Read Online A Plain Disappearance by Amanda Flower - Free Book Online
Authors: Amanda Flower
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doesn’t believe it necessary that I have my own access to the database,” she added bitterly. “I got zero hits for William Thorpe, but Walter Hoover popped right up.”
She reached across the table and tapped the man in the photograph on the nose. “I called the Detroit Police Department to share my discovery. I can’t say they were all that enthused or impressed by it.” She raised her palms. “Why worry about a car thief that disappeared twelve years ago when you have gangbangers shooting each other every night on the streets? However, they said they would take him back if I found him.”
“That’s nice of them,” I muttered. I flattened my hands on the table. “Billy,” I said unable to call him Walter. “Billy was the one who introduced me to Becky’s lawyer, Tyler Hart. He said that the lawyer got him out of trouble. I thought it was legal trouble.”
The chief dropped the envelope onto the table. “I’ve cited Walter before for small violations, but nothing that would have required me to collect his fingerprints. Had I, he would be back in Detroit by now. Seems I need to have a little chat with Tyler to find out what those legal matters were.”
Apparently, Chief Rose had no problem saying Billy’s real name.
“He can’t tell you,” I said. “Anything between him and his client is confidential.”
A strange look passed over her delicate features. “We’ll see about that.”
Timothy folded his hands on the table. “No matter what Billy may have done in his past, it doesn’t mean he’s responsible for Katie Lambright’s murder.”
Chief Rose clicked her tongue. “Troyer, you are loyal to a fault.” She turned to me. “You’d better remember that about him, Humphrey. Could come in handy in the future.”
“I don’t think loyalty is a bad attribute,” I said.
The chief ran her hand through her brown curls, and they immediately sprang back into place. “Neither do I. Troyer, you know our visit to the Lambright farm didn’t go well. The Lambrights won’t talk to me about their daughter. That’s why I called the two of you here. I need someone,” she looked directly at me. “I need someone to poke around and find out who the Amish suspects are in this case.”
I pressed my palm to my chest. “You want me to do that?”
The chief sat back, eyeing me now. “Sure, why not? It’s not like you haven’t done it before. Troyer can help you out with it too.” She grinned. “I know you were planning to do it anyway. Why else would you be snooping around the car shop? This way it’s sanctioned by me. Unofficially, of course. My department is not liable if you break a leg or if you bust your spleen in pursuit of a suspect. Trust me, if it comes to that, I will deny this conversation ever happened.”
“Thanks,” I said, the sarcasm back in my voice.
As if she approved of my tone, the chief of police smiled. “That’s the right attitude.”
“Where do you want us to start?” Timothy asked.
“I want you to find out who was beating up Katie Lambright.”
I grew still. “Beating up? I thought she was strangled.”
“She was, but this wasn’t the first time she had been the victim of violence. Her body was covered with bruises, and even before the autopsy, the coroner could tell that a finger on her right hand had been broken.”
Timothy’s brows knit together. “Growing up on a farm, a broken finger isn’t that uncommon. Thomas breaks something every year.”
“True, but this isn’t any typical break. The coroner said it appeared to be a spiral fracture. He said the only way that could have happened was if the finger was twisted. So she either got it stuck in a vise or someone grabbed it and twisted it until it snapped.”
Instinctively my fingers curled into fists to protect themselves. I thought of what Timothy said of Katie’s father Jeb Lambright. Just how hot was his temper?
Chief Rose slid Billy’s photograph and rap sheet back into the envelope.
She reached across the table and tapped the man in the photograph on the nose. “I called the Detroit Police Department to share my discovery. I can’t say they were all that enthused or impressed by it.” She raised her palms. “Why worry about a car thief that disappeared twelve years ago when you have gangbangers shooting each other every night on the streets? However, they said they would take him back if I found him.”
“That’s nice of them,” I muttered. I flattened my hands on the table. “Billy,” I said unable to call him Walter. “Billy was the one who introduced me to Becky’s lawyer, Tyler Hart. He said that the lawyer got him out of trouble. I thought it was legal trouble.”
The chief dropped the envelope onto the table. “I’ve cited Walter before for small violations, but nothing that would have required me to collect his fingerprints. Had I, he would be back in Detroit by now. Seems I need to have a little chat with Tyler to find out what those legal matters were.”
Apparently, Chief Rose had no problem saying Billy’s real name.
“He can’t tell you,” I said. “Anything between him and his client is confidential.”
A strange look passed over her delicate features. “We’ll see about that.”
Timothy folded his hands on the table. “No matter what Billy may have done in his past, it doesn’t mean he’s responsible for Katie Lambright’s murder.”
Chief Rose clicked her tongue. “Troyer, you are loyal to a fault.” She turned to me. “You’d better remember that about him, Humphrey. Could come in handy in the future.”
“I don’t think loyalty is a bad attribute,” I said.
The chief ran her hand through her brown curls, and they immediately sprang back into place. “Neither do I. Troyer, you know our visit to the Lambright farm didn’t go well. The Lambrights won’t talk to me about their daughter. That’s why I called the two of you here. I need someone,” she looked directly at me. “I need someone to poke around and find out who the Amish suspects are in this case.”
I pressed my palm to my chest. “You want me to do that?”
The chief sat back, eyeing me now. “Sure, why not? It’s not like you haven’t done it before. Troyer can help you out with it too.” She grinned. “I know you were planning to do it anyway. Why else would you be snooping around the car shop? This way it’s sanctioned by me. Unofficially, of course. My department is not liable if you break a leg or if you bust your spleen in pursuit of a suspect. Trust me, if it comes to that, I will deny this conversation ever happened.”
“Thanks,” I said, the sarcasm back in my voice.
As if she approved of my tone, the chief of police smiled. “That’s the right attitude.”
“Where do you want us to start?” Timothy asked.
“I want you to find out who was beating up Katie Lambright.”
I grew still. “Beating up? I thought she was strangled.”
“She was, but this wasn’t the first time she had been the victim of violence. Her body was covered with bruises, and even before the autopsy, the coroner could tell that a finger on her right hand had been broken.”
Timothy’s brows knit together. “Growing up on a farm, a broken finger isn’t that uncommon. Thomas breaks something every year.”
“True, but this isn’t any typical break. The coroner said it appeared to be a spiral fracture. He said the only way that could have happened was if the finger was twisted. So she either got it stuck in a vise or someone grabbed it and twisted it until it snapped.”
Instinctively my fingers curled into fists to protect themselves. I thought of what Timothy said of Katie’s father Jeb Lambright. Just how hot was his temper?
Chief Rose slid Billy’s photograph and rap sheet back into the envelope.
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