Walk in Darkness - A Thriller (Jon Stanton Mysteries) Read Online Free

up three girls?”
    “We weren’t on him twenty-four seven. Don’t underestimate these sick fucks.”
    “It wasn’t just going out and getting them. He would’ve needed to stalk them and learn their routines, learn things about them. There was no way he’d have the time by sneaking out at midnight for a few hours.”
    “Well , why didn’t you say anything before?”
    That, Stanton knew, was the question. When they had been after Putnam and named him as their primary suspect, why didn’t he speak up? He engaged in the chase as much as anyone and didn’t remember a single time he went to his CO and said he was having doubts that Putnam was their guy.
    They walked into the conference room and took seats. Sergeant Walters stood at the head of the table, his muscles bulging out of his shirt. He was the second biggest guy in the room next to Childs , and Stanton could tell he felt inadequate around him.
    “All right ladies and gentlemen, let’s chat.” He opened a file and scanned it. “First off , there’s a new policy in place regarding OT. All requests for OT must now be approved by Assistant Chief Ho. I know, I know, but you guys submitted over a hundred combined hours of OT last month. That’s unacceptable. We need to stick with our budget or they’re gonna cut us back, so let’s all make sure the overtime’s in good order. Best way to do that is to run it by me or Detective Childs before sending in an approval sheet.
    “Next we got Stanton and his flying chi-mo. Good job , Detective Stanton, for closing the Sandman cases.”
    A few cheers went up in the room and Childs clapped. The Sandman was the nickname the unit had given to Putnam as all the girls had been kidnapped during the night in their bedrooms.
    “Cleared it with the chief, Jon, there’s not going to be any administrative leave. IAD already looked at it and determined it doesn’t qualify as an officer-involved shooting since the fucker jumped off himself, so you’re good to go. Okay, next item of business . . .”
    Childs leaned over to Stanton and whispered, “IAD already cleared you? Since when does that happen so fast?”
    “Since never.”
    “That’s what I’m saying. What you think’s going on?”
    “I have no idea.”
     
     

 
    7
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Stanton stopped at police headquarters on his way home. The building made him uncomfortable and he sat in his car for a moment to orient himself. He glanced to the three red file folders on the passenger seat and then stepped out.
    When he walked in he was struck by how little of it he remembered, even though he had worked out of th e building for some time. He walked to the elevators and went to the fifth floor. A chill went down his back when he stepped off and turned down the hallway to the secured door that used to lead to the Cold Case Unit. He waited for a uniform to input the code for him and he walked in.
    He thought the floor looked about the same. There were several plush offices with glass desks and a large conference room with a flat screen up at the front. On the farthest wall from him was a giant map of the world. In bold lettering across the top it said, WHERE IN THE WORLD IS ELI SHERMAN. Pushpins were put into places the former detective had been sighted. After his escape from a hospital following a feigned suicide attempt. The newest one was Sao Paulo, Brazil. 
    Stanton remembered the night he had discovered Sherman was responsible for the deaths of at least two women and possibly as many as twelve, and the pain as two slugs from Sherman’s gun entered his body and flung him over the stairwell in his home.
    “Jon?”
    He turned to see Assistant Chief Chin Ho standing behind him, a smile over his face. He thrust out his hand and they shook.
    “How are ya, Chin?”
    “Doing well. How are you holding up?”
    “Doing okay.”
    “Were you told that IAD cleared you?”
    “Yeah, actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you