AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I took a fast, hot shower, and minutes later, I was in fresh PJs, and Joe was in bed waiting for me. I climbed in, snuggled up to him and he stroked my back and my hair. Normally, that would put me out for hours.
But I was utterly awake.
I curled around him and when he said, “Start talking,” I told him everything I knew.
“The vic’s name is Ralph Hammer. He was surviving on his wits. He did some freelance coding, bartending, and he got a speaking part in a cereal commercial last year. That was still bringing in royalties.”
I explained the working theory, how Hammer had come to the bookstore, accused Cindy of glorifying Burke’s homicidal career. Just telling Joe about this guy upset me. I said that I hadn’t liked the guy, or what he’d done, but he had a right to speak. And now he was dead.
I kept talking.
“I don’t know if his verbal attack on Cindy was related to his death or not. But at the time, he was vehement and a little scary, so Rich and I showed him the door. Store owner recognized him. Told Cindy he’d never made a purchase. It’s possible he lifted a copy of Cindy’s book on the way out because we found one in the back of his car.”
“Strange,” Joe said.
My husband has worked in all of America’s clandestine services and began his career in the Behavioral Science Unit of the FBI. So, if he said “strange,” I had to ask why.
Said Joe, “What I meant is that the fact of the book is strange enough to make me askwhywas it inside the victim’s car? Did Hammer steal it as you suggest? Did he want to know more about Evan Burke? Or about Cindy? Or did he want recompense for being thrown out of the store? Or.”
I kicked off the blanket. “No riddles, please, Joe. It’s past my bedtime. Or, what?”
Joe laughed. One of my favorite things.
“Or. Thekillerput the book in the car. If so, it makes me ask was he at the bookstore? If so, was he following Hammer or was Hammer a convenient victim?”
“Or,” I said. “Other unprovable theories.”
“You got the surveillance tapes from the bookstore?”
“Of course,” I said, as if that had been my first thought.
“Run facial rec on everyone, including the women.”
“I’ll pass that along,” I said. “It’s not our case, really. We just backed up the local PD as a favor for Brady who owed one to Captain Brevoort.”
“So why are you still worrying about this?”
“Because, Joe. I saw the guy. I listened to the guy. He was rude to Cindy. And while we were eating oysters overlooking the bay, someone killed him. And they didn’t tickle him to death, either.”
“Tell me.”
“Stun gun to disable him, garrote to kill him. Then, after he was dead, gave him a couple of gunshots to the head. What’s the psychology behind that?”
“Jesus. Talk about overkill.”
We lay together in silence thinking about that hit. Joe’s breathing started to lengthen and deepen. But I kept thinking.The killing felt personal. Hammer’s wallet was intact. His car was filled with bags and whatever. He didn’t have a record.
I said, “It was a thrill kill, or payback …”
I felt the tears catching in my throat. I coughed them away and worked my way under Joe’s arm. He stroked my back and said, “You’re overtired, sweetie. Overworked.” Then, he fell asleep.
But I couldn’t go with him.
The last time I looked at my watch, it was three. I slept poorly and had a dream that Marin County PD was calling me.
I couldn’t find my phone.
CHAPTER 9
