Read Online Fatal Judgment by Irene Hannon - Free Book Online

Or showered? It’s a little rank in here.”
    Jake narrowed his eyes and propped his fists on his hips, not in the mood for humor. “Unlike you, I never made it home last night. Back off a few feet if my aroma offends your delicate sensibilities.”
    Cole arched an eyebrow. “Touchy, aren’t we?”
    “It’s been a very long, unpleasant night.”
    “Yeah.” Cole’s levity faded as the muffled sound of a shower joined the muted voices of the marshals conversing in the kitchen. “The judge looks like she’s operating on fumes.”
    “I’d say that’s an accurate assessment. So where are you with the investigation, and what do you need to talk to me about?”
    “Assuming the husband has an alibi, the robbery motive isn’t working for me, even though some jewelry is missing.”
    “Why not?”
    “There were six fifty-dollar bills on the hall table. In plain sight. The assailant had to go past that table on his way into the family room. If he was going to take time to riffle through the judge’s jewelry box, why wouldn’t he pocket some easy cash?”
    Jake rubbed the back of his neck. “He could have taken some jewelry to make it appear robbery was the motive. If the cash wasn’t part of his plan, it might not have registered.”
    “That’s my take.”
    “Did the Crime Scene Unit find anything interesting?”
    “Not much. Our assailant got in through a basement window in the back that’s concealed by bushes. Taped it so it wouldn’t shatter, broke the glass, flipped the lock. The ground back there is hard as a rock, so he didn’t leave any footprints.”
    “What about fingerprints?”
    “A few on the window. And some on the jewelry box. The latter are probably the judge’s.” Cole leaned a shoulder against the wall and stuck his hands in his pockets. “We’re running them all through the FBI database.”
    “Have you talked to the neighbors?”
    “Yeah. No one saw or heard anything out of the ordinary. It’s like the guy materialized in the room, then vanished.”
    Jake expelled a frustrated breath. “We know that didn’t happen. What kind of security does the house have?”
    “A standard home-grade system. But it wasn’t activated at the time of the murder. According to the judge, she didn’t plan to be here more than six or eight months, and she didn’t see the need to enhance the existing system for such a short-term stay.”
    Silence fell between them as two words echoed in Jake’s mind.
    Big mistake .
    He’d been in the business long enough to know that even if this case was an extension of domestic violence unrelated to Liz, as it seemed to be, there were wackos out there who targeted high-profile judges. The security here should have been beefed up when she moved in—whether she thought it was necessary or not.
    But with everything else on her plate, the last thing she needed to do was start beating herself up about that.
    “Any word from Springfield?” Jake dug in his pocket, hoping to find a breath mint.
    “Nothing. Mr. Long was last seen by a neighbor around noon on Friday as he pulled out of his driveway. The local PD is watching the house, and they’ve put surveillance on his office. So far he hasn’t shown.”
    “Okay.” No luck on the breath mint. He withdrew his hand. “We’ll get Liz settled. Keep me in the loop.”
    “You got it.” Cole pushed off from the wall. “By the way, Alison said to tell you she forgives you for standing her up for your welcome-home dinner last week and the lasagna will keep, but did you ever hear of a telephone?”
    A grin tugged at Jake’s lips. He could picture his little sister uttering those very words, chin jutting out, pert nose stuck in the air. “That sounds like her.”
    “Yeah. Finally. She’s had a tough few months.” Cole narrowed his eyes. “How much did she tell you about the accident when she called you in Washington?”
    “The basics.” Jake mentally replayed the brief conversation he’d had with his sister a