Read Online Kill and Run (A Thorny Rose Mystery Book 1) by Lauren Carr - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Lauren Carr
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navy petty officer was not collateral damage,” Murphy said. “She was targeted. Since the motive may have to do with national security or be classified, I have no—”
With an impatient shake of his head, Wu raised his hand and interrupted, “I don’t have all day. Do you really want this case?”
“Yes, I really want this case.” Murphy opened the camera application on his tablet and snapped a picture of Donna Crenshaw’s body. “You need to show me everything you’ve got.”
Lieutenant Wu chuckled. “I like you, Lieutenant Thornton. You’ve got guts. That’s why I’m going to give you some advice.”
“What type of advice?”
“They give you a ballistics vest with that bright, white uniform of yours?”
“Not with the uniform,” Murphy said, “but I have one.”
“Wear it when you tell Koch.”
Murphy was cruising down Route 7 toward the concrete metropolis of Tyson’s Corners when the barrage of signage leading up to the mall reminded him that he had not eaten lunch. His breakfast had consisted of a power smoothie. With the time approaching two o’clock, his stomach growled.
The early afternoon traffic was still congested with workers who filled the surrounding office buildings returning from their midday meals. Bracing himself, Murphy flipped on his left turn signal and checked over his shoulder before easing in to the upcoming left turn lane to get onto the access road to the galleria’s parking lot. The hybrid behind him slowed down to allow Murphy’s black SUV to cross over.
Murphy was halfway into the lane when a horn blasted behind him. With a jump, he checked his rearview mirror to see if he had accidentally cut someone off. Behind him, he saw a man with a bad toupee in a white Corvette convertible flip off a woman with maroon-colored hair in a green Volkswagen turbo. She had jumped across two lanes to cut off the Corvette.
Glad not to be her.
Murphy turned his SUV into the parking lot. Without bothering to circle the lanes near the entrance in search of an empty spot, he instead traveled to the empty lanes furthest away. It was his habit to grab whatever exercise he could and enjoy the trot in the mild, spring weather.
As a Phantom, he was still honing his observational skills. Always look around. Be aware of your surroundings. Who is nearby?
Kicking himself, he remembered how easily he had let his guard down during the exercise to allow Tawkeel Said to shoot him. The burka made him assume the hostage was a woman, therefore, she was worthless according to the ISIS culture—therefore, she was not a threat to him … or so Murphy had assumed. What happens when you assume? You make an ass of you and me.
Like Tawkeel and Major Monroe had said, that’s the point of training exercises . If I had been in the field, I’d be dead now, my body mutilated and dumped somewhere, and Jessie would be a widow. You need to keep aware, Thornton. Never let your guard down.
Instead of looking down at his feet, Murphy made a point of making a sweep of the parking lot to take in every person rushing in and out of the galleria entrance. He noticed the maroon-haired woman leaning against her Volkswagen while texting on her phone. Among the horde of customers hurrying to get back to their desks in time, the woman’s relaxed demeanor was out of place. Between her stance, and her hair color that bordered on reddish purple, she was hard for Murphy to not notice.
Must not have a job to run back to.
Taking note that her casual texting in such a place and time was “suspicious,” he made an exercise of noting the license plate of the green Volkswagen. It was personalized, easy to remember: ANTIWAR
In the diverse region of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Murphy never had difficulty finding an eating spot that met his dietary requirements.
On the first level of the galleria, near Macy’s, Murphy found that Sweetgreen satisfied him with an Umami grain bowl, which was vegetarian, organic, and
With an impatient shake of his head, Wu raised his hand and interrupted, “I don’t have all day. Do you really want this case?”
“Yes, I really want this case.” Murphy opened the camera application on his tablet and snapped a picture of Donna Crenshaw’s body. “You need to show me everything you’ve got.”
Lieutenant Wu chuckled. “I like you, Lieutenant Thornton. You’ve got guts. That’s why I’m going to give you some advice.”
“What type of advice?”
“They give you a ballistics vest with that bright, white uniform of yours?”
“Not with the uniform,” Murphy said, “but I have one.”
“Wear it when you tell Koch.”
Murphy was cruising down Route 7 toward the concrete metropolis of Tyson’s Corners when the barrage of signage leading up to the mall reminded him that he had not eaten lunch. His breakfast had consisted of a power smoothie. With the time approaching two o’clock, his stomach growled.
The early afternoon traffic was still congested with workers who filled the surrounding office buildings returning from their midday meals. Bracing himself, Murphy flipped on his left turn signal and checked over his shoulder before easing in to the upcoming left turn lane to get onto the access road to the galleria’s parking lot. The hybrid behind him slowed down to allow Murphy’s black SUV to cross over.
Murphy was halfway into the lane when a horn blasted behind him. With a jump, he checked his rearview mirror to see if he had accidentally cut someone off. Behind him, he saw a man with a bad toupee in a white Corvette convertible flip off a woman with maroon-colored hair in a green Volkswagen turbo. She had jumped across two lanes to cut off the Corvette.
Glad not to be her.
Murphy turned his SUV into the parking lot. Without bothering to circle the lanes near the entrance in search of an empty spot, he instead traveled to the empty lanes furthest away. It was his habit to grab whatever exercise he could and enjoy the trot in the mild, spring weather.
As a Phantom, he was still honing his observational skills. Always look around. Be aware of your surroundings. Who is nearby?
Kicking himself, he remembered how easily he had let his guard down during the exercise to allow Tawkeel Said to shoot him. The burka made him assume the hostage was a woman, therefore, she was worthless according to the ISIS culture—therefore, she was not a threat to him … or so Murphy had assumed. What happens when you assume? You make an ass of you and me.
Like Tawkeel and Major Monroe had said, that’s the point of training exercises . If I had been in the field, I’d be dead now, my body mutilated and dumped somewhere, and Jessie would be a widow. You need to keep aware, Thornton. Never let your guard down.
Instead of looking down at his feet, Murphy made a point of making a sweep of the parking lot to take in every person rushing in and out of the galleria entrance. He noticed the maroon-haired woman leaning against her Volkswagen while texting on her phone. Among the horde of customers hurrying to get back to their desks in time, the woman’s relaxed demeanor was out of place. Between her stance, and her hair color that bordered on reddish purple, she was hard for Murphy to not notice.
Must not have a job to run back to.
Taking note that her casual texting in such a place and time was “suspicious,” he made an exercise of noting the license plate of the green Volkswagen. It was personalized, easy to remember: ANTIWAR
In the diverse region of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Murphy never had difficulty finding an eating spot that met his dietary requirements.
On the first level of the galleria, near Macy’s, Murphy found that Sweetgreen satisfied him with an Umami grain bowl, which was vegetarian, organic, and
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