Read Online Chained Guilt (Hidden Guilt (Detective Series) Book 1) by Terry Keys - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Terry Keys
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fury into the night, but I couldn’t. When the officers and emergency crew noticed my presence, a somber mood fell over the rain-soaked group. No one spoke.
Captain Wilcrest had never had a reason to think I might do something irrational, but he watched me cautiously. I knew what he was thinking. I had never been in this position before. He knew stress affected people differently, and I had to be emotionally drained; he was right. Usually, I was the one assessing people in this manner.
Captain Wilcrest spoke to me. “David, we’re doing everything we can and then some.”
He placed a hand on my shoulder in assurance, but I didn’t respond. I just looked at the railing, bent and battered where Miranda’s car had crashed into it. Then I started diagnosing the scene as a police officer rather than a husband.
“We’ll probably be able to get a clearer picture of what happened when we get some daylight behind us,” the captain continued. “You know how these things work, David.”
As calmly as I could, I spoke. “I know who’s behind this. He would do anything to protect his reputation. My initial hunch back at the house had been to pin this on our child killer. But he’d have no reason to kidnap Miranda, other than to terrorize me. Carter, on the other hand . . . . If he’d found out about Miranda’s report, he had every reason to want—to need—her gone.”
“Everyone loves her; you know that,” the captain said. “Use your head. We’re proceeding to process the scene, but it may take some time.”
I just stared at him. “Captain, do we have divers in the channel?” My voice sounded wooden, even to me. I could tell Captain Wilcrest didn’t want to say anything to upset me any further. He thought long and hard before he responded.
“David, as your boss, I can’t let you do anything that would put your life or the lives of other officers in jeopardy. As your friend, I understand your wanting to dive right in with a flashlight and begin looking around. But I think deep down we both know there’s not much we can do down there right now.”
“There is plenty I can do right now,” I disagreed. “I’m going to find that asshole Carter and put two in his head.”
“Carter? The mayor?” Wilcrest said in surprise. “David, be reasonable. I know you two have your differences, but to suggest that he’d murder . . . I don’t like the man either, but I doubt he’s capable—”
“Miranda was doing a special. This stays between me and you. She was almost done with it, and she said heads would roll. Guess whose name was at the top of the list?”
“What kind of investigation? I mean, on what grounds? What do you know?”
“Nothing. I don’t know anything specific. She wanted it to be a surprise to me and everyone else, but I know he was the head honcho. I also know she was finishing it up tonight, and it was due to air tomorrow.”
“David, don’t hold out on me here. If you know something, spill it!” He frowned. "If Carter was behind this, how do you explain the note?”
“Like I said, Cap, I don’t have anything concrete, but she’d spent a year on this and said jobs would be lost and jail time might be issued. Other than that, I don’t know. I asked her several times for a hint, but she wouldn’t budge. Carter is smart. He watches the news; he hears the chatter. This would be a perfect chance to get rid of her and make it look like this child killer is behind it. Remember our serial has been targeting kids.”
The other officers were diagnosing the
Captain Wilcrest had never had a reason to think I might do something irrational, but he watched me cautiously. I knew what he was thinking. I had never been in this position before. He knew stress affected people differently, and I had to be emotionally drained; he was right. Usually, I was the one assessing people in this manner.
Captain Wilcrest spoke to me. “David, we’re doing everything we can and then some.”
He placed a hand on my shoulder in assurance, but I didn’t respond. I just looked at the railing, bent and battered where Miranda’s car had crashed into it. Then I started diagnosing the scene as a police officer rather than a husband.
“We’ll probably be able to get a clearer picture of what happened when we get some daylight behind us,” the captain continued. “You know how these things work, David.”
As calmly as I could, I spoke. “I know who’s behind this. He would do anything to protect his reputation. My initial hunch back at the house had been to pin this on our child killer. But he’d have no reason to kidnap Miranda, other than to terrorize me. Carter, on the other hand . . . . If he’d found out about Miranda’s report, he had every reason to want—to need—her gone.”
“Everyone loves her; you know that,” the captain said. “Use your head. We’re proceeding to process the scene, but it may take some time.”
I just stared at him. “Captain, do we have divers in the channel?” My voice sounded wooden, even to me. I could tell Captain Wilcrest didn’t want to say anything to upset me any further. He thought long and hard before he responded.
“David, as your boss, I can’t let you do anything that would put your life or the lives of other officers in jeopardy. As your friend, I understand your wanting to dive right in with a flashlight and begin looking around. But I think deep down we both know there’s not much we can do down there right now.”
“There is plenty I can do right now,” I disagreed. “I’m going to find that asshole Carter and put two in his head.”
“Carter? The mayor?” Wilcrest said in surprise. “David, be reasonable. I know you two have your differences, but to suggest that he’d murder . . . I don’t like the man either, but I doubt he’s capable—”
“Miranda was doing a special. This stays between me and you. She was almost done with it, and she said heads would roll. Guess whose name was at the top of the list?”
“What kind of investigation? I mean, on what grounds? What do you know?”
“Nothing. I don’t know anything specific. She wanted it to be a surprise to me and everyone else, but I know he was the head honcho. I also know she was finishing it up tonight, and it was due to air tomorrow.”
“David, don’t hold out on me here. If you know something, spill it!” He frowned. "If Carter was behind this, how do you explain the note?”
“Like I said, Cap, I don’t have anything concrete, but she’d spent a year on this and said jobs would be lost and jail time might be issued. Other than that, I don’t know. I asked her several times for a hint, but she wouldn’t budge. Carter is smart. He watches the news; he hears the chatter. This would be a perfect chance to get rid of her and make it look like this child killer is behind it. Remember our serial has been targeting kids.”
The other officers were diagnosing the
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