Read Online Crossing Danger: A Shelby Nichols Adventure by Colleen Helme - Free Book Online
Authors: Colleen Helme
Ads: Link
thought was a cop. But he wasn’t anyone I’d ever seen before. Could he be from another precinct?
One thing I knew for sure: Chloe’s parents needed to know as soon as possible that she was all right, and this was the best way to do that. I entered the police station and made my way to Dimples’ desk. I couldn’t see him right away, and my heart sank. Why hadn’t I called first?
Bates had no trouble spotting me, and I cringed under the barrage of mean thoughts directed my way. It made me mad enough that I walked right over to confront him. “Why do you hate me so much?”
“Huh?” His eyes shifted back and forth, taking in the curious glances sent our way. “Would you knock it off? I don’t hate you. Okay?” His thoughts of “geeze you crazy woman…get a grip” contradicted his words. “What are you doing here? Did you find out something about Chloe Peterson?”
“I’m...I’m looking for Dimp...uh...Detective Harris. Is he around?”
His eyes narrowed. He knew I had something. “If you know anything about Chloe, you need to tell me.”
“Yeah...right.” I turned my back on him and sauntered to Dimples’ desk, knowing I never should have talked to him in the first place. He was a hopeless case, and I needed to resign myself to the fact that he would never change.
I sat down and called Dimples’ cell number, satisfied to see the pained look on Bates’ face. He knew he could be nicer to me but, for the life of him, he didn’t think he’d ever said anything mean to my face. So why did I act like he had?
“Hello?”
“Hey, it’s Shelby. I’m sitting here at your desk. Where are you?”
“Oh...I’m just downstairs. I’ll be right up.”
“No...wait,” I said, needing to talk where Bates couldn’t hear. “I’ll come to you. Just tell me where you are.”
He chuckled. “Okay...but you won’t like it. I’m in the dead files room. You still want to come?”
Goosebumps popped up all over my arms. Damn! I hated that room. Too bad that was probably the safest place to tell him about Chloe. “Yeah...sure. I’m on my way.”
As nonchalantly as possible, I walked into the hallway. Bates wondered where I was going and decided to follow me. I caught his gaze and shook my head slowly back and forth, then hurried down the stairs. It freaked him out a little, but I wasn’t sorry. If he thought I was crazy, then so be it.
The dead files room was at the end of the hall, and trepidation caught in my throat. Drawing a deep breath, I pushed through my fears and opened the door. The light was on, and Dimples stood in front of a filing cabinet.
“Hey,” he said, turning to greet me. “I’m just about done.”
I nodded as a cold chill settled around me like a shower of ice water. Hunching my shoulders, I rubbed my arms. “Why is it always so cold in here?”
“Uh...it’s in the basement?” Dimples answered. He sent me an apologetic smile. “We don’t have to talk here. Once I’m through putting these away, I can meet you someplace else.”
“No, no, it’s fine.”
“Okay.” He turned back to his files and rubbed his chin. “You know...you were instrumental in solving four of these cases. Have you ever considered helping with some of these others? I’ve got one that’s just...” He sighed. “It’s this one right here. Filing it away down here just makes me feel like a failure...you know?”
His tone softened my heart. “What is it?”
“About a year ago, this guy was found dead in an underpass of the freeway. It’s close to the soup kitchen and the park where a lot of homeless people hang out. His wallet, jacket and shoes were gone. From the forensics report, he was shot in the chest at close range.” Dimples brought the folder to me and opened it to reveal a picture of a handsome, smiling man.
As I stared at the photo, the dawning realization that I knew him nearly knocked me over. His hair was shorter, and his face more lean, but his eyes were the same. “Oh my
One thing I knew for sure: Chloe’s parents needed to know as soon as possible that she was all right, and this was the best way to do that. I entered the police station and made my way to Dimples’ desk. I couldn’t see him right away, and my heart sank. Why hadn’t I called first?
Bates had no trouble spotting me, and I cringed under the barrage of mean thoughts directed my way. It made me mad enough that I walked right over to confront him. “Why do you hate me so much?”
“Huh?” His eyes shifted back and forth, taking in the curious glances sent our way. “Would you knock it off? I don’t hate you. Okay?” His thoughts of “geeze you crazy woman…get a grip” contradicted his words. “What are you doing here? Did you find out something about Chloe Peterson?”
“I’m...I’m looking for Dimp...uh...Detective Harris. Is he around?”
His eyes narrowed. He knew I had something. “If you know anything about Chloe, you need to tell me.”
“Yeah...right.” I turned my back on him and sauntered to Dimples’ desk, knowing I never should have talked to him in the first place. He was a hopeless case, and I needed to resign myself to the fact that he would never change.
I sat down and called Dimples’ cell number, satisfied to see the pained look on Bates’ face. He knew he could be nicer to me but, for the life of him, he didn’t think he’d ever said anything mean to my face. So why did I act like he had?
“Hello?”
“Hey, it’s Shelby. I’m sitting here at your desk. Where are you?”
“Oh...I’m just downstairs. I’ll be right up.”
“No...wait,” I said, needing to talk where Bates couldn’t hear. “I’ll come to you. Just tell me where you are.”
He chuckled. “Okay...but you won’t like it. I’m in the dead files room. You still want to come?”
Goosebumps popped up all over my arms. Damn! I hated that room. Too bad that was probably the safest place to tell him about Chloe. “Yeah...sure. I’m on my way.”
As nonchalantly as possible, I walked into the hallway. Bates wondered where I was going and decided to follow me. I caught his gaze and shook my head slowly back and forth, then hurried down the stairs. It freaked him out a little, but I wasn’t sorry. If he thought I was crazy, then so be it.
The dead files room was at the end of the hall, and trepidation caught in my throat. Drawing a deep breath, I pushed through my fears and opened the door. The light was on, and Dimples stood in front of a filing cabinet.
“Hey,” he said, turning to greet me. “I’m just about done.”
I nodded as a cold chill settled around me like a shower of ice water. Hunching my shoulders, I rubbed my arms. “Why is it always so cold in here?”
“Uh...it’s in the basement?” Dimples answered. He sent me an apologetic smile. “We don’t have to talk here. Once I’m through putting these away, I can meet you someplace else.”
“No, no, it’s fine.”
“Okay.” He turned back to his files and rubbed his chin. “You know...you were instrumental in solving four of these cases. Have you ever considered helping with some of these others? I’ve got one that’s just...” He sighed. “It’s this one right here. Filing it away down here just makes me feel like a failure...you know?”
His tone softened my heart. “What is it?”
“About a year ago, this guy was found dead in an underpass of the freeway. It’s close to the soup kitchen and the park where a lot of homeless people hang out. His wallet, jacket and shoes were gone. From the forensics report, he was shot in the chest at close range.” Dimples brought the folder to me and opened it to reveal a picture of a handsome, smiling man.
As I stared at the photo, the dawning realization that I knew him nearly knocked me over. His hair was shorter, and his face more lean, but his eyes were the same. “Oh my
Similar Books
