Read Online Jonathan Kellerman_Petra Connor 02 by Twisted - Free Book Online

Wahlgren had caught the most recent murder—Curtis Hoffey, the twenty-year-old male hustler. Jewell Blank, the runaway teen bludgeoned in Griffith Park had been assigned to Max Stokes.
    Neil had transferred to one of the Valley divisions, wanting to cut down on drivetime. A while back—not too long after Hoffey. And Max Stokes had retired nearly a year ago.
    Meaning both cases could have gotten short shrift.
    Both Neil and Max were competent, by-the-books guys. Would they have taken the time to work whodunits hard knowing they were leaving soon?
    Petra wanted to think so.
    The cases were certain to have been transferred but the computer didn’t list the newly assigned detectives.
    Onward to the next one. Coral Langdon, the woman who’d died with her dog up in the Hollywood Hills.
    That one had been handled by Shirley Lenois. Seeing her name made Petra’s eyes ache.
    When Petra had started at Hollywood, Shirley had been the only other female Homicide D. A short, stocky, fifty-two-year-old woman with a corona of yellow-gray hair, Shirley looked more like a substitute teacher than a detective. Married to a motorcycle vet in Traffic Division, she had five kids and treated Petra like the sixth, going out of her way to make things smooth for the Homicide virgin.
    Making sure there were tampons in the ladies’ room because no one else would give a damn.
    Last December, Shirley had died in a skiing accident up at Big Bear. Stupid tree, stupid goddamn tree.
    Petra cried silently for a while, then wiped her eyes and moved on to the fourth Hollywood murder. First of the six, chronologically. The killing that began Isaac’s alleged series.
    Marta Doebbler, the woman who’d gone to the theater with her friends. Six years ago, well before Petra’s time. Two detectives she’d never heard of, a DIII named Conrad Ballou and DII named Enrique Martinez.
    Cops were leaving the department faster than they were coming in. Maybe another couple of retirees.
    Maybe Ballou and Martinez had done their best, anyway.
    Sometimes that didn’t matter.

CHAPTER
    10
    W hen Petra showed up at ten the following morning, Isaac was at his corner desk, poring over documents, pretending not to notice her arrival.
    She felt hungover and queasy, in no mood for babysitting.
    By ten-twenty, she’d swallowed two cups of coffee and was ready to pretend to be human. She got up, waved Isaac toward the door, and he followed her, carrying his briefcase over. No more suit, but not the button-down and khakis. Dark blue slacks, navy shirt, a navy tie. Dressing for ride-along. That monotone thing young guys did nowadays. Cute, though on Isaac it looked a bit like a costume.
    They exited the building together but didn’t talk. Petra left her Accord in its spot and took the unmarked she’d signed out from the motor pool. No-smoking regulations had been in effect for years, but the car reeked of stale cigars, and when she started the engine, it protested before kicking in.
    â€œBad equipment,” she told Isaac. “Talk to Councilman Reyes about that.”
    â€œWe don’t talk on a regular basis.”
    She steered out onto the street. He wasn’t smiling. Had she offended him? Too bad.
    â€œWhat we’re going to do today,” she said, “is recontact two witnesses. Both are sixteen-year-old girls, both seemed nervous when I interviewed them the first time. One might have a reason to be nervous that has nothing to do with the case. She’s got leukemia.”
    Isaac said, “That would do it.”
    â€œYou okay?”
    â€œSure.”
    â€œI’m asking because you seem a bit quiet.”
    â€œI don’t have anything to say.” A beat. “As opposed to most of the time.”
    â€œNah,” she said, “you’re not gabby, you’re smart.”
    More silence.
    She steered the unmarked clunker through smoggy Hollywood streets. Isaac looked out the window.
    Eric did