Pernicious Read Online Free Page A

see.”
              When she entered the adjacent room, Paul stopped talking.
              “Go ahead,” Bob urged him.
              “I was scared after he shot her ’cause I was thinking he might shoot me, too. He kept hollering, ‘Chill out! Chill out!’ I told him to let me out, but he wouldn’t. He said we had to figure this out. I told him we didn’t shoot her. He did! Next thing I know he stopped and kicked her out the car.”
              “At Thirteenth and High Street?” Bob asked.
              “I guess. I’m not really sure. We’d been smoking most of the day.”
              “Then what happened?”
              “We went and got some more dope and then we went to his house and…”
              “Go ’head, son,” Bob said.
              “When we were getting out the car, the rock fell out.”
              “The one Jenno thought Linda had stolen from him?”
              Paul nodded. “That’s what makes it so messed up. We both thought she stole…I guess it slipped between the seat when we went inside the store.”
              “That is messed up,” Bob agreed. “What did you do after the discovery?”
              “We smoked the dope. What else could we do?”
              “Give us a few minutes, will you?” Bob said. Tasha followed him out the door.
              “Your guy sounds more credible than mine,” Tasha said.
              “I’m taking him down on accessory after the fact. He’s not walking.”
              “Let’s wait for ballistics and forensics. If all the dots connect, let’s hit Barry with first degree.”
              “Sounds like a plan to me. You know, at first I thought this was headed to a cold case file. It was easier than Sudoku. Good work, Tash.”
              Barry had resumed his vigil at the window when Tasha returned. “Can I go now?” he asked. “You said I could go when you got back.”
              Tasha shook her head. “I didn’t say that. Sit down, Barry.”
              He sat, slouching in the seat.
              “Barry, we seem to have a problem.”
              “What!” standing up. “What problem?”
              “Calm down. I’m sure it’s nothing we can’t work out. Your road dog, Babyboy, recalls a different version of events. He says it’s your gun and you shot Linda. He says you shot her…and then you kicked her to the curb.”
              “He’s lying and his breath stank! He’s lying on me! I didn’t shoot that girl, and he knows it!”
              Tasha pinched the bridge of her nose. “The gun, Barry…” She paused for effect. “It has your prints on it, not his.”
              Tasha knew if Barry had wiped the gun clean, he would know she was bluffing, and he might ask for a lawyer, which would end further discussion.
              Barry collapsed in the chair, eyes twitching, lips trembling, hands going to his face, the table, back to his face.
              “I-I didn’t mean to kill her,” he mumbled.
              “Say again?”
              “I didn’t mean to kill her. I was just trying to scare her. She stole my dope…She didn’t have to do that. All she had to do was ask…I would’ve gave her some.” He covered his face with his hands and let out a muffled moan. “Oh God! It was an accident. I was only trying to scare her.”
              Tasha silently observed him as he sniveled, though she wanted to say, “Yeah, butthead, and after you shot her and kicked her out the car you found the dope and smoked it.”
              She checked that and said, “I sense your pain, Barry. I think you’ll feel better you write down what happened.” She slid her pen and pad toward him. “I also need you to sign