Read Online Killing Hope (Gabe Quinn Thriller) by Keith Houghton - Free Book Online Page B

somehow cold.
     
      ‘You’ve been arrested for breaking and entering.’ I reminded her, glancing at notes.
     
    ‘You have no proof of that.’ She said. ‘Only your suspicions.’
     
    ‘As a matter of fact I have Perry’s word on it.’ I said. ‘He told me you were the one driving his Explorer at the time I saw it leaving the Samuels crime scene. I’m sure he’ll stick to that story – if it means he isn’t implicated in any wrongdoing.’
     
    Kimmi’s face was hard to read. A tough cookie with porcelain edges. This girl would be lethal at poker, I decided.
     
    ‘Just because I was driving the car doesn’t mean I was actually inside the property.’ She said.
     
    ‘I heard you upstairs.’
     
    ‘You could have heard the wind pushing a branch against a window. Have you found my fingerprints? My DNA? Any little piece of evidence to suggest I was even there?’
     
    I smiled. Despite her defensive attitude I liked Kimmi. She was young and ruthless and had no idea about life whatsoever. She was destined to learn the hard way. I felt sorry for her.
     
    ‘You’re not giving up on this, are you?’
     
    ‘I’m loyal.’
     
    ‘And that’s a fine quality to have. Loyalty should be rewarded. But it doesn’t stop you from being disposable.’
     
    ‘What do you mean?’
     
    ‘This is a murder investigation. It goes way beyond breaking and entering. Kimmi, you’re facing serious charges. Milton Perry will do everything in his power to distance himself from bad publicity. Including letting you take the fall.’
     
    ‘Never.’
     
    ‘You sure about that? This undying loyalty of yours works both ways?’
     
    I saw her shore up her defenses. ‘You’re bluffing.’
     
    ‘Am I? Can you take that chance? We both know what your boss is capable of.’
     
    I looked down at my notes. Sensed Kimmi lean forward in her chair.
     
    ‘You know I have nothing to do with Jeffrey’s murder.’ She said.
     
    ‘Do I? I know you were in his house. Tampering with a crime scene. And that might be enough to exclude reasonable doubt. We’re only at the beginning of gathering evidence here. There’s a long way to go before we file murder charges. Right now your boss is at the top of our suspect list. Which makes you an accomplice, Kimmi. Loyalty is an admirable quality. But are you willing to do jail time for Perry?’
     
    I could see my words bouncing off her granite expression like Ping-Pong balls. Still no hint of a crack.
     
    ‘You’ve nothing to prove here.’ I said. ‘We’re only interested in getting to the truth. If your testimony excludes Perry from being involved in Samuels’ murder then why bite your tongue? You won’t have anything to worry about. We can drop the breaking and entering charge and all go home.’
     
    ‘I can’t tell you anything.’ She said.
     
    ‘Off the record.’
     
    ‘Even then.’
     
    I made a face. ‘What kind of errand were you running?’
     
    Kimmi Hu stared at me with her cool, black shark-like eyes. Folded her arms tighter across her chest. ‘I refuse to answer on the grounds I may incriminate myself.’
     
    I sat back. ‘Okay. Have it your way.’ I referred to the notes. ‘Let’s see. It says here you attended Harvard Business School.’
     
    ‘Yes.’
     
    ‘Left with distinctions. Top of your class. You must be good.’
     
    ‘I am.’
     
    I took off the readers. ‘Never been interested in business myself. You’ve got to be a certain type to succeed in that kind of world.’ I didn’t add the word cutthroat . Didn’t need to.
     
    ‘It doesn’t suit everyone.’
     
    ‘Dog eat dog.’
     
    ‘Yes.’
     
    ‘That why Perry hired you?’
     
    ‘Among other reasons.’
     
    ‘Does he have you running all his errands?’
     
    ‘I’m in his employ.’
     
    ‘Like a glorified gofer?’
     
    ‘Are we done here?’
     
    ‘Almost.’ I put the readers back on and glanced at the notes. ‘It also says here that you’ve been arrested