The Body on Ortega Highway Read Online Free Page B

says, “Oh, yes. I remember that story. It was a creative
writing assignment. I asked the kids to try to write a ballad. We
were discussing ‘Ode to Billy Joe’.”
    Clarissa says, “I see. Weren’t you
alarmed that she chose to write about prostitution?”
    “I was. But then I saw that she was
trying to put a little humor in it. It’s kind of cute the way she
put words together.”
    “Well, it isn’t very cute what
happened to her.”
    “I’m not discounting that. You
misunderstood me.”
    “ Did she ever make any
inappropriate advances to you?”
    “ To me? You’ve got to be
kidding.”
    “I’m dead serious.”
    “No. She was never like that.”
    “How was she with the other boys in
class? Was she popular?”
    “She was quiet. Studious. And a bit
of a loner. She was a very good student. She got ‘A’s on all of her
tests and papers. She had so much potential. It’s such a waste and
tragedy what happened. We all feel terrible about it.”
    “Can you think of anyone who might
have wanted to hurt her?”
    “ No. Absolutely no
one.”
    Clarissa gives him her card
and says, “Take this. Call me if you can think of anything that
might help us with our investigation.”
    She drives back to her office
and goes over the interview notes that Detective Vente has already
completed. Reading the interviews with Desiree’s friends, she
learns that Desiree recently broke up with
her boyfriend. Detective Vente interviewed him and wrote in his
notes that he didn’t think the boyfriend was capable of killing her
because he seemed genuinely shocked and upset about what happened
to her.
    At about 4:00, she packs up her
stuff and goes home to start making dinner. Ron has been working
late all week. He promised to come home by 5:00 tonight. He has
been spending a lot of time in the dockyards in Long Beach. He
works undercover in the auto theft task force. Stolen cars have
been packed up and shipped off to Europe and parts unknown. The
D.A. suspects that organized crime is involved.
    She drives over to Von’s and
buys a roasted chicken, some asparagus, and strawberries. She also
buys a bottle of Columbia Crest Chardonnay. Dinner is ready and the
table is set, all ready for him to come home. She waits and waits.
The clock turns 5:00 than 6:00, and still he doesn’t call or show
up. Usually, he’s really considerate about calling when he knows
he’s going to be late, but not tonight. This is so unlike him. She
worries that something may have happened to him. She calls him and
he doesn’t pick up. At about 7:00, he finally comes
home.
    He walks into the house and is
greeted by a very angry wife. He tries to hug her, and she pushes
him away. He says, “What’s wrong, honey? Aren’t you glad to see
me?”
    “ You told me you’d be home by
5:00. I’ve had dinner waiting for you for two hours.”
    “ I’m sorry, honey. Some of
the guys wanted to go out for a beer after we left the
dockyards.”
    “You could have called.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “Why didn’t you answer your
phone?”
    “ I never got your
call.”
    “You better not have been to one of
those stripper joints.”
    “Honey. I don’t do that anymore.
Not since I met you.”
    Clarissa isn’t buying any of this.
She sits on the sofa and pouts. Gumbo comes over and puts his nose
on her knee.
    Ron says, “Gumbo wants his
walk.”
    “Clarissa wants her walk, too.”
    “Then let’s go,” he says, trying to
appease her.
    “Without Gumbo this time.”
    “Okay. Sorry little dude,” he tells
the dog.
    They walk over to nearby
Fisher Park and find a secluded spot under a tree. They both sit
down on the grass.
    He tells her again how sorry he is for not calling. She won’t
even look at him.
    “ I will call next time,
honey. This won’t happen again. I swear.” He tries to get her to
look at him and lifts up her chin when she’s looking down. He tells
her how much he loves her. He starts stroking her hair away from
her face. She relents a little