed the papers in.
“Any trouble?”
“No, Tom was a gem about it. He said something about you resigning? Is that true?”
“Sorry, Julie, that was something he said to his girlfriend and I’d like you to keep it to yourself.”
“He was very upset about it.”
“That’s tomorrow, Julie. For tonight, please keep an eye on that workshop, and I promise I’ll explain everything tomorrow before I leave.”
Barker sighed. “Okay. But I just want to say that you should think it through. Not just for you, think about Tom. He really relies on you.”
Pro nodded and quietly shut the door. She couldn’t bring herself to talk about it, as she was afraid the tears would return. She had one last night as a kick-ass homicide detective and wouldn’t let herself go all weak-kneed now.
Back in the waiting room, Pro looked over the reports, comparing the conclusions made by the autopsy. What she saw hit her like a ton of bricks. She peeked into the apartment to see Shaut still working away. She turned the lock on the door so it wouldn’t completely close and shut it.
She went to the end of the hall and called Tom.
“Is everything all right, Pro?”
“Yeah. Except my blabbermouth partner tells his girlfriend I’m resigning.”
“Sorry, Pro. She knew I was upset, and I had to tell someone.”
“I don’t think she’ll spread it around. Did you look at the autopsy?”
“I glimpsed over it. Pretty straight forward. Death by strangulation, using a rope to garrote each victim.”
“Yes, but the ME concluded that Albert Floss was strangled by a man with a dominant right hand, while the other two victims were choked by an assailant with a dominant left hand. Tom, we might be looking for two different killers!”
“Or someone ambidextrous who is trying to fool us.”
“That’s a stretch. And if he could use both hands, it’s the stance, the way the rope is used that decides the pressure on the neck, which is what led to the ME’s judgment about the perp.”
“Is Max left-handed or right-handed?”
“Jeez, I don’t know. I never thought about it.”
“Well, I am about to leave and join you to escort Mister Shaut downtown.”
“What time is it?” Pro said and glanced at her watch. “After 5:00? Wow, the day went fast.”
“I assume there has been no trouble there.”
“None at all. Shaut and his assistant have spent the day glued to their screens.”
“Well, I think it is a good idea for us to not be at the precinct when that video is all over every channel tonight.”
“See you soon,” Pro said and hung up. She was ready to go back in when the phone rang with UNKNOWN CALLER as the ID. She thought of letting it go to voicemail, but she was afraid it might be Max and answered it.
“Hello?”
“Hello, is this Detective Thompson?” a deep voice said in her ear. The tone and the beauty of the man’s voice made her smile in spite of herself.
“Yes, it is,” she replied, surprised how she felt like a schoolgirl.
