vnNeSsa1 Read Online Free Page B

decanter, and slam it down on the desk in front of her.
    “You can drink it straight out of here if you want; just pay attention!” She ignores my outburst and pours the alcohol to the rim. Holding the glass in one hand, she drags a heavy antique chair across the room, parks it right next to the dead body and settles her wide bottom in it contentedly. If she spills Scotch on my Louis XIV, I’ll shoot her in the head, tracking skills be damned. I close my eyes and count to ten before going on.
    “So the chief goes after her, figuring she’ll go south,” I say through gritted teeth. “North is pretty much Canada. He drives two hours with sirens and lights on before he gives up. He finally figures out that she pulled over and hid out, waiting for him to pass. After checking possibilities on the way back, the chief finds the Aston Martin with the keys in it at a truck stop a half-hour from the station. Miracle it wasn’t stolen.”
    “OK, you told me about the truck stop on the phone,” Wilcox says between sucks on her drink. “But, backtracking, I assume the chief covered all evidence of her visit to the station?” I nod, briefly. “And he didn’t involve other officers in the search because they don’t have an…agreement with you?” Again, a nod. “I didn’t ask neighbors or townspeople about seeing the Aston Martin. Hopefully they didn’t see anything. And at least the chief put the car back in the garage.”
    “Least he could do.” He had a lot to make up for after losing the girl.
    “Other rafters spotted Van Clief’s body caught in the roots of a tree just before the falls,” I continue, wishing I had earplugs to block the unpleasant slurping sounds erupting from this unfortunate woman. “The chief’s people are dragging the lake for the girl’s body. Now the guide will mysteriously disappear.” My eyes shift to the guide’s body on the rug. “Perhaps he’ll leave town suddenly. They’ll never find the girl’s or the guide’s body, of course.” My hand is stroking the sword again. “Ironically, it was lucky she wasn’t killed. We’ve torn apart the Van Cliefs’ offices, homes, and cabin. There are two trickier places to try. We thought it would be easy to find. I underestimated Van Clief. I’m sure he trusted the girl with a copy. I’ve got to find her.”
    “None of the waiters in the coffee shop at the truck stop saw a girl fitting her description. I’m in the process of checking with all the truckers who have a regular route through there.” Rita has finished her Scotch and both her upper and lower lids have closed slightly. She looks even more frog-like.
    “She could have gotten a ride with anyone. She could be anywhere.” The rage and frustration are building in me again. That a seventeen-year-old brat holds the key to my future is more than I can bear. My fingers rake through my hair.
    “I’ll find her. People always leave a trail.” Rita stands on perfectly stable legs and lumbers gracelessly but steadily toward the door. She turns just before exiting. “By the way, your guy lied about caving in Van Clief’s skull. His body was found with his rafting helmet still on. Oh, and e-mail a photograph of the girl to me. It would also help if you get as much information as possible about her from your daughter.” She leaves without another word. My anger is abruptly replaced by shock.
    Why would the guide lie to me about hitting Van Clief? It makes no sense. Did he lie to me about anything else? I look at his lifeless body leaking body fluid all over my lovely carpet. Well, he obviously can’t tell me now.
    Slowly my hand reaches for my phone and I tap the face of it. She doesn’t answer so I wait for voicemail: “Hi, pumpkin. How would you like to go carpet shopping with me later today and then have dinner? No occasion, just father-daughter stuff. I’ll call you later. Love you.” Knowing she abhors actual voice contact with the white-hot heat of a thousand suns, I