Read Online Dead Center (The Rookie Club Book 1) by Danielle Girard - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Danielle Girard
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far as Hailey could tell, going after Jamie was the wrong move. At the very least, Jamie didn't fit the crime's MO. Though Natasha was found in her car, the evidence indicated that she had been killed in her office. That meant that the perp had killed Natasha, then moved her. No drag marks around the car meant she'd been lifted. It would take a man's strength to move Natasha's body. Plus, not many people would move a dead body—the very act indicated that whoever killed her also cared for her. Maybe the killer was trying to save her; maybe he was going to hide the body. Either way, Jamie was not the right fit.
As far as Jamie as a suspect, motive was a little thing, too. Sure, Jamie had reason to want Natasha dead eighteen months ago when she'd found them in bed together. But if she'd really had it in for her, why let all that time pass?
Hailey was also confident the killer wasn't anywhere near here now. Every cop knew to look in the crowd first. Jamie wouldn't be that stupid. It didn't change the fact that after the shooting incident, people would point to her first.
Hailey would have liked to rule her out early. An alibi would have done it. Barney the dog would not. Taking a moment to pause, Hailey searched the crowd for Mackenzie Wallace. Propped against a black Chevy Blazer, the rookie stood stretched out, arms crossed, one ankle hooked across the other. Her lean legs were like the neck of a violin, strings taut.
Hailey approached and waited until the woman's gaze shifted to hers. Fear was stark in her eyes.
"You're new?" Hailey asked though it was redundant to what she already knew.
Mackenzie nodded, looked down, ashamed. "My first dead body."
"I'm sorry."
Something like gratitude flashed in her expression. Young, naive, awkward were the words that came to mind. "Thanks."
"Captain James could arrange for some time off," Hailey said.
She shook her head, stood up straight, and rubbed her hands together. She dwarfed Hailey. Over six feet tall. "I'm sorry. I've tried to remember everything."
Hailey drew her notepad out, poised her pen. "No need to apologize."
Mackenzie nodded, like it was a criticism. "It was still too dark to see clearly and only one thing stands out."
Hailey waited.
"Another car. I only saw it from a distance. The rear left brake light might have been missing a small section. The bottom right corner looked broken." She glanced away then back. "Like I said, it was just a glimpse."
"That's helpful. Anything else? Type of car?"
"Only thing I saw were the taillights. Domestic, I think, and square. Made me think of an older model pickup. Ford, I'd guess."
Hailey made notes, then looked up. "That's a lot of detail to remember about a car you only saw for what—"
"Less than thirty seconds. I used to work for the rangers' service in Yellowstone. We tracked poachers and hunters in the park at night. Helps to be able to recognize cars by their taillights."
For whatever reason, Hailey had the image of Mackenzie, wearing a cowboy hat and riding horseback in pursuit of a car with a moose on its roof rack. Too many of the children's cartoons probably. "Nothing about the color?" Hailey continued. "The car's color, I mean."
Mackenzie shook her head. "No good light, so all I saw was black. Could have been any color."
"Reflection from the taillights didn't help?"
Hailey smiled softly. "Always makes the car look red. I'm guessing this one wasn't."
"Red's pretty conspicuous," Hailey agreed.
"Not what I'd choose if I were going to murder someone." She seemed to swallow the last words, shook her head. "God, I'm sorry. That was inappropriate."
"We all do it," Hailey said.
The rookie didn't answer.
Hailey asked a few more questions, but the taillights were the best clue Mackenzie could offer. Hailey figured the description narrowed it to somewhere around twenty-five thousand cars in San Francisco alone. Better than the almost three hundred and sixty thousand she'd have otherwise.
Hailey thanked the
As far as Jamie as a suspect, motive was a little thing, too. Sure, Jamie had reason to want Natasha dead eighteen months ago when she'd found them in bed together. But if she'd really had it in for her, why let all that time pass?
Hailey was also confident the killer wasn't anywhere near here now. Every cop knew to look in the crowd first. Jamie wouldn't be that stupid. It didn't change the fact that after the shooting incident, people would point to her first.
Hailey would have liked to rule her out early. An alibi would have done it. Barney the dog would not. Taking a moment to pause, Hailey searched the crowd for Mackenzie Wallace. Propped against a black Chevy Blazer, the rookie stood stretched out, arms crossed, one ankle hooked across the other. Her lean legs were like the neck of a violin, strings taut.
Hailey approached and waited until the woman's gaze shifted to hers. Fear was stark in her eyes.
"You're new?" Hailey asked though it was redundant to what she already knew.
Mackenzie nodded, looked down, ashamed. "My first dead body."
"I'm sorry."
Something like gratitude flashed in her expression. Young, naive, awkward were the words that came to mind. "Thanks."
"Captain James could arrange for some time off," Hailey said.
She shook her head, stood up straight, and rubbed her hands together. She dwarfed Hailey. Over six feet tall. "I'm sorry. I've tried to remember everything."
Hailey drew her notepad out, poised her pen. "No need to apologize."
Mackenzie nodded, like it was a criticism. "It was still too dark to see clearly and only one thing stands out."
Hailey waited.
"Another car. I only saw it from a distance. The rear left brake light might have been missing a small section. The bottom right corner looked broken." She glanced away then back. "Like I said, it was just a glimpse."
"That's helpful. Anything else? Type of car?"
"Only thing I saw were the taillights. Domestic, I think, and square. Made me think of an older model pickup. Ford, I'd guess."
Hailey made notes, then looked up. "That's a lot of detail to remember about a car you only saw for what—"
"Less than thirty seconds. I used to work for the rangers' service in Yellowstone. We tracked poachers and hunters in the park at night. Helps to be able to recognize cars by their taillights."
For whatever reason, Hailey had the image of Mackenzie, wearing a cowboy hat and riding horseback in pursuit of a car with a moose on its roof rack. Too many of the children's cartoons probably. "Nothing about the color?" Hailey continued. "The car's color, I mean."
Mackenzie shook her head. "No good light, so all I saw was black. Could have been any color."
"Reflection from the taillights didn't help?"
Hailey smiled softly. "Always makes the car look red. I'm guessing this one wasn't."
"Red's pretty conspicuous," Hailey agreed.
"Not what I'd choose if I were going to murder someone." She seemed to swallow the last words, shook her head. "God, I'm sorry. That was inappropriate."
"We all do it," Hailey said.
The rookie didn't answer.
Hailey asked a few more questions, but the taillights were the best clue Mackenzie could offer. Hailey figured the description narrowed it to somewhere around twenty-five thousand cars in San Francisco alone. Better than the almost three hundred and sixty thousand she'd have otherwise.
Hailey thanked the
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