AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Next week sometime. Detective Riley said the bod—said Cory would be released to us pretty much right away, once they’ve done the… you know.” There was no humor left in her sweet face. It had been replaced by the glisten of tears, a voice that cracked, a wandering gaze….
Gary reached across the table and took her hand in his. “Let me know, okay? I’ll be there.”
Nina’s gaze alighted on their joined hands. “Thanks, Gary,” she whispered. Then she looked him in the eye as she swiped at her wet cheeks. “Now find the bastard who did this.”
Gary said nothing, but squeezed her hand tight.
I will.At some unearthly hour Saturday morning, he’d surfaced briefly from his disturbed sleep and made a promise to Cory.
He intended keeping it.
Chapter 10
Monday, May 28
ROLL CALLdrew to a close, but Gary knew there was more to come when Travers entered the room and took over from Rob at the lectern. The rumbles of conversation from the assembled detectives continued. Travers rapped the lectern with his knuckles, then cleared his throat, and a hush fell.
“Okay, one last point. You all know we’re now at six murders. I don’t have to say how badly we want to catch this guy, do I?” Murmurs rippled through the rows of seated officers like a wave. “The chief….” Travers raised his voice, and silence ensued. “The chief feels we need a little outside… specialized help on this one, so we’re bringing in a kind of consultant.”
“What does ‘kind of’ mean, Lieutenant?” That came from Will Freeman.
“As of today, we’ve invited Dan Porter to work with the lead squad on this case. He’s a psychic who’s worked—” Loud muttering broke out, and Travers glared at them. “When you’re done?” Silence. “Okay. If any of you skeptics out there would care to look, you’ll discover Mr. Porter has helped both the NYPDandChicago PD with a few well-documented cases. I’ve read statements from detectives in both those departments, and they all say the same thing. This guy gets results. And seeing as our killer just made a leap from five months to ten days between murders, I think we’re in no position to turn down help if it’s offered.” Another glare. “Let me make it perfectly clear. I want full cooperation on this. From everyone. You’re to provide any and all assistance required. However….”
Gary’s skin prickled.
“Let me reiterate. We approached Mr. Porter, not the other way round, and he’s agreed to work with us on one condition.No oneoutside of this department is to know of his involvement. That means the press, social media….No one. You got that?” Travers scowled. “There’s been enough ink and screen time wasted on this bastard already. We know the media will be falling all over themselves to get more information on this killer—nothing spells high ratings like a serial killer, right?—but I want them to be met with complete radio silence.”
“So he’s not doing this for publicity?” Lewis rolled his eyes. “Yeah, like we believe that.”
“I don’t carewhatyou believe, Stevens.” Travers’s voice was cool.
“But you said his previous cases are well documented. So suddenly he wants to keep out of the limelight? Why now?”
“I have no idea. Maybe you should ask him. He obviously has his reasons, but whatever they are, letting the media in on this is a dealbreaker.” Travers gazed around the room. “Have we all got that? Good. Have a great day, folks.” And with that he marched out of the room.
The rumblings erupted immediately.
“As if anyone in here would let the media know,” Will said with a sneer. “What message would that send? ‘Hey, the police can’t do diddly squat, so we’re enlisting a psychic.’” Murmurs of agreement followed.
Riley glanced at the men and women surrounding them, his face glum. “Any and all assistance required? Yeah, right. No one’s gonna talk to this guy on principle.”
“Thenwe’lltalk to him, all right?” Gary wasn’t about to share his part in the proceedings. He’d gone out on a limb. His own experience of psychics didn’t matter. If there was the slightest chance this guy Porter could succeed where they’d failed—so far—then Gary was prepared to accept what help Porter could offer.
“Sure, we’ll talk to him,” Lewis muttered. “But it’s gonna be a waste of time, okay? And when this guy doesn’t produce, remember, you heard it here first.”
They filed back to the large office, but instead of heading for his desk, Gary went to their base. The sight of Cory’s photo taped to the board sent a brief pang through him, but he took a couple of deep breaths.
You’re a goddamn professional. Be what he needs.
Without looking, he knew Lewis had entered: That cologne he wore was a dead giveaway.
“Iamsorry about your friend.”
Compassion was the last thing Gary had expected. “Thank you.” Maybe Lewis was human after all. He peered at the board. “No phone, like the others?”
“Yeah.”
“Is Del doing the autopsy today?”
