Killer Deal Read Online Free Page B

unprepared, it took me a moment to muster up an eloquent: “Why not?”
    Kyle considered his answer so long I wasn’t sure I was going to get one. Finally, he said, “This one’s messy.”
    “Why?”
    “First of all, it’s still open. Plus, it just has that feel.”
    “So you don’t think Gwen Lincoln did it?”
    “Doesn’t matter what I think. Not my case.” His jaw set and I realized this was a major part of the problem. Not only was I going to be on police territory, I was going to be on another’s detective’s turf.
    “I’m not going to get you involved,” I promised. “I’d just like to understand what’s going on before I interview her.”
    “It’s not your case either.”
    I was surprised at how much that stung, even though I knew he didn’t mean it to. All he was doing was explaining his concerns. But while I respected that, it didn’t diminish the dig. “I’d never presume to be able to solve this murder before your colleagues do.”
    “Of course you would,” he said flatly.
    I didn’t want this to turn into a fight, especially because, if pressed, I had to admit that he wasn’t completely wrong. But surely there was a way to make this work for all parties. “Okay. There’s some small chance that in the course of writing the article, I might come up with interesting information that’s eluded the police so far. But I don’t intend to race your fellow detectives to a conclusion. I’m writing about a suspect in the case, that’s all.” He stared at me until I felt compelled to add, “Promise.”
    Something else was bothering him. I could see it in the tilt of his head. He finally said, “This isn’t like the other times.”
    “The other murders, you mean.” He nodded and I refrained from asking him when he’d had the chance to compare notes with Eileen. “I know. That’s why it’s exciting. I’m
not emotionally involved. I’m doing this as a journalist and it’s a chance to show Eileen I’m capable of doing more at the magazine.”
    “Yeah. The ‘doing more’ …”
    “I only want background from the detective in charge so I can understand what Gwen Lincoln might be going through right now. That’ll be it. I won’t bother anyone past that.”
    Kyle fixed me for what seemed like at least two minutes with a piercing but unreadable gaze. Finally, he said, “You’re not going to get much, it’s an ongoing investigation.”
    “I know. And I don’t mean to put you in the middle. I’ll go through the proper channels and set up my own meeting. I just wanted to tell you before I did any of that.”
    I wasn’t sure if he was squinting or wincing as he shook his head. “Let me talk to him first. He can be …” Kyle searched for the proper description, then thought better of it. “Let me talk to him first,” he repeated. “And I’ll catch up with you later tonight.” He wasn’t exactly sending me away, but he wasn’t inviting me to follow him inside either. But to prove that point that I was going to respect the process, I didn’t argue the point or try to go with him. He kissed me softly—perfunctorily, if I wanted to be neurotic about it—and went back inside.
    I walked back to my office, trying to clear my head before I returned to Eileen’s turf. It wasn’t that hot, by August standards. You could almost feel autumn lurking around the corner. A lot of my friends disdain walking, especially in an expensive pair of shoes, but I enjoy strolling in the city. It’s a great way to get out of your own head and reorient yourself to the rest of the world, most of which seems to be parading by you as you work your way down Lexington or Broadway, displaying the dazzling varieties of race, age, shape, fashion, gender, economic level, and sexual orientation that exist. My grandmother always said if you sat in one place long enough, the whole world would go by. I’m pretty sure that one place is a corner in midtown Manhattan.
    Back at my desk, I felt somewhat