Read Online Dark Blonde by David H. Fears - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: David H. Fears
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openings. Still, it was obvious that her beauty affected his bearing slightly.
He asked her the same open-ended question I had, how she’d discover the body. Julia gave the identical account of the voices, her medication, the sound of a car leaving, and the open door to the guesthouse. Miss Mathews confirmed that she’d gone out to fill Mrs. Gateswood’s prescription, and had also picked up some newspapers and a romance novel to read on her breaks from organizing the details of the upcoming television debate. She confirmed that the key was still in the keybox by the back hallway.
When Julia mentioned the Demerol, Burk’s eyebrows scrunched and he pointed his chin at Andresson who wrote something on his pad, then crossed it out and wrote something else. Indecision’s a horrible thing in a cop. They train them that it’s more blessed to be decisive even if it means being wrong. Later I found out that Andresson was a second cousin to the Mayor. Poor Burk.
After he heard Julia’s account, Burk went to the front windows, held his wrist behind his back and twisted his watch around a few more times. He looked out on the expanse of lawns and driveway like more questions might be written on the grass. I looked out the side window. Forensic types filed in and out of the guesthouse like drones. Burk turned and stared at me, trying to look tough, setting his jaw, throwing more gravel in his already rocky voice. “Before the district attorney gets here, I want to know why Angel and Anthony are here. Why did you call them before calling us? Why did you give them access to the crime scene?” He aimed his knit brow at Julia. The gentleness was gone from his voice. His natural irritation took over.
“I did that,” chirped Miss Mathews, raising a hand weakly and fidgeting on her chair. “I thought it — ”
“Never mind,” Julia said evenly returning Burk’s stare with hard ice. “It’s not top secret. I hired Mister Angel to find Gail. She’d been missing for over four days, and I was worried.”
A car pulled up out front. Burk turned and looked out, then faced Julia again.
“That doesn’t answer why you’d get them here first, unless you had something to hide. It’s no secret that you and your late sister had a few public battles. That’s all in the record.”
I stood up, tugged at my ear and walked between Burk and Julia. I saw the corner of Rick’s mouth turn up slightly. Rick was a good audience. “Hold on,” I said, doing my own imitation of tough. “The lady’s had a rough day. A lot of siblings fight now and then. It’s no reason to play the heavy. Why don’t you let your scarecrow helper there ask a few questions, he’s getting writer’s cramp. Or maybe he’s still got training wheels on?”
Burk glared like he wanted to slug me. Wanted to pretty badly. “Andressen’s no scarecrow, you wiseass shamus. He was with me last month when the guy came out of First Federal on that big heist job. It was Andressen’s shot that downed him.”
I clucked my tongue and went back to the mantel and leaned against it, grinning at Andressen as silly as I knew how. “I read about that in the Times ,” I said, sharing the grin with Burk. “It scared me awful for days and days.”
Julia sat erect. Her voice was sharp and clear. She wasn’t willing to play the defended creampuff. The look she gave Burk could have peeled the hide off a baseball. I was beginning to admire this woman. Even with her notable obsession for climbing to high office, she had a lot of sides to her, the kind of woman who can be a dame or a kitten, as tough as she needs to be or as soft as the moment calls for. A woman like that can be your equal but a life with her would be a real grab bag.
Julia put her coffee down and gripped the arms of the chair. “When you find something so horrid, so ghastly, Lieutenant, you reach out to those you know first. I don’t know you and I don’t want to. Yes, Gail and I had our differences, but
He asked her the same open-ended question I had, how she’d discover the body. Julia gave the identical account of the voices, her medication, the sound of a car leaving, and the open door to the guesthouse. Miss Mathews confirmed that she’d gone out to fill Mrs. Gateswood’s prescription, and had also picked up some newspapers and a romance novel to read on her breaks from organizing the details of the upcoming television debate. She confirmed that the key was still in the keybox by the back hallway.
When Julia mentioned the Demerol, Burk’s eyebrows scrunched and he pointed his chin at Andresson who wrote something on his pad, then crossed it out and wrote something else. Indecision’s a horrible thing in a cop. They train them that it’s more blessed to be decisive even if it means being wrong. Later I found out that Andresson was a second cousin to the Mayor. Poor Burk.
After he heard Julia’s account, Burk went to the front windows, held his wrist behind his back and twisted his watch around a few more times. He looked out on the expanse of lawns and driveway like more questions might be written on the grass. I looked out the side window. Forensic types filed in and out of the guesthouse like drones. Burk turned and stared at me, trying to look tough, setting his jaw, throwing more gravel in his already rocky voice. “Before the district attorney gets here, I want to know why Angel and Anthony are here. Why did you call them before calling us? Why did you give them access to the crime scene?” He aimed his knit brow at Julia. The gentleness was gone from his voice. His natural irritation took over.
“I did that,” chirped Miss Mathews, raising a hand weakly and fidgeting on her chair. “I thought it — ”
“Never mind,” Julia said evenly returning Burk’s stare with hard ice. “It’s not top secret. I hired Mister Angel to find Gail. She’d been missing for over four days, and I was worried.”
A car pulled up out front. Burk turned and looked out, then faced Julia again.
“That doesn’t answer why you’d get them here first, unless you had something to hide. It’s no secret that you and your late sister had a few public battles. That’s all in the record.”
I stood up, tugged at my ear and walked between Burk and Julia. I saw the corner of Rick’s mouth turn up slightly. Rick was a good audience. “Hold on,” I said, doing my own imitation of tough. “The lady’s had a rough day. A lot of siblings fight now and then. It’s no reason to play the heavy. Why don’t you let your scarecrow helper there ask a few questions, he’s getting writer’s cramp. Or maybe he’s still got training wheels on?”
Burk glared like he wanted to slug me. Wanted to pretty badly. “Andressen’s no scarecrow, you wiseass shamus. He was with me last month when the guy came out of First Federal on that big heist job. It was Andressen’s shot that downed him.”
I clucked my tongue and went back to the mantel and leaned against it, grinning at Andressen as silly as I knew how. “I read about that in the Times ,” I said, sharing the grin with Burk. “It scared me awful for days and days.”
Julia sat erect. Her voice was sharp and clear. She wasn’t willing to play the defended creampuff. The look she gave Burk could have peeled the hide off a baseball. I was beginning to admire this woman. Even with her notable obsession for climbing to high office, she had a lot of sides to her, the kind of woman who can be a dame or a kitten, as tough as she needs to be or as soft as the moment calls for. A woman like that can be your equal but a life with her would be a real grab bag.
Julia put her coffee down and gripped the arms of the chair. “When you find something so horrid, so ghastly, Lieutenant, you reach out to those you know first. I don’t know you and I don’t want to. Yes, Gail and I had our differences, but
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