Read Online Cold Case at Cobra Creek by Rita Herron - Free Book Online
Authors: Rita Herron
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about having a family, one of them might know.”
“You think if he had family, they might have Benji?”
“I don’t know, but there might be some answers in his past that will tell us who killed him.”
Chapter Seven
Sage laid her head against the back of the seat and dozed while Dugan drove to the address he had for Mike Martin. According to Jaxon, his girlfriend was named Carol Sue Tinsley. She volunteered at a local women’s shelter.
The small town was south of Laredo and took him an hour to reach. Just as he neared the outskirts, Sage cried out, “No, please don’t take him....”
Dugan gritted his teeth and realized she was in the throes of a nightmare. How many nights had she actually slept in the past two years without suffering from bad dreams?
“Please...” She choked on a sob.
Dugan gently reached over and pulled her hand into his. “Sage, shh, you’re dreaming.”
She jerked her eyes open with a start.
“It’s okay,” he said softly. “A nightmare?”
She blinked as if to focus and straightened as if to shake off the dream, although the remnants of fear and sorrow glittered in her green irises.
He turned into an apartment complex that had seen better days, checking the numbers on the buildings until he reached 10G, Martin’s last known address.
A few cars and pickups filled the parking spaces, although there were more empty spaces than those occupied, indicating that the building wasn’t filled to capacity. The patios looked unkempt, and overlooked parched land, and the roof of the building needed repairs.
He parked and turned to Sage. “Do you want to wait here?”
“No, let’s go.”
Together they walked up to the building, then climbed the stairs to the second-floor unit. The cinder-block walls needed painting, and someone had painted graffiti on the doorway to the stairs.
“Ron liked money. He always wore designer suits and drove a nice car.” Sage wrapped her arms around her waist. “I can’t imagine him living in a place like this.”
Dugan silently agreed. Although Mrs. Handleman’s home hadn’t been in great shape and her house wasn’t filled with expensive furnishings, it was upscale compared to these apartments.
“Maybe he and Carol Sue were lying low until he made the big score.” And his fancy suits and car were a show to make the ranchers believe he was big, important. That he could save them financially.
It was dark inside.
“No one is here,” Sage said.
Dugan tried the door, but it was locked. He removed a small tool from his pocket and picked the lock. The door screeched open, revealing a deserted living area with stained carpet and faded gray walls.
“Stay behind me,” Dugan said as he inched inside. He glanced left at the kitchen, then spotted a narrow hallway and paused to listen for sounds that someone was inside. Something skittered across the floor, and Sage clutched his arm. “It sounds like rats.”
Dugan nodded, senses alert as he crept closer. There were two bedrooms, both empty. He stepped inside the first one, crossed the room and checked the closet. Nothing.
He and Sage moved to the next one, but when he opened the door, a bird flew across the room, banged into the window and then flew back.
“It’s trapped,” Sage said.
Dugan closed the distance to the window and opened it, giving the bird a way to escape.
“It looks like whoever lived here has been gone awhile.”
Judging from the bird droppings and the musty odor, he agreed. “After I search the apartment, I want to speak to the landlord and find out if they left a forwarding address.”
“I saw an office when we first drove in.”
Dugan checked the closets, but they were empty. Then he led the way back to the living area. He stepped into the kitchen and searched the drawers and cabinets. “Nothing. And no sign of where she went.”
They walked outside and Dugan locked the door. Then they drove to the rental office. Dugan carried a photo of Lewis inside, and a
“You think if he had family, they might have Benji?”
“I don’t know, but there might be some answers in his past that will tell us who killed him.”
Chapter Seven
Sage laid her head against the back of the seat and dozed while Dugan drove to the address he had for Mike Martin. According to Jaxon, his girlfriend was named Carol Sue Tinsley. She volunteered at a local women’s shelter.
The small town was south of Laredo and took him an hour to reach. Just as he neared the outskirts, Sage cried out, “No, please don’t take him....”
Dugan gritted his teeth and realized she was in the throes of a nightmare. How many nights had she actually slept in the past two years without suffering from bad dreams?
“Please...” She choked on a sob.
Dugan gently reached over and pulled her hand into his. “Sage, shh, you’re dreaming.”
She jerked her eyes open with a start.
“It’s okay,” he said softly. “A nightmare?”
She blinked as if to focus and straightened as if to shake off the dream, although the remnants of fear and sorrow glittered in her green irises.
He turned into an apartment complex that had seen better days, checking the numbers on the buildings until he reached 10G, Martin’s last known address.
A few cars and pickups filled the parking spaces, although there were more empty spaces than those occupied, indicating that the building wasn’t filled to capacity. The patios looked unkempt, and overlooked parched land, and the roof of the building needed repairs.
He parked and turned to Sage. “Do you want to wait here?”
“No, let’s go.”
Together they walked up to the building, then climbed the stairs to the second-floor unit. The cinder-block walls needed painting, and someone had painted graffiti on the doorway to the stairs.
“Ron liked money. He always wore designer suits and drove a nice car.” Sage wrapped her arms around her waist. “I can’t imagine him living in a place like this.”
Dugan silently agreed. Although Mrs. Handleman’s home hadn’t been in great shape and her house wasn’t filled with expensive furnishings, it was upscale compared to these apartments.
“Maybe he and Carol Sue were lying low until he made the big score.” And his fancy suits and car were a show to make the ranchers believe he was big, important. That he could save them financially.
It was dark inside.
“No one is here,” Sage said.
Dugan tried the door, but it was locked. He removed a small tool from his pocket and picked the lock. The door screeched open, revealing a deserted living area with stained carpet and faded gray walls.
“Stay behind me,” Dugan said as he inched inside. He glanced left at the kitchen, then spotted a narrow hallway and paused to listen for sounds that someone was inside. Something skittered across the floor, and Sage clutched his arm. “It sounds like rats.”
Dugan nodded, senses alert as he crept closer. There were two bedrooms, both empty. He stepped inside the first one, crossed the room and checked the closet. Nothing.
He and Sage moved to the next one, but when he opened the door, a bird flew across the room, banged into the window and then flew back.
“It’s trapped,” Sage said.
Dugan closed the distance to the window and opened it, giving the bird a way to escape.
“It looks like whoever lived here has been gone awhile.”
Judging from the bird droppings and the musty odor, he agreed. “After I search the apartment, I want to speak to the landlord and find out if they left a forwarding address.”
“I saw an office when we first drove in.”
Dugan checked the closets, but they were empty. Then he led the way back to the living area. He stepped into the kitchen and searched the drawers and cabinets. “Nothing. And no sign of where she went.”
They walked outside and Dugan locked the door. Then they drove to the rental office. Dugan carried a photo of Lewis inside, and a
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