Terry Odell - Mapleton 02 - Deadly Bones Read Online Free Page A

hundred.”
    “However, given that the bone appears to have been in the ground for so many years, I can’t say there’s any sense of urgency to find them tonight,” Asel said.
    Solomon looked almost crestfallen. “I guess you’re right.”
    “On the other hand,” Asel continued, “If someone’s been grieving for a loved one, every day can seem like an eternity.”
    Solomon brightened. “So, you’re saying it might be doing a good deed if we found the gravesite. Give closure.”
    “Whoa,” Gordon said. “Nobody said anything about a gravesite. The dog found a bone. One bone. Could have come from anywhere. And there’s another factor. What if there’s nobody grieving, nobody wanting closure, because they’re the ones who are responsible for the death in the first place?” Gordon caught Solomon’s grin and realized what he’d said. The words his subconscious had shoved out of his mouth.
    “Right, Chief. We could be looking for a murderer.”
    Asel opened the door to his van. “As I said, you have your job, I have mine. I’ll leave you to it.”
    Gordon stared after the van as Asel drove away. “You think we should spend the rest of the night hunting for a bunch of bones?” he said to Solomon.
    His officer’s grin widened. “You have something else to do?”
    Gordon’s conscience entered a wrestling ring worthy of the WWE. Should he consider this a case, albeit a cold one? Would another day—or two—make a difference? And if it did, why did he have to be part of the hunt? He could send Solomon, maybe add another officer. The more he thought about it, the more he heard Mayor Alexander demanding justification for the manpower.
    Solomon’s radio crackled to life. Irv, the night dispatcher’s voice came through. “Roberta Blanchard’s complaining about Crazy Freddy again. Solomon, you’re closest. Why doncha head up there?”
    What was Irv doing working on a Saturday night? Gordon wondered why it hadn’t registered with him when he’d called Dispatch earlier.
    Lately Irv tended to forget details—including the fact that anything put over the radio could be picked up by anyone with a scanner, or even a computer. Gordon didn’t have the heart to fire the man, and made sure his shifts were on predictably slow nights. Never a Friday or Saturday.
    Gordon yanked the radio from Solomon’s collar. “Dispatch, this is Chief Hepler.” He sucked in a quick breath, reminding himself not to do exactly what he was reprimanding Irv for. He’d save that for a private face-to-face. “Please repeat.” He hoped his tone conveyed the message.
    “Right, Sir.” Irv cleared his throat. “Citizen requests assistance.” Irv proceeded to give Fred’s address. “Mapleton Three, please proceed. Code one.”
    Gordon handed the radio to Solomon, who stood at exaggerated attention, peering over Gordon’s shoulder. Clearly, he was having trouble keeping a straight face as he responded to the call. “Mapleton Three. En route.” Solomon clipped the radio back to his collar. “You want to switch with me? You’re the Chief. You can do that.”
    Gordon smirked. “Dream on. I’ll read your report on Monday.”
    Solomon drove off toward the foothills near the outskirts of town. Another couple hundred yards, Gordon thought, and Fred would live outside the city limits, and he’d be County’s problem.
    Gordon went one more round with his conscience, deciding that there was very little anyone could do in the dark that wouldn’t be more efficient in daylight. But there was still something he needed to do.
    He called Angie. “I have a few things to take care of at the office before I’m free. Might take an hour. Will that be too late?”
    “For you? Never. I might even have a surprise for you.”
    Smiling in anticipation, he drove to the station. Thinking about Angie wasn’t going to get the job done. Instead, he forced his mind back to the job. He couldn’t help wondering how Solomon would fare with