An Apple for Zoë ~ The Forsaken Read Online Free

confusing thoughts. Finally Kirkland broke the silence.
    "Was it Arthur Leigh Allen?"  
    James stood with his back to Kirkland. The memory flashed in his mind's eye. He then turned and faced his friend.
    "It was dark. But yeah, I always thought so."
    "God was looking out for you that night, Tom."
    "Oh come on Mike, you know I don't believe in that crap. The guy already killed the cab driver, maybe he got spooked or I just got lucky. But I don't believe there was any divine intervention. Not for a moment."
    "You wait Tom, someday you will feel very differently. Mark my words. Okay so, do you think that after all this time, Zodiac is still alive and left a note to remind you of that night?"
    James shook his head. "God, Mike, that's just too surreal to be true. I mean it can't be. Arthur Leigh Allen died in 1992. And if it really was Zodiac the guy would have to be in his late seventies, hell even eighties. No, this crime scene was clever. Calculating and for lack of a better term, evil. And then there's the note. Only three people in the world could possibly know what it means. And that is myself, the guy in the window and Julie."  
    "Where is Julie today? Would you have any idea?"
    "Maybe Los Angeles. The last time I saw her was at her mother's funeral. That was 13 years ago. We actually considered getting back together since neither of us had ever married."
    "So why didn't you?" asked Kirkland.  
    "We spent a few nights together and as wonderful as it was, we both somehow felt it would never work. She had to return to Hollywood and care for her father and I already had over twenty years with the department. I couldn't just give all that up to chase a childhood crush."  
    Kirkland gave a disappointed look. "That's too bad Tom. True love rarely comes once in a lifetime let alone twice."
      "We both promised to write. But I never got a letter from her. There hasn't been a day I didn't regret letting her go from my life."    
    "You ever think about trying to find her again?"  
    Thoughts of Julie gave James a feeling he had long missed. The feelings then gave way to even more sadness. "I have Mike, but I have to think, she's moved on with her life now. She could be married with children of her own. I mean she never wrote back so I think that sort of says it all. Besides if she is married I honestly don't think I would want to know. I mean at the moment, she still belongs to me. My memory of her is still the beautiful brunette that I was head over heels in love with. The girl I eventually lost my virginity to."  
    Kirkland started laughing, "Okay, too much information."
    "Hey you asked," stated James.    
    Kirkland's mind raced as he tried to put everything into perspective. "Tom, you think the guy in the closet was also the guy in the window?"  
    James nodded in agreement. "I did consider that. But think about it. I mean let's say the guy in the closet is him, and he did kill Amanda. For all of his cleverness and planning, how can he be certain that I'm going to be the investigating detective? I mean isn't that the whole ball game?"
    "Not at all. It's fifty-fifty odds. If he gets you on the crime scene, then for him, it's a stroke of good luck. But even if he doesn't, this thing is too spooky and bizarre. Someone is going to say something about the note. You're going to hear about it, and then he's got your attention."
    James laughed. "Damn Mike, why do you always have to be right?"
    "It's a gift. What can I say?"
    "I say you buy me lunch."
    "You name the place and as long as it's not over a buck, I've got you covered."  
    The two men enjoyed a moment of levity only to be broken by the ringing of Inspector James' phone. James answered the call as Kirkland attempted to grasp the conversation based on James' expressions. Quickly James stood up and thanked the caller. He then replaced the phone and gave Kirkland a look of satisfaction.
    "That was Captain Shelton, they found a wallet in the alley behind the funeral home.