Hollywood Prisoner: A Hollywood Alphabet Series Thriller Read Online Free Page B

friends went on for a moment, disparaging Boris, and Nana’s choice in men. They had a point—at least about Nana—she’d been taking a sexual rejuvenation drug and lacked any discretion when it came to the opposite sex. If Boris had any sense, he’d think twice about hooking up with her.
    After they chatted about Nana’s problems for a few minutes, Mo changed the subject, asking me about my sister, Lindsay. “Any word on her getting free from that group that’s been holdin’ her hostage?”
    Lindsay was my half-sister; someone I never knew existed, until a few months back. “I’m still waiting for a call from Joe Dawson,” I said. “Lindsay’s supposedly working on our side to take down the Swarm.”
    “I hope she hasn’t gone over to the dark side,” Natalie said. “I hear that group is full of crazies.”
    The Swarm was a group of domestic terrorists that would stop at nothing to impose their will on society. They’d been responsible for dozens of killings over the past several months. Joe Dawson was the FBI agent assigned to the case.
    “Joe’s pretty confident that Lindsay’s working undercover to expose those involved,” I said. “I just hope we can get her out safely.”
    Mo checked the time on her phone and stood. She said to Natalie, “We’d better get goin’, baby sis.”
    Natalie brushed a hand through Bernie’s fur and got her sweater. “Yeah, we don’t wanna keep the public waiting.”
    “What gives?” I asked.
    Mo said to Natalie, “Remember, we’re on a need-to-know basis.”
    Natalie looked at me. “All I can say are two words: flash ‘n’ dash.”

SEVEN
    I had no idea what Natalie meant by flash ‘n’ dash, and forgot all about it as I drove to the station the next morning. Bernie settled at my feet as I took a seat at my desk, across from Leo, and told him Chief Dunbar had approved me being present during the search of Harlan Ryland’s estate.
    “We’ve got a meeting in ten to discuss tactical issues,” Leo said. “The brass is concerned that Ryland’s security force might put up some resistance.”
    “Anything new on Russell’s homicide?”
    He shook his head. “According to Woody and Harry, it was a single shot, close range. No suspects.”
    “If Harlan Ryland was involved, he would have hired a professional, both because he’s in his eighties and to distance himself from the killing. The case won’t likely go anywhere.”
    “Unless we find something at Ryland’s estate tying him to it.”
    I smiled. “If that’s the case, he’s probably also got a herd of flying pigs in his yard.”
    The ten-minute wait for our tactical meeting turned into forty minutes while we waited for Captain Dembowski to arrive. Our captain was a no-nonsense bureaucrat who began the meeting by giving us platitudes about teamwork and safety before turning things over to Lieutenant Edna and his two detectives, Woody Horton and Harry Braden.
    Our lieutenant was in his early fifties, with a shock of graying hair, and a colorful vocabulary. When the brass wasn’t around, he made extensive use of the f-word. Edna and I generally got along well because neither of us had any use for command staff.
    “I want this operation to go like clockwork,” Edna said, after taking over from the captain. “Once the warrant is served, the brass will release a general statement to the press about the basis for the search. I want to make it crystal clear that no one is to talk to the media about this matter. All communication goes through MRS.”
    MRS was the department’s Media Relations Section that worked closely with the chief and mayor’s office, trying to do damage control.
    Edna went on. “Detective Melvina ‘Mel’ Peters has recently been reassigned to Section One.” The lieutenant’s gaze drifted in my direction for a moment, before looking at Peters, who was just coming into the room. “She’ll be working with Detective Hall, but will also be reporting directly to MRS on this