Read Online Chaos Theory by Graham Masterton - Free Book Online Page A

Detective, wish I could have helped you more. But like I told you, I didn’t know any of those men from Adam, and I certainly don’t know why they should have wanted us dead. For whatever reason.’
    Detective Willis said nothing, but nodded, as if he only half-believed him.
     
    Silja was waiting by the front desk, in a green silk sweater and tight blue jeans. When Noah came out, she hurried over to him and put her arms around him.
    ‘Oh, Noah. I’m so sorry! What a terrible shock!’
    ‘Thanks. I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet.’
    ‘Do the police know who it was who attacked you?’
    Noah shook his head. ‘I gave them a full description, but no. They’re not on any wanted lists, either. But listen, let’s get out of here. I need to talk to you.’
    ‘What do you want to do? Do you want to go home? You can stay with me if you don’t feel like being alone.’
    ‘Let’s just drive.’
    Silja’s red Mercedes convertible was parked outside on Walnut Street. Detective Willis followed them out and stood on the steps of the police station with his arms folded, watching them as they climbed into the car. It was a warm, windy night, and a newspaper helter-skeltered along the gutter.
    ‘That’s one suspicious cop,’ said Noah.
    ‘He’s suspicious of you ? What did you do?’
    They pulled away from the curb and headed south, back towards Los Angeles. Silja said, ‘It was on the news, on the TV, what happened. It was dreadful. I can’t understand why those men should have wanted to kill you.’
    Noah turned around. They were out of San Luis Obispo now, heading south towards Pismo Beach, but he wanted to make sure that nobody was following them.
    ‘They wanted the medallion,’ he said. ‘In fact, they took it from me.’
    ‘The medallion? You mean your medallion from Gibraltar? Why did they want that?’
    ‘I don’t know. But they seemed to think that I knew. That was why they cut Jenna’s throat and that was why they were going to do the same to me.’
    ‘I don’t understand.’
    ‘Me neither. But I’m going to find out, even if it kills me.’
    Silja glanced at him. ‘Don’t say that. It’s terrible enough that Jenna should be dead.’
    ‘That’s why I have to find out who they are, and why they wanted the medallion so badly.’
    ‘Don’t you think you should stay away from people like that? As far as possible?’
    Noah patted his pockets for his cigarettes. ‘Maybe the medallion is like a clue to something, like sunken treasure. Maybe it’s some kind of religious talisman. Maybe they think they can use it to raise the devil, or identify the true Christ.’
    ‘Or maybe your imagination runs away with you like a mad person.’
    ‘Do you have a cigarette? Thanks. I don’t know, Silja, I can’t just sit on my hands and wait for the police to find out who killed Jenna. I’m grieving too much. I’m hurt. I’m too fucking angry.’
    ‘Maybe Mo’s son has found out something about it. He was going to show that newspaper photograph to his college professor, yes? And that rubbing I made, with the candle.’
    ‘Yes – that’s a thought. Mind you, knowing Leon, he’s probably lost both of them.’
    Noah tried calling Mo on his cellphone, but all he heard was his answerphone message: ‘ You have reached the poverty-wracked home of Moses Speller. If you are an ex-wife with a query about alimony, your call will be answered in strict rotation. If you are a representative of the IRS, or if you are trying to sell me a year’s supply of geriatric incontinence pads, please hang up now .’
    ‘Not picking up,’ Noah said. ‘He usually hits the sack early. I’ll call him tomorrow.’
     
    They drove towards Los Angeles in silence. As they waited to turn left on to Sunset, Silja turned to Noah and took hold of his hand. ‘It doesn’t matter if you wish to cry,’ she said.
    Noah wiped his tears with his fingers. ‘Goddamned bug in my eye, that’s all.’
     
    Silja drove him back to