needed an attorney
willing to get her what she wanted. Going to the best restaurants and social
events boosted her confidence.
Her conversation with James helped her forget the
previous caller. What choice did she have? And, believe it or not, she did need
information for the second book. It was at a complete stand still.
But, could she bargain with the devil? A better
question, should she bargain with the devil … was he really the killer?”
* * *
Dallas settled back into the leather seat of
Cooper’s navy Jeep. “Nice rig. You just buy this to replace the Mustang?”
“No, I had the Mustang for the fun of it, but I use
this one for fishing, hunting, camping, gold panning and the like. Hard to
strap the canoe on the Mustang. Guess I don’t have to worry about that
anymore.”
“I’m sorry. It was a real shame. Coop … I mean,
Cooper—“
“I need to get over that. Call me whatever you like.”
“You may be sorry you said that! Thought you should
know someone was ransacking my room this morning. I surprised him and … well he
got away.”
“Are you serious?”
“No, I made it up. Of course I’m serious.”
“You see him?”
“Yes, I got a very good look at him. We actually had a
conversation. He said he was looking for shit to fence. I’d have believed him,
but his expensive Birkenstocks said otherwise. I attempted to arrest his ass
for breaking and entering. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out as I had planned
and he got away. I should have been able to handle it. Damn brace got in the
way. “
“Any idea what he was looking for?”
“That’s just it, I don’t have a clue. I mean, really
what would I have worth stealing? Maybe he was telling the truth or maybe … if
this had anything to do with the case … he just might have been after my notes.
If not, then I don’t have a clue.”
“Would you recognize him if you saw him again?”
“Damn straight. I never forget a face. I’m going to
visit a sketch artist when I get a minute.” She glanced at Cooper. He had one
of the nicest smiles she’d ever seen. “What you smiling about?”
“Bet your trying to arrest him was the shock of his
life. He knows you saw him. That might not be a good thing.”
“Maybe he wasn’t looking for anything.” Dallas said.
“I don’t follow you.”
“Maybe he was leaving something.”
“The kind of
something that has the same results as my car?
She nodded. “I
think we should send—“
“Shit, is that your B&B in flames?”
“Damn it! There goes about five-hundred dollars’ worth
of clothes, not to mention my leather luggage.” Dallas slammed her hands together, then
winced.
“Well, I’d say
I’m no longer the target. Someone is definitely trying to kill you, Dallas. You
care to share?”
She shrugged her shoulders, leaned back, then closed
her eyes. “I have no idea. The killer must have seen me at the first crime
scene and I guess the second one also. But that doesn’t make me anymore of a
target than the rest of the team. No one seems to be trying to kill any of
you.”
“You must have stumbled onto some evidence you aren’t
aware of yet. The killer is afraid you know too much. Did your notes burn up in
the fire?”
“Actually I was hoping my notebook fell out of my
pocket at your apartment last night. I couldn’t find it anywhere this morning
and I had to use a new one for today.”
“Well, we can’t sit here and watch the firemen all
day. Let’s run over to my place and see if it’s there.”
“I have a little nail item still in my pocket and I’d
feel better if it was being analyzed by the lab. If you have the blood samples
from the carpet ring, we could drop them all at the crime lab.”
“I do, but my plan is to send them to a friend at the
FBI crime lab. No offense, but someone is leaking current information to the
press. If we hear anything about a blood ring, Bicsak is the leak there.”
“I think you
can forget that one. He
willing to get her what she wanted. Going to the best restaurants and social
events boosted her confidence.
Her conversation with James helped her forget the
previous caller. What choice did she have? And, believe it or not, she did need
information for the second book. It was at a complete stand still.
But, could she bargain with the devil? A better
question, should she bargain with the devil … was he really the killer?”
* * *
Dallas settled back into the leather seat of
Cooper’s navy Jeep. “Nice rig. You just buy this to replace the Mustang?”
“No, I had the Mustang for the fun of it, but I use
this one for fishing, hunting, camping, gold panning and the like. Hard to
strap the canoe on the Mustang. Guess I don’t have to worry about that
anymore.”
“I’m sorry. It was a real shame. Coop … I mean,
Cooper—“
“I need to get over that. Call me whatever you like.”
“You may be sorry you said that! Thought you should
know someone was ransacking my room this morning. I surprised him and … well he
got away.”
“Are you serious?”
“No, I made it up. Of course I’m serious.”
“You see him?”
“Yes, I got a very good look at him. We actually had a
conversation. He said he was looking for shit to fence. I’d have believed him,
but his expensive Birkenstocks said otherwise. I attempted to arrest his ass
for breaking and entering. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out as I had planned
and he got away. I should have been able to handle it. Damn brace got in the
way. “
“Any idea what he was looking for?”
“That’s just it, I don’t have a clue. I mean, really
what would I have worth stealing? Maybe he was telling the truth or maybe … if
this had anything to do with the case … he just might have been after my notes.
If not, then I don’t have a clue.”
“Would you recognize him if you saw him again?”
“Damn straight. I never forget a face. I’m going to
visit a sketch artist when I get a minute.” She glanced at Cooper. He had one
of the nicest smiles she’d ever seen. “What you smiling about?”
“Bet your trying to arrest him was the shock of his
life. He knows you saw him. That might not be a good thing.”
“Maybe he wasn’t looking for anything.” Dallas said.
“I don’t follow you.”
“Maybe he was leaving something.”
“The kind of
something that has the same results as my car?
She nodded. “I
think we should send—“
“Shit, is that your B&B in flames?”
“Damn it! There goes about five-hundred dollars’ worth
of clothes, not to mention my leather luggage.” Dallas slammed her hands together, then
winced.
“Well, I’d say
I’m no longer the target. Someone is definitely trying to kill you, Dallas. You
care to share?”
She shrugged her shoulders, leaned back, then closed
her eyes. “I have no idea. The killer must have seen me at the first crime
scene and I guess the second one also. But that doesn’t make me anymore of a
target than the rest of the team. No one seems to be trying to kill any of
you.”
“You must have stumbled onto some evidence you aren’t
aware of yet. The killer is afraid you know too much. Did your notes burn up in
the fire?”
“Actually I was hoping my notebook fell out of my
pocket at your apartment last night. I couldn’t find it anywhere this morning
and I had to use a new one for today.”
“Well, we can’t sit here and watch the firemen all
day. Let’s run over to my place and see if it’s there.”
“I have a little nail item still in my pocket and I’d
feel better if it was being analyzed by the lab. If you have the blood samples
from the carpet ring, we could drop them all at the crime lab.”
“I do, but my plan is to send them to a friend at the
FBI crime lab. No offense, but someone is leaking current information to the
press. If we hear anything about a blood ring, Bicsak is the leak there.”
“I think you
can forget that one. He
Similar Books
