Read Online Crimes of Memory (A Detective Jackson Mystery) by L.J. Sellers - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: L.J. Sellers
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backs of her hands were freckled and scarred. A bandage covered her right pinkie, but otherwise she had no visible wounds.
“What happened there?” Jackson gestured at the bandage.
“I cut myself opening a can of soup yesterday.”
“Let’s sit back down. I need you to tell me about Danny Brennan and why your brother wanted to contact him.” At the table, he took out his recorder.
She crossed her arms and leaned back. “I don’t expect this to go well.”
Jackson suppressed his irritation. “Just tell me.”
A long moment. “Danny Brennan is dead, but Craig thought we could find out where the money is.”
The two concepts clashed in Jackson’s head, then he remembered Jane was a woo-woo.
Oh boy.
“You were trying to contact Danny’s spirit to ask him where he stashed the robbery money?” Jackson tried to remember the old case. He didn’t usually work robberies, and there had been so many over the years.
“Yes,” Jane said, “and I failed. Danny’s been dead for nine years, so I wasn’t optimistic. And if a spirit doesn’t want to communicate, there’s nothing I can do.” She folded her hands together in earnest.
Jackson couldn’t believe he was having this conversation. He was glad Evans wasn’t there. She would have snorted coffee on the woman. “But Craig wanted you to keep trying? How much money was it?”
“A hundred and twenty-five thousand. Craig said he wanted to find it and turn it in to the bank.”
Jackson suppressed a scoffing sound. If he unraveled this thread far enough, he might find the killer and the cash. “Tell me what happened. How did Danny die?”
“I wasn’t there, but Craig said Danny was carrying the money when they left the bank, then Danny ditched Craig almost immediately.” Jane twisted a strand of long hair. “The police caught Danny soon after and killed him. But the money was never recovered.”
Now Jackson remembered more about the case. Detective Dragoo had shot the perp when he’d pulled a gun. They’d searched Brennan’s apartment—and everywhere—but the cash had never turned up. The next day, detectives had arrested Craig Cooper and questioned a third man.
Oh yeah. Danny’s brother.
“What happened to Danny’s brother?”
Jane shook her head. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen Patrick since Craig’s trial. Patrick always claimed the police took the money.”
Typical lowlife bullshit
, Jackson thought. Patrick had probably been involved in the robbery and kept the money himself. “Do you know where Patrick is?”
She looked upset. “Why would I? They were Craig’s drug buddies and partners in crime. I had nothing to do with them.”
“But you spent time with your brother after he was released?”
“Craig had started a new life. He was clean and working a job.” After a long sip of coffee and what looked like an internal conversation with herself, Jane finally said, “But I didn’t let him stay here. I felt guilty about him living in that storage unit, but I had to make sure he wasn’t going to relapse and cause me trouble.”
“That’s understandable.”
“I did give him my old laptop, so he could play games and surf the internet when he could piggyback on someone’s wireless.I helped him set up a Facebook page so we could chat sometimes. I was the only real friend he had.” Jane burst into tears.
As uncomfortable as her grief made him, Jackson was relieved to see she still cared about her brother. He’d recently reconnected with his own brother after a ten-year estrangement, and it had deepened his appreciation for long-term family ties.
He gave Jane a moment and stepped into the living room. The walls were covered in a creamy, textured paper, and bamboo plants were everywhere. Combined with the floor seating, the overall effect seemed Japanese. Except the art prints, which portrayed benevolent spirits. To each his own.
When her sobs subsided, Jackson went back to the table. “Was Craig trying to find Patrick
“What happened there?” Jackson gestured at the bandage.
“I cut myself opening a can of soup yesterday.”
“Let’s sit back down. I need you to tell me about Danny Brennan and why your brother wanted to contact him.” At the table, he took out his recorder.
She crossed her arms and leaned back. “I don’t expect this to go well.”
Jackson suppressed his irritation. “Just tell me.”
A long moment. “Danny Brennan is dead, but Craig thought we could find out where the money is.”
The two concepts clashed in Jackson’s head, then he remembered Jane was a woo-woo.
Oh boy.
“You were trying to contact Danny’s spirit to ask him where he stashed the robbery money?” Jackson tried to remember the old case. He didn’t usually work robberies, and there had been so many over the years.
“Yes,” Jane said, “and I failed. Danny’s been dead for nine years, so I wasn’t optimistic. And if a spirit doesn’t want to communicate, there’s nothing I can do.” She folded her hands together in earnest.
Jackson couldn’t believe he was having this conversation. He was glad Evans wasn’t there. She would have snorted coffee on the woman. “But Craig wanted you to keep trying? How much money was it?”
“A hundred and twenty-five thousand. Craig said he wanted to find it and turn it in to the bank.”
Jackson suppressed a scoffing sound. If he unraveled this thread far enough, he might find the killer and the cash. “Tell me what happened. How did Danny die?”
“I wasn’t there, but Craig said Danny was carrying the money when they left the bank, then Danny ditched Craig almost immediately.” Jane twisted a strand of long hair. “The police caught Danny soon after and killed him. But the money was never recovered.”
Now Jackson remembered more about the case. Detective Dragoo had shot the perp when he’d pulled a gun. They’d searched Brennan’s apartment—and everywhere—but the cash had never turned up. The next day, detectives had arrested Craig Cooper and questioned a third man.
Oh yeah. Danny’s brother.
“What happened to Danny’s brother?”
Jane shook her head. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen Patrick since Craig’s trial. Patrick always claimed the police took the money.”
Typical lowlife bullshit
, Jackson thought. Patrick had probably been involved in the robbery and kept the money himself. “Do you know where Patrick is?”
She looked upset. “Why would I? They were Craig’s drug buddies and partners in crime. I had nothing to do with them.”
“But you spent time with your brother after he was released?”
“Craig had started a new life. He was clean and working a job.” After a long sip of coffee and what looked like an internal conversation with herself, Jane finally said, “But I didn’t let him stay here. I felt guilty about him living in that storage unit, but I had to make sure he wasn’t going to relapse and cause me trouble.”
“That’s understandable.”
“I did give him my old laptop, so he could play games and surf the internet when he could piggyback on someone’s wireless.I helped him set up a Facebook page so we could chat sometimes. I was the only real friend he had.” Jane burst into tears.
As uncomfortable as her grief made him, Jackson was relieved to see she still cared about her brother. He’d recently reconnected with his own brother after a ten-year estrangement, and it had deepened his appreciation for long-term family ties.
He gave Jane a moment and stepped into the living room. The walls were covered in a creamy, textured paper, and bamboo plants were everywhere. Combined with the floor seating, the overall effect seemed Japanese. Except the art prints, which portrayed benevolent spirits. To each his own.
When her sobs subsided, Jackson went back to the table. “Was Craig trying to find Patrick
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