Read Online Gone Before Goodbye (Love &Mystery in the--6-oh-3 Book 1) by Nora Leduc - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Nora Leduc
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clean-shaven chin as though checking for a hint of a whisker. Over his shoulder, he’d slung the strap of a leather briefcase.
“I’m Jake Clark.” He shoved up the wire-rimmed glasses sliding down his long, narrow nose. He was good looking in an academic kind of way, which explained Lucy Watson’s attraction to him. Noah pictured the teacher wearing a tweed jacket with patches on the elbows and smoking a pipe before a blazing fire.
Jake glanced from one of them to the other. “Should I be worried that two detectives want to interview me?”
“We’re following procedure. Detective Cassidy is my partner, and I’m Detective Hines. You’re the Latin teacher?”
“I am.” He sent a searching glance over Hines and then seemed to be studying Noah until Hines asked him if he was ready to talk.
“I’m here to do my civic duty,” Jake assured. “You’ve been taking a lot of heat from the public about those missing girls.” His large smile revealed even, white teeth.
Jake thought they were sharing a joke. Noah’s skin prickled with dislike. “You should worry about yourself, not us. We have a few questions about Lisa Grant.”
“I’ve nothing to hide. I’ve been employed by All Saints for five years, and I teach summer school four days a week, Monday through Thursday, until mid-August. Lisa was in my classes during the year and this summer. She needed the practice for Latin II.” The teacher flicked a glimpse at his watch. “Will this take long? I’m hoping to catch the afternoon show of Midsummer’s Night Dream at the Indie Theater. It’s in Italian. Thought I’d give my translation skills a workout and skip the subtitles. You know how it is.”
“No, we don’t,” Noah said. Was this guy for real? “We don’t have hours to waste sitting around in a dark building.”
Jake’s smile disappeared at Noah’s rough tone, and his gaze wavered with uncertainty.
“We’ll be done before you can say goodbye in French.” Hines motioned Jake to a seat.
Noah’s partner was definitely playing the good guy, which worked well since the teacher had already gotten on Noah’s nerves. The guy’s Indie Theater talk and acting like his time was more important than a missing girl put him in the scumbag category.
Jake relaxed in a student chair facing Hines. “Will I have to sit under a hot light while you threaten me with your nightstick?”
Noah pinpointed his gaze on Jake. “We don’t carry nightsticks.”
“Of course, not.” The teacher stretched out his legs.
Noah rose and leaned into his face. “We prefer tasers. They’re more painful.”
“You’re joking, right?” The man swallowed and threw a wide-eyed glance at Hines. “Detective humor.” Hines folded his hands on the desk. “Tell us about Lisa Grant.”
Jake tidied his blazer while composing himself. “Before we begin a formal interview, I brought something to share.” He dug a book out of the brief case. “Travis Bodell attends my summer class once in a while.” Jake shook his head. “He always sits in the same place. Today, I looked in the desk and found his Latin text along with this note stuffed inside the pages.” Jake opened the cover and pulled out a ripped page from a notebook.
Noah took it and read the words written in red ink. “I love you. But I cry. Slash slash you cut my heart with your lies. Our fights slice it into little pieces. Soon you will hurt until you cry. But we’ll be free to bleed our love until we die.”
Whoa, what a find. Noah handed the paper to Hines. “Travis wrote this?”
Jake shrugged. “It’s his handwriting and his book. Not very good either. I can’t imagine who else would write it.”
“We’ll need to verify his script,” Noah confirmed. If it was by the kid, the composition showed a little about his state of mind. “We’ll take his book, too. Does Travis always express himself like this?”
Jake let out an exasperated breath as he handed over the tome. “I’ve never
“I’m Jake Clark.” He shoved up the wire-rimmed glasses sliding down his long, narrow nose. He was good looking in an academic kind of way, which explained Lucy Watson’s attraction to him. Noah pictured the teacher wearing a tweed jacket with patches on the elbows and smoking a pipe before a blazing fire.
Jake glanced from one of them to the other. “Should I be worried that two detectives want to interview me?”
“We’re following procedure. Detective Cassidy is my partner, and I’m Detective Hines. You’re the Latin teacher?”
“I am.” He sent a searching glance over Hines and then seemed to be studying Noah until Hines asked him if he was ready to talk.
“I’m here to do my civic duty,” Jake assured. “You’ve been taking a lot of heat from the public about those missing girls.” His large smile revealed even, white teeth.
Jake thought they were sharing a joke. Noah’s skin prickled with dislike. “You should worry about yourself, not us. We have a few questions about Lisa Grant.”
“I’ve nothing to hide. I’ve been employed by All Saints for five years, and I teach summer school four days a week, Monday through Thursday, until mid-August. Lisa was in my classes during the year and this summer. She needed the practice for Latin II.” The teacher flicked a glimpse at his watch. “Will this take long? I’m hoping to catch the afternoon show of Midsummer’s Night Dream at the Indie Theater. It’s in Italian. Thought I’d give my translation skills a workout and skip the subtitles. You know how it is.”
“No, we don’t,” Noah said. Was this guy for real? “We don’t have hours to waste sitting around in a dark building.”
Jake’s smile disappeared at Noah’s rough tone, and his gaze wavered with uncertainty.
“We’ll be done before you can say goodbye in French.” Hines motioned Jake to a seat.
Noah’s partner was definitely playing the good guy, which worked well since the teacher had already gotten on Noah’s nerves. The guy’s Indie Theater talk and acting like his time was more important than a missing girl put him in the scumbag category.
Jake relaxed in a student chair facing Hines. “Will I have to sit under a hot light while you threaten me with your nightstick?”
Noah pinpointed his gaze on Jake. “We don’t carry nightsticks.”
“Of course, not.” The teacher stretched out his legs.
Noah rose and leaned into his face. “We prefer tasers. They’re more painful.”
“You’re joking, right?” The man swallowed and threw a wide-eyed glance at Hines. “Detective humor.” Hines folded his hands on the desk. “Tell us about Lisa Grant.”
Jake tidied his blazer while composing himself. “Before we begin a formal interview, I brought something to share.” He dug a book out of the brief case. “Travis Bodell attends my summer class once in a while.” Jake shook his head. “He always sits in the same place. Today, I looked in the desk and found his Latin text along with this note stuffed inside the pages.” Jake opened the cover and pulled out a ripped page from a notebook.
Noah took it and read the words written in red ink. “I love you. But I cry. Slash slash you cut my heart with your lies. Our fights slice it into little pieces. Soon you will hurt until you cry. But we’ll be free to bleed our love until we die.”
Whoa, what a find. Noah handed the paper to Hines. “Travis wrote this?”
Jake shrugged. “It’s his handwriting and his book. Not very good either. I can’t imagine who else would write it.”
“We’ll need to verify his script,” Noah confirmed. If it was by the kid, the composition showed a little about his state of mind. “We’ll take his book, too. Does Travis always express himself like this?”
Jake let out an exasperated breath as he handed over the tome. “I’ve never
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