Read Online 2 The Judas Kiss by Angella Graff - Free Book Online Page A

scene?”
                  Rodriguez shrugged.  “I’m not sure, I wasn’t on duty last night and I just got here about five minutes ago.  You can check with Williams though,” he said, nodding towards another young officer who was writing furiously in a notebook.  “He has the witness list and he’s getting the building’s security footage sent over to the department.”
                  “Thanks,” Ben said and walked over to the indicated officer.  Williams looked barely old enough to drink, his hair that almost see-through natural blonde.  His skin was likely a natural pink color, but with the excitement, he was a furious shade of red.  He looked up, his blue eyes narrow, as Ben approached.
                  “Can I help you?” he asked, his voice high and slightly nasal.
                  Ben flashed his badge once more.  “Detective Ben Stanford.”
                  “Homicide?” Williams asked, sounding confused.
                  “Not on duty, I have friends who lived in the building,” Ben replied to him. 
                  “Well rest assured, sir, no one on either damaged floor was home,” Williams said, sounding somewhat irritated.
                  “Have you confirmed that with the security footage?” Ben asked, trying to keep the authoritative tone from his voice. 
                  “Not yet,” Williams answered, “but we have an eyewitness who came from the apartment.  Another detective, actually.”
                  Ben felt his stomach sink even lower and he was absolutely petrified of the answer when he asked, “Who was it?”
                  “Detective Stella Horvath.  She’s actually from San Diego County, on personal business.  She works in missing persons.”
                  “I know her,” Ben said, his voice sounding far off.  “She was a witness?”
                  “She placed the initial 9-1-1 call,” Williams said with a shrug.  “She said she was at her car when the building blew, but said that the person she went to visit wasn’t home.”
                  Ben shoved his hands into his pockets to try and hide the fact that his hands were shaking.  “Okay.  And I take it a thorough sweep of the apartment was done to make sure no one was inside?”
                  Williams gave Ben a nasty glare.  “We followed procedure.  Sir .”
                  Ben ignored the irritated tone and looked back up.  “How much damage?”
                  “A fair amount.  The building structure is still stable, it was a localized explosion on fifteen, remnants of the device were found in the maintenance closet at the end of the hall.  A few apartments on fourteen took some collateral damage, but nothing major.  It’s going to be a while before any of the residents will be able to come home, but the building itself should be safe.”
                  “Okay well… thank you,” Ben said. 
                  “You said you knew people who lived here?” Williams asked.
                  “Yes,” Ben said.  “If I hear anything from them, I’ll be sure to let you know.”  It was clear at this point Williams wanted to ask more questions, but Ben was finished.  He walked back to his car and drove off, not looking back at the damage.
                  His phone was burning a hole in his pocket, his desperation to call Stella pressing.  He couldn’t understand why she hadn’t told him about the explosion.  Ben didn’t want to consider the possibilities, but he couldn’t believe she was responsible in any way for it.  She wouldn’t have sent him over there if she had been.
                  Unable to take it any longer, Ben pulled his phone out of his pocket and pulled into a parking lot of a nearby grocery