Read Online Black and Shadow by Caryn Moya Block - Free Book Online Page B

voted him Homecoming king. She sighed and opened her
eyes.
    Joe sat in the chair by the bed. “Hey,
beautiful. Did you have a good nap?” He closed the folder he’d been
reading and stood. He kissed her forehead, his lips gentle on her
skin.
    “I dreamt of Fred. He was quite the
catch in high school.”
    “Yeah? I can see.” Joe brushed her
hair off her face and then wrapped a curl around his finger. “Dr.
Rick came by. He said if you don’t spike a fever between now and
tomorrow morning, he will release you into my care.”
    “Your care, huh?” Jessica rolled her
eyes. “You make it sound like I’m a fugitive.”
    “No, someone who needs protection. At
least until we find out why the new drug lord warned you to get out
of town.”
    “A drug lord? What are you talking
about?” Jessica yanked her hair out of his hand and glared at
him.
    “It seems the symbol left on the
warning note in Fred’s apartment is the new drug lord’s calling
card. I have to ask you, Jessica. Was Fred into drugs?” Joe sat in
his chair and sighed.
    “Absolutely not!” Jessica frowned. “I
thought Fred was your friend. I can’t believe you’d even think that
way.”
    “Easy, honey. I don’t know what to
think. Things have gotten pretty crazy since you came to
town.”
    “I guess you think it’d solve
everything if I went home.” Jessica clenched her jaw. She wasn’t
giving up until she knew who killed her brother.
    “No! Don’t put words in my mouth. I
want you here, with me. I want to figure this out. I don’t like you
being in danger. I want you safe.”
    “I don’t know what’s going on, but I
do know Fred didn’t take drugs. He was straight as a road is long.
He’d never even think of using drugs of any kind. Hell, he didn’t
even like to take aspirin.”
    “Okay, I believe you. That’s what I
thought, too, but I needed to ask. I knew Fred. He wouldn’t be
mixed up with a drug lord. So what’s the connection?”
    “Good question. I wish I knew. Did
your team find anything at Fred’s apartment?”
    “I don’t know. Let me
check.”
    The sound of someone clearing their
throat brought both of their gazes to the door. A man Jessica
recognized from Dan’s visit stood leaning against the entrance. He
smiled and walked into the room.
    “Hi, I’m Hugh Thunder Hoof, head of
the technology department here at Isanti.”
    “You’re not here to offer me a job are
you?” Jessica asked with a groan.
    “No, I came to speak to Joe. But if
you’re interested I would love to tell you about some of the
projects we have in mind…”
    “Hugh, what did you want to tell me?”
Joe asked interrupting.
    “Well, uh, maybe we should step
outside?” Hugh looked from Jessica to Joe. He frowned.
    “Is this about the clean-up at Fred’s
apartment?” Jessica asked.
    Hugh looked at her and gulped before
looking at Joe.
    “Spit it out, Hugh. Jessica needs to
know what’s happening as much as I do.”
    “Well, uhm, the sheriff’s office is
sending someone over to speak with Miss Black. They found a bag of
suspected cocaine hidden in Fred’s apartment.”
    Jessica felt the blood drain from her
face. No. Fred didn’t do drugs. He wouldn’t! It had to be a
plant.
    “When will they arrive?” Joe asked
taking her hand and giving it a squeeze.
    “Probably in thirty minutes or so, if
they come straight here. I told them Miss Black was in the clinic
from an accident. I didn’t explain she’d gotten shot. You might
want to keep that under your hat, Miss Black. We don’t want Dr.
Rick to get in trouble for not reporting the incident to the
police.”
    “Call me Jessica. What should I tell
them?” Jessica shook her head. Things got worse and worse. How
would she find out the true story of Fred’s death?
     
     

Chapter Seven
     
    “How many times does Miss Black have
to say she doesn’t know anything, Officer Curtis?” Joe asked. His
jaw hurt from keeping his mouth closed.
    Jessica looked more and more haggard.
Joe