Read Online 3 Gates of the Dead (The 3 Gates of the Dead Series) by Jonathan Ryan - Free Book Online Page B

thinking of breaking the law. As I passed under the seal of the city of Columbus above the doors, I felt a weird sense of guilt, as if I had just been out committing a crime.
    The grim old guard poked and prodded to make sure I had no firearms on my body. I thought about the standard “date” jokes, but the people manning the security checkpoint didn’t seem like the joking kind.
    I went up to the information desk. “Hi, I’m looking for Detective Jennifer Brown.”
    An African-American woman with graying hair gave me a warm smile. “I can help you, darlin’, but I need to know who you are.”
    I smiled. “I’m Pastor Aidan Schaeffer. I have an appointment with her at one o’clock.”
    She looked at her sheet. “Ah, right. Pastor, if you could sign in here. I will give you your visitor’s badge.”
    I signed my name and took the badge.
    “Go down the hall, take the elevator to the fifth floor,” she said. “There’s a lady who will take you to Detective Brown. I’ll let them know you are coming.”
    “Thank you very much.”
    “No problem, take care.”
    I followed the directions and was met by a middle-aged white lady in an officer’s uniform.
    “Pastor Schaeffer?”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    “Please follow me.”
    She led me past a group of desks and cubicles. I saw pictures of families, wanted posters, handcuffs, and various other cop materials.
    A sign hung over a door that read “Major Case Squad.” I had heard somewhere that they handled major murder investigations. That thought made my heart beat a little quicker.
    The cop took me to a small room. “Could I get you anything, Pastor Schaeffer?”
    “Some water would be nice, thanks.”
    She left the room, and I pulled out a metal folding chair from a small table. The room had been painted a dull white, and no pictures hung on the walls. A darkened window to my left made me wonder why it had been put there before I realized it was one-way glass, and there might be people on the other side.
    This was an interrogation room.
    I tried to look calm and not fidget. After fifteen minutes in the room alone, it became hard to sit still. Finally, the lady cop came back with a water bottle.
    “Sorry about the delay, pastor. Here is your water. The detective will be in shortly.”
    “Um, ma’am? I hope it won’t be too long. I have some other appointments later this afternoon.”
    “No problem. Just a few more minutes.”
    A few more minutes turned into another fifteen. I looked at the time on my phone and decided to play a few rounds of Texas hold ‘em.
    I finished one hand, then another, and then another.
    Where was this detective? This was getting a bit ridiculous.
    I began to text my brother when at last, a woman walked into the room.
    I missed her initial greeting because I couldn’t help staring. Her black shiny hair hung down to her shoulders. Her eyes were a distracting shade of green. Her body reminded me of the curves on a sound wave diagram. A slight hint of coconut wafted toward me as she walked over to the table.
    “Pastor Schaeffer?”
    I nodded. “I am sorry, detective, a bit distracted this morning. Never been in a police station before, believe it or not.”
    She looked me over and gave me a polite smile. I noticed a thin ragged scar that stretched from the side of her mouth.
    How did that happen?
    “And we don’t get too many ministers here either,” she said as she sat down opposite me. She offered me her hand. I took it and marveled at her soft, yet firm handshake. “It’s nice to meet you, Pastor Schaeffer.”
    “Aidan, please, detective. I don’t insist on ‘Pastor’ very much.”
    “You can call me Jennifer.”
    She smiled, and I had the chance to be distracted all over again. I’d bet this woman got criminals to confess to anything just by being in the room with them. I’d probably confess to any crime she wanted.
    “Do you mind if my boss joins us?” she asked.
    “Not at all.”
    She motioned at the window and