Read Online Jason Deas - Benny James 03 - Brushed Away by Jason Deas - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jason Deas
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Neighbors yelled from behind his office door.
Vernon walked into his office and as usual, whenever anything involving blood happened, Chief Neighbors was pale and nursing a Sprite.
“Don’t say it,” Chief Neighbors said looking at Benny.
“Why did you get into this line of work?” Benny asked.
“This kind of thing is not supposed to happen here,” the Chief tried.
“You should have been anything else,” Benny snapped.
“Just tell us what happened,” Vernon said.
“I was really upset after you guys left and I called an old friend to come down and comfort me. She calmed me down, and when she went to leave and walked out the door I heard her scream. I ran to the door and saw the candle thing and called you guys.”
“Where’s Officer Mandelino?” Vernon asked.
“He’s off doing some things you asked him, I believe.”
“And you didn’t hear anything?” Benny asked. “Isn’t there a bell on the front door you can hear if your office door is closed?”
“Yes,” Chief Neighbors answered.
“Did you hear it go off a few minutes ago?”
“Yes.”
“And?” Benny asked.
“I figured it was one of you guys. And I was busy being comforted.”
“Oh for Chrissake,” Benny said. “Did you hear anything out of the ordinary?”
Chief Neighbors just looked at Benny. Benny’s face turned red and his brain started to spin. He knew he should not say what he was thinking, but his anger trumped his common sense and he screamed, “How in the hell do you win re-election every four years? You are an incompetent boob and Vernon could do your job with both of his eyes closed and his hands tied behind his back.”
“I don’t want your job, boss,” Vernon tried. Vernon looked at Benny and shook his head trying to tell him to cool it.
Benny caught the communication and took a few deep breaths. “I’m sorry, Chief. I know you can’t forget what I said, but I would like to take it back. This is just pissing me off. I came to Tilley to retire and get away from all of this madness, and it just seems to follow me around.”
“Why don’t we all just forget our personal differences and try to solve this case,” Vernon suggested.
“Great idea,” Benny said.
“I agree,” Chief Neighbors said.
“So,” Vernon started, “we have another sick piece of art we’re supposed to figure out. Who has any ideas?”
The men all stared at the rusted sculpture holding the finger.
“It’s made out of auto parts,” Chief Neighbors said holding his hand in front of his face like he was shielding the sun from his eyes.
“What are you doing?” Benny asked.
“If I hold my hand like this, I can’t see the bloody finger and I won’t throw up.”
“We should put that on your re-election posters,” Benny said.
“Benny!” Vernon cautioned.
“Sorry,” Benny said. “Great technique, Chief.”
“Can we just assume there is a dead body that goes with this finger?” Vernon asked Benny.
“Definitely. Does it look like a man’s or a woman’s finger?”
Chief Neighbors held his mouth and ran into his office slamming the door behind him.
“You upset him on purpose,” Vernon said.
“Please don’t take up for him. Let’s get a closer look at this,” Benny said inching closer. “Tell me what you see,” he instructed.
“OK.” Vernon took a closer look. “I can tell by the discolored skin that the finger was removed from the body at least 24 hours ago.”
“Good,” Benny said nodding his head with approval. “What about the blood dripping down and around the finger?”
“It must have been added recently. It definitely did not come from this finger as the tissue looks dried. It seems to be a poor attempt to fool whoever they thought would find this into thinking this just happened. I would guess this happened yesterday or the day before and someone was just waiting for the right time to place this for us to find.”
“Good. I agree with everything you’ve said. Make sure we find out
Vernon walked into his office and as usual, whenever anything involving blood happened, Chief Neighbors was pale and nursing a Sprite.
“Don’t say it,” Chief Neighbors said looking at Benny.
“Why did you get into this line of work?” Benny asked.
“This kind of thing is not supposed to happen here,” the Chief tried.
“You should have been anything else,” Benny snapped.
“Just tell us what happened,” Vernon said.
“I was really upset after you guys left and I called an old friend to come down and comfort me. She calmed me down, and when she went to leave and walked out the door I heard her scream. I ran to the door and saw the candle thing and called you guys.”
“Where’s Officer Mandelino?” Vernon asked.
“He’s off doing some things you asked him, I believe.”
“And you didn’t hear anything?” Benny asked. “Isn’t there a bell on the front door you can hear if your office door is closed?”
“Yes,” Chief Neighbors answered.
“Did you hear it go off a few minutes ago?”
“Yes.”
“And?” Benny asked.
“I figured it was one of you guys. And I was busy being comforted.”
“Oh for Chrissake,” Benny said. “Did you hear anything out of the ordinary?”
Chief Neighbors just looked at Benny. Benny’s face turned red and his brain started to spin. He knew he should not say what he was thinking, but his anger trumped his common sense and he screamed, “How in the hell do you win re-election every four years? You are an incompetent boob and Vernon could do your job with both of his eyes closed and his hands tied behind his back.”
“I don’t want your job, boss,” Vernon tried. Vernon looked at Benny and shook his head trying to tell him to cool it.
Benny caught the communication and took a few deep breaths. “I’m sorry, Chief. I know you can’t forget what I said, but I would like to take it back. This is just pissing me off. I came to Tilley to retire and get away from all of this madness, and it just seems to follow me around.”
“Why don’t we all just forget our personal differences and try to solve this case,” Vernon suggested.
“Great idea,” Benny said.
“I agree,” Chief Neighbors said.
“So,” Vernon started, “we have another sick piece of art we’re supposed to figure out. Who has any ideas?”
The men all stared at the rusted sculpture holding the finger.
“It’s made out of auto parts,” Chief Neighbors said holding his hand in front of his face like he was shielding the sun from his eyes.
“What are you doing?” Benny asked.
“If I hold my hand like this, I can’t see the bloody finger and I won’t throw up.”
“We should put that on your re-election posters,” Benny said.
“Benny!” Vernon cautioned.
“Sorry,” Benny said. “Great technique, Chief.”
“Can we just assume there is a dead body that goes with this finger?” Vernon asked Benny.
“Definitely. Does it look like a man’s or a woman’s finger?”
Chief Neighbors held his mouth and ran into his office slamming the door behind him.
“You upset him on purpose,” Vernon said.
“Please don’t take up for him. Let’s get a closer look at this,” Benny said inching closer. “Tell me what you see,” he instructed.
“OK.” Vernon took a closer look. “I can tell by the discolored skin that the finger was removed from the body at least 24 hours ago.”
“Good,” Benny said nodding his head with approval. “What about the blood dripping down and around the finger?”
“It must have been added recently. It definitely did not come from this finger as the tissue looks dried. It seems to be a poor attempt to fool whoever they thought would find this into thinking this just happened. I would guess this happened yesterday or the day before and someone was just waiting for the right time to place this for us to find.”
“Good. I agree with everything you’ve said. Make sure we find out
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