Read Online A Murder In Milburn Book 2 Death Of A Deputy REVAMPED June 2016 SCRIVENER by Nancy McGovern - Free Book Online
Authors: Nancy McGovern
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closer, trying to minimize the noise she made, but each shiver of a tree’s leaves against her body, each crunch of stone against her boot, convinced her she’d be caught soon.
“No, that excuse won’t work on me,” the boy was saying. “Fifteen’s too little. Fifty. In unmarked notes, or there’s no deal.”
She could see him through the trees now. He was wearing an orange and bright blue windbreaker, blue jeans and white-toed converse sneakers. His hair was a floppy black, and he was of average height.
She realized who it was even before he turned around.
“I’ll meet you tomorrow at--” The boy turned around, saw her, and froze. He pushed a button on the phone in his hand and dropped the phone quickly into his pocket.
“Ricky,” Nora said. “Ricky the Roadie. What are you doing out of jail?”
“Who are you?” Ricky asked, looking frightened.
“I was there that day, when Wallis was berating you about breaking his guitar,” Nora said. “You were desperate for a job. Interesting conversation you were having.”
“I… that…” Ricky was sweating all over. “That was my agent from New York. I’ve got a CD that I’m selling.”
“Really?” Nora cocked her head. “So you got out of jail and came all the way here into the woods where no one could hear you, just to have a conversation with your agent in New York?”
“Yes,” Ricky said defiantly. “I know you. I recognize you. You’re the chef, right? Nora.”
“That’s me. But not to change the subject… what’s his name? Your agent,” Nora asked. “I used to live in New York. I had friends who were active on the music scene. I’d probably find out about him fast.”
“I… did I say New York? That was my old agent. This guy is from Chicago.” Ricky was still stammering.
“Ricky, drop the act. It’s not cute. You’re barely fifteen, aren’t you? Who were you really talking to?”
“What business is it of yours anyway?” Ricky demanded. “Are you just a snooper?”
“I’m concerned about you,” Nora said. “You seem like a nice kid who just needs a break. I’m trying to help you stay away from the wrong path.”
“I can help myself, thanks,” Ricky said, trying to brush past her.
Nora caught him by the shoulder. “Not so fast. You haven’t answered a single question of mine.”
“I got the right not to,” Ricky said aggressively. “I know my rights. I know I am just a dumb kid to you, but I’m still covered by the law. I’m a citizen.”
“Goodness, you’re touchy,” Nora said. “Look, I’ve got your best interests in mind when I say I think you should go talk to the cops. Tell them the truth.”
“They tried to pin it on me,” Ricky said, rage in his voice. “Can you imagine that? Those dumb hicks tried to say I was the one that killed Wallis. I wouldn’t even mind if I had, and I wanted to, when he got me fired. I wanted him dead. But… I didn’t kill him.”
“No. I know you didn’t,” Nora said.
“I’m weak,” Ricky said angrily. “That’s the problem. I’m so weak. Everyone just thinks they can push me around. That horrible cop, pretending to be kind, trying to get me tangled in my own words. He offered me coffee, then asked me all nice and normal like, if I hadn’t hated Wallis. Of course I said no. He just wanted a yes out of me so he’d have a nice signed confession and one more case ticked off.” Ricky shook his head. “Well, I’m not such a pushover. I got a layer of steel buried under all this flab.”
“Ricky, the cops were just trying to get to the truth. No one wanted to pin the murder on you.”
“Oh yeah? Then how come they made me stay overnight behind bars? I only got free in the morning because they had no evidence to keep holding me. Still, that deputy warned me I better not cross county lines or they’d arrest me. Tried to con me. I’ve been to juvenile once before and I’m not going back.”
“Ricky, calm down,” Nora said. “Come
“No, that excuse won’t work on me,” the boy was saying. “Fifteen’s too little. Fifty. In unmarked notes, or there’s no deal.”
She could see him through the trees now. He was wearing an orange and bright blue windbreaker, blue jeans and white-toed converse sneakers. His hair was a floppy black, and he was of average height.
She realized who it was even before he turned around.
“I’ll meet you tomorrow at--” The boy turned around, saw her, and froze. He pushed a button on the phone in his hand and dropped the phone quickly into his pocket.
“Ricky,” Nora said. “Ricky the Roadie. What are you doing out of jail?”
“Who are you?” Ricky asked, looking frightened.
“I was there that day, when Wallis was berating you about breaking his guitar,” Nora said. “You were desperate for a job. Interesting conversation you were having.”
“I… that…” Ricky was sweating all over. “That was my agent from New York. I’ve got a CD that I’m selling.”
“Really?” Nora cocked her head. “So you got out of jail and came all the way here into the woods where no one could hear you, just to have a conversation with your agent in New York?”
“Yes,” Ricky said defiantly. “I know you. I recognize you. You’re the chef, right? Nora.”
“That’s me. But not to change the subject… what’s his name? Your agent,” Nora asked. “I used to live in New York. I had friends who were active on the music scene. I’d probably find out about him fast.”
“I… did I say New York? That was my old agent. This guy is from Chicago.” Ricky was still stammering.
“Ricky, drop the act. It’s not cute. You’re barely fifteen, aren’t you? Who were you really talking to?”
“What business is it of yours anyway?” Ricky demanded. “Are you just a snooper?”
“I’m concerned about you,” Nora said. “You seem like a nice kid who just needs a break. I’m trying to help you stay away from the wrong path.”
“I can help myself, thanks,” Ricky said, trying to brush past her.
Nora caught him by the shoulder. “Not so fast. You haven’t answered a single question of mine.”
“I got the right not to,” Ricky said aggressively. “I know my rights. I know I am just a dumb kid to you, but I’m still covered by the law. I’m a citizen.”
“Goodness, you’re touchy,” Nora said. “Look, I’ve got your best interests in mind when I say I think you should go talk to the cops. Tell them the truth.”
“They tried to pin it on me,” Ricky said, rage in his voice. “Can you imagine that? Those dumb hicks tried to say I was the one that killed Wallis. I wouldn’t even mind if I had, and I wanted to, when he got me fired. I wanted him dead. But… I didn’t kill him.”
“No. I know you didn’t,” Nora said.
“I’m weak,” Ricky said angrily. “That’s the problem. I’m so weak. Everyone just thinks they can push me around. That horrible cop, pretending to be kind, trying to get me tangled in my own words. He offered me coffee, then asked me all nice and normal like, if I hadn’t hated Wallis. Of course I said no. He just wanted a yes out of me so he’d have a nice signed confession and one more case ticked off.” Ricky shook his head. “Well, I’m not such a pushover. I got a layer of steel buried under all this flab.”
“Ricky, the cops were just trying to get to the truth. No one wanted to pin the murder on you.”
“Oh yeah? Then how come they made me stay overnight behind bars? I only got free in the morning because they had no evidence to keep holding me. Still, that deputy warned me I better not cross county lines or they’d arrest me. Tried to con me. I’ve been to juvenile once before and I’m not going back.”
“Ricky, calm down,” Nora said. “Come
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