Read Online Die a Stranger by Steve Hamilton - Free Book Online Page A

trip, I told him. Vinnie and his cousin Buck. They got into his truck and drove somewhere to see somebody. Somebody we don’t know. They didn’t tell anyone because it didn’t even occur to them. When they get back, they’ll be surprised we let ourselves get this worked up about it. In the end, we’ll even laugh about it.
    That’s what I told Jackie. That’s what I told myself.
    It was late when I drove back up my road, past Vinnie’s cabin. Dark and empty. I went into my own cabin, got undressed, and lay down on the bed. I tried to sleep.
    I was just dozing off into some sort of half dream when a knock on my front door jarred me awake. It took me a second to find my bearings. I got up, put on some clothes, and went to the door.
    When I opened it, I saw Chief Benally standing there. He was holding his hat in his hands, and in that one instant I flashed back to my own time as a cop and how I’d felt compelled to take my hat off while I was standing on a doorstep in Detroit, waiting to deliver the worst news imaginable.
    “Chief, what’s going on?”
    “Sorry to bother you again. Can I come in?”
    I backed up and he stepped inside. He’d been here the night before, so I didn’t have to point out where the furniture was.
    “Mr. McKnight, have a seat,” he said. “I need to tell you something.”
    I sat down and waited for him to take the chair across from me. I was already anticipating his words. I was wondering exactly how he’d say it. Would he give me the preamble and ask me to prepare myself? Or would he launch right into it? Vinnie LeBlanc’s body was just found about an hour ago.…
    “Before I say anything,” he said, “I have to ask you something.”
    “Okay…”
    “What I’m about to tell you must remain in complete confidence. At least for the time being.”
    “I don’t understand.”
    “I’m asking you to promise me that nothing said here will leave this room.”
    “I promise,” I said. “But what—”
    “We heard from Vinnie. He’s with Buck, and apparently they’re all right. So obviously that’s good news.”
    “Wait. How did you hear from him? Where are they?”
    “Well, that’s the strange thing about this. You see, all he did was leave a message on the voice mail at the station. He said they were fine and that they’d try to call back again later. He didn’t say where they were.”
    “Come on, Chief, he had to say something else. Nothing about why they left? Or when they’d be back? Or anything?”
    “Well, he did ask me to let his sisters know that they were okay. So I’ve just been to see both of them. To let them know. Even though it’s a pretty vague message, I realize. And then of course he also mentioned you.”
    “He mentioned me.”
    “He did, yes. Tell my sisters. Tell Alex. We’re both okay. We’ll be back as soon as we can. Don’t worry.”
    “That’s it. That’s all he said.”
    “Yes, and because he mentioned you specifically, I made a point to come and tell you.”
    “Because if it was just up to you, I’d still be in the dark, right?”
    “You’re not being fair now. I would have told you.”
    “Okay, so then why the big secret?” I said. “If they’re okay, why can’t I tell anyone else?”
    “It’s kind of a delicate situation right now. With this business at the airport and all. Them disappearing the same night.”
    “So it’s definitely connected.”
    “I don’t know that for sure. Nobody does. But I think we need to keep a lid on things until we can get them back home.”
    “Meaning that they’re definitely not okay. That’s what you’re really telling me.”
    “No. You’ve got this all wrong.”
    “Tell me the truth,” I said, staring him straight in the eyes. “Where are they and what the hell is going on?”
    He stared straight back at me. “I honestly don’t know where they are,” he said. “All I know is that they’re safe, and … Well, I think somebody is helping them.”
    He put his hand up before I