Beyond belief Read Online Free Page A

details that our local paper did.”
    “Why were you there? You don't do murders.”
    “I don't
investigate
murders. Until now. They wanted me to come down and see if I had any idea how it happened.”
    “Do you?”
    “Aren't you late for school or something?”
    “Nope. Do you know how it happened?”
    “No.”
    “Awww, what good are you?”
    “The people I work with are probably asking themselves the same question. But don't worry, I'll figure it out.”
    “Oh.” She fell silent.
    “You okay?”
    “You're gonna work on a murder case?”
    “It looks like it. At least until I can figure out what happened.”
    “Can't somebody else do it?”
    “Why?”
    She looked down. “It's a
murder
case. Won't it be dangerous?”
    Joe turned toward her, but she wouldn't meet his gaze. She'd grown much more protective of him since losing her mother. “I'll be all right, baby. They only need me to advise them.”
    “Uh-huh.”
    He lifted up her chin. “There's nothing to worry about.”
    She managed a smile. “Okay.”
    Joe stared into her eyes. It wasn't okay. He hoped like hell they could wrap this up quickly.
    “You'll see.” He motioned toward the kitchen. “Now, is it my turn to make breakfast, or yours?”
    *   *   *   

    Joe arrived at work at the windowless ten-story police headquarters building located on the periphery of the Georgia State University campus. “GSU's biggest dorm,” the students joked, as the building also housed the Atlanta city jail.
    He entered the squad room, where tacky green felt acoustic panels did little to quiet the bustle of activity from fourteen cops at their desks. The receptionist, Karen Nevois, stopped him.
    “Joe, you'd better get over to Lieutenant Gerald's office in Homicide.”
    “Now?”
    “Unless you'd like to keep the chief of police waiting.”
    “You're kidding, right?”
    No smile. She wasn't kidding.
    He rapped on the door of Gerald's office and stepped inside. Gerald, Howe, and the police chief, Paul Davis, were standing around the desk, looking at the morning newspaper.
    Gerald didn't look as if he had slept. “Close the door behind you, Bailey.”
    Davis stepped forward and extended his hand. “Good morning.”
    Joe shook hands with him. Davis was a fiftyish man with white hair and horn-rimmed glasses.
    “What the hell happened there last night, Joe?”
    “I'm sure Howe filled you in. I surveyed the scene. There was no evidence of lifts, pulleys, or any kind of winch. The sculpture that went through the victim normally rested on the other side of the room. It wasangled downward, which means force had to have been directed from a height of over eleven feet. Do we know the weight of that sculpture?”
    Gerald nodded. “One hundred and sixty-two pounds.”
    “Heavier than I thought. I'd like copies of the videotapes and photographs that were taken.”
    “You got it.”
    “Lieutenant, I have to tell you, I have a pretty heavy load of my own right now.”
    “Not anymore. I've already spoken with Henderson. You're on this full-time, and you'll be working with Howe.”
    Joe cast a glance at his new partner. Howe obviously wasn't happy.
    Davis held up the paper's front page. “You know, of course, this is only the beginning. Tonight it will be on
Hard Copy, A Current Affair, and American Journal.
By tomorrow, Letterman and Leno will be joking about it. By Monday, it may be in
Time
and
Newsweek.
Psychic murder, the headlines will scream, along with this ghastly picture. Damn.”
    Gerald nodded. “We need to put this one away quickly.”
    The chief looked at Joe. “Anything you need, any help you require, just ask. And I don't want any statements to the press unless it has been cleared through my office. Are we all clear on that?”
    Joe, Howe, and Gerald nodded.
    “Now, what about this ridiculous story about the boy and his powers?”
    Howe produced his notebook and deliberatelystepped in front of Joe. “His name is Jesse Randall. He's eight years