Read Online A Thousand Years of Darkness: a Thriller by Charles W. Sasser - Free Book Online Page B

radius,” he commented, smiling his appreciation.
    “You don’t look like you have cholesterol issues.”
    He sat bare-chested in bed, wearing only the bottom of an old pair of Army sweats. Sharon’s presence in his bedroom—well, almost in his bedroom—made him suddenly uncomfortable. She walked to bedside to inspect the bandages on his head.
    “I picked up some fresh gauze and antibiotic cream,” she said. “We need to change the dressing after you shower and get dressed.”
    She turned and walked out, smiling back over her shoulder. “Hurry. Breakfast is almost ready.”
    She waited to ruin his day until he limped from the shower wearing khaki trousers, hiking boots, a white button-down short-sleeved shirt and carrying a gray summer sports jacket over one arm. The little .38 S&W was tucked into his belt. She set a plate of food in front of him at the table and took her place across from him before she sprang a copy of The Tulsa World on him.
    He shot her a quizzical look. He was hungry, ravished; he took it as a good sign. Then he lost his appetite when the headline jumped out at him.
    Murder Conspirator Slain in Escape Attempt
     
    His jaw tightened. He looked up. She was watching his reaction.
    “What do you think now?” she asked.
    “Cops don’t believe in coincidences.”
    “Neither did Jerry Baer.”
    He didn’t think he was hungry after such a jolt, but he cleaned his plate and swigged another cup of coffee. Made fresh this morning. Nail had some calls to make. Sharon cleaned the table and washed dishes while he worked the phone. He started with Lieutenant Jack Ross.
    “Where the hell are you?” Ross demanded. “Schwartz said you left the hospital yesterday morning with your bare ass flapping in the breeze and he hasn’t seen you since.”
    “I had things to do.”
    “Obviously. With the pretty young woman?”
    “I do have a life, believe it or not.”
    “Kimbrell’s been asking about you after he couldn’t find you at the hospital.”
    “Isn’t it funny how his name keeps popping up every time there’s a dead man. Jack, what do you know about the Homies capping Logan?”
    “Only what’s in the news last night and this morning. James, I’m advising you to get in touch with Kimbrell. Talk to him man to asshole.”
    “Jack, how about the ORU file?”
    “Kimbrell is threatening to issue a material witness warrant for your arrest.”
    “I’ll ponder it.”
    “We can’t hold your home address from him much longer. You’re officially on medical leave. How’s your head?”
    “Fine. The file?”
    “Remember Toby, runs the Quik Trip on Lewis Avenue? Helped us in the Morgan girl murder? I’ll have a squad car take the file by there. There’s not much in it. The Homies are keeping all the working reports under lock.”
    “I owe you one, Jack.”
    “No more than I owe you and Big C over the years. That reminds me. Big C needs to talk to you.”
    “I’ll call him when things settle down.”
    He hung up. Sharon shot him an inquiring look from the sink where she was elbow deep in dishwater suds.
    “I love to see a woman in the kitchen where she belongs,” he said, trying to lighten up things.
    “Barefoot and pregnant too, I suppose.”
    Neither of them was in the mood for more banter. Nail picked up the phone again. He had been putting off calling his ex-wife. He dialed. She answered on the fourth ring and he could tell she had been crying. He heard voices in the background. At least she wasn’t going through this alone.
    “Connie...?”
    That was as far as he got. She went off on him, screaming and shouting into the phone. He finally had to hang up. He dropped his chin in his palms and sat staring at the phone. Sharon dried her hands and came up behind him to place a hand on each shoulder. She smelled of Dawn soap.
    “She’s blaming me for... for Jamie,” he said in a strained voice. “She had a hell of a birthday.”
    “James...? James, she’s grieving.”
    “Sharon, I