The Boyfriend Read Online Free Page A

it, as though he were trying to hold a bundle of sticks together. “I’m sorry, Mr. Till. We know those are the usual things. Judy is just… getting worn down.”
    Till moved so he was facing Mrs. Hamilton. “What are the right questions?”
    “There are no obvious reasons why anybody would kill her. She wasn’t working for a pimp. She was independent. She didn’t do drugs, didn’t have debts. The coroner says she wasn’t sexually assaulted, although she’d probably had sex within a few hours before she died. Look, we know this is awful. Nobody wants to think about it. Everything you learn about it is tawdry and degrading. There is no question at all that for at least the past year, Catherine was providing sex for money. But that doesn’t mean it was okay to kill her. I could see the detectives exchanging looks. I could read their minds. ‘This woman’s daughter was having sex with men who saw her Web site and called her up. What did she expect?’ It’s all true. Everybody knows it’s a risky activity. And it’s illegal. But this was a young woman. She was twenty-six years old. She never in her life hurt anybody. But now she’s dead. And the police act like she’s not human. It’s like somebody’s scrawny old cat ran away and died. They feel some kind of sympathy for us, and I see it. But the truth is, our daughter’s death wasn’t a big deal. She should have known better. We should have taught her better.” She shrugged. “They’re right. Catherine made a mistake. Our family is broken and destroyed.”
    “The police officers I know don’t automatically dismiss the murder of anyone,” said Till. “The questions can be insensitive. But I know they’ll try hard to find the killer.”
    “Well, unless some new leads come up, they’re finished,” said Mr. Hamilton. “So I thought we’d try to develop new leads. We have a list of private detectives who have at one time or other taken cold murder cases and brought them to a satisfactory conclusion. I wonder if you could take a look at it.” He held out a single sheet of paper.
    Till took it, and looked down the list of names. He ignored his own name, which was on the top. “Yes, I know this one. And this one. And… no, not this one.”
    Hamilton looked at the name he was pointing at. “You mean you don’t know him, or wouldn’t hire him?”
    “Wouldn’t hire him,” Till said. “He was removed from the police department for cause. I don’t imagine he’s improved much on his own.”
    “Which one of these investigators is the best?”
    “It’s not as simple as that,” Till said. “No matter how good he is, this kind of case is very difficult to solve. It’s also extremely expensive to pursue, and I’d be dishonest if I didn’t say this too. Even if he succeeds, it’s not going to make you feel better.”
    “We’re aware of the expense. We accept the futility of it. We’re going to do this,” said Mrs. Hamilton. “It’s a direct question, and we’re relying on your honesty. Which one is the best?”
    “I am.”
    “That’s what we heard,” said Mr. Hamilton. He reached into his coat pocket and produced a check. “Here’s a hundred thousand dollars. And here’s my card. When you run out of money, call for more.”
    “Please,” said Mrs. Hamilton.
    Till sighed. “I’ll need all the information about her you can give me—pictures, social security number, bank records, anything that will help me trace her movements over the past couple of years.”
    Mrs. Hamilton opened her oversize purse and placed a thick manila envelope on the desk between them. “That’s all in here. And a few other things we thought… you know. A lot of it is personal, things she said or wrote.” She began to cry. “I’m sorry. I just can’t help it.”
    “I understand,” he said. “I have a daughter of my own.”

3
    Jack Till parked around the corner and walked to the house, as usual. He had been a homicide cop for a long time and had