Read Online Leather and Lace (Tempered Steel Book 2) by Maggie Adams - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Maggie Adams
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her off anywhere,” he growled.
“You mean you just left her there with a broken ankle?” Dixie asked innocently.
“No,” Chance sighed with exaggerated patience. “I picked her up and carried her into the house.”
“Well then, you did carry her off. I rest my case,” Nick said imperiously.
“You’re going to rest in peace if you don’t stop teasing me,” Chance growled. “And that goes for the rest of you, too.”
“OOOOH, we’re so scared.” Lucky wiggled his fingers. “Whatcha going to do? Break our ankles or kiss us til we slap you?” He smirked, referring to the night of the fire when Georgia had rescued Chance.
The telephone began ringing as everyone laughed at Lucky’s banter. Hank excused himself to answer it. He returned a few minutes later, grim faced. “That was Ben. The arson squad found something that might give us a clue to the person responsible for the fire. They want to see Mac at the police station as soon as possible.”
The Coalsons, as one, scraped back their chairs and headed for the police station, the laughter forgotten.
When the family walked into the local precinct a few minutes later, the sheriff met them at the door. He ushered them into a large conference room. Ben introduced the family to the two men standing near the conference table. “John Fultz and Joe Capizio are with the Alton Division of the Arson Squad. It was their job to filter through the remains of the fire for possible clues to the arsonist.”
Sam searched their faces, but their expressions revealed nothing. Angel brushed her hand along his. He maneuvered her into a chair and stood behind her. He rested his hands on her shoulders and she reached up to touch him. He was so glad their relationship, at least, was on solid ground for now.
“Thanks for coming so quickly. If you’ll take a seat, we’ll show you what we have,” Detective Fultz said as he flipped on the projector. While the rest of the Coalsons took the proffered chairs, he continued, “Several possible clues turned up in regard to the actual fire, including fingerprints which incriminate a man named Jeb Hawkins.” He clicked to a copy of the police report and Hawkin’s fingerprints from his arrest comparing them to prints lifted from the gas cans.
“The gasoline cans and dirty rag scraps were similar to the description that Sam Coalson related to us.” He gestured to Sam as a picture of some charred material and what looked to gas cans came into view. “Together with Mr. Coalson’s testimony, I don’t believe we will have any trouble prosecuting Hawkins. Especially, since he’s telling everything he knows in order to reduce his sentence.”
Detective Capizio continued. “However, there is still the accomplice to identify. We believe he is the mastermind behind the entire crime, including the vandalism your company has been experiencing. To that end, I think we may have something.” He flipped to the next picture, a piece of scorched paper came into view, barely an inch in diameter. “This is a piece of matchbook cover discovered at the fire scene. Our people have used a special technique to lift off the embossed printing on the cover. The computers magnified the results and this is what we came up with.”
He clicked to the next picture. Five large numbers came into view, standing out amidst the blackened parchment.
“It looks like a zip code,” Sam commented.
“Yes, that’s exactly what it is, Mr. Coalson,” Detective Capizio stated. “And, of course, we have traced it to its origins in Las Vegas.”
“Vegas?” Mac was dumbstruck. “We don’t know anyone there. I’ve never even been there. What’s the connection?”
“That’s what we don’t know. It’s possible that this is the work of a hired professional from Vegas. That could put the true mastermind anywhere. When we follow through with this, we feel you will have your answers and we will have our man. Unfortunately, it could take months. It’s like
“You mean you just left her there with a broken ankle?” Dixie asked innocently.
“No,” Chance sighed with exaggerated patience. “I picked her up and carried her into the house.”
“Well then, you did carry her off. I rest my case,” Nick said imperiously.
“You’re going to rest in peace if you don’t stop teasing me,” Chance growled. “And that goes for the rest of you, too.”
“OOOOH, we’re so scared.” Lucky wiggled his fingers. “Whatcha going to do? Break our ankles or kiss us til we slap you?” He smirked, referring to the night of the fire when Georgia had rescued Chance.
The telephone began ringing as everyone laughed at Lucky’s banter. Hank excused himself to answer it. He returned a few minutes later, grim faced. “That was Ben. The arson squad found something that might give us a clue to the person responsible for the fire. They want to see Mac at the police station as soon as possible.”
The Coalsons, as one, scraped back their chairs and headed for the police station, the laughter forgotten.
When the family walked into the local precinct a few minutes later, the sheriff met them at the door. He ushered them into a large conference room. Ben introduced the family to the two men standing near the conference table. “John Fultz and Joe Capizio are with the Alton Division of the Arson Squad. It was their job to filter through the remains of the fire for possible clues to the arsonist.”
Sam searched their faces, but their expressions revealed nothing. Angel brushed her hand along his. He maneuvered her into a chair and stood behind her. He rested his hands on her shoulders and she reached up to touch him. He was so glad their relationship, at least, was on solid ground for now.
“Thanks for coming so quickly. If you’ll take a seat, we’ll show you what we have,” Detective Fultz said as he flipped on the projector. While the rest of the Coalsons took the proffered chairs, he continued, “Several possible clues turned up in regard to the actual fire, including fingerprints which incriminate a man named Jeb Hawkins.” He clicked to a copy of the police report and Hawkin’s fingerprints from his arrest comparing them to prints lifted from the gas cans.
“The gasoline cans and dirty rag scraps were similar to the description that Sam Coalson related to us.” He gestured to Sam as a picture of some charred material and what looked to gas cans came into view. “Together with Mr. Coalson’s testimony, I don’t believe we will have any trouble prosecuting Hawkins. Especially, since he’s telling everything he knows in order to reduce his sentence.”
Detective Capizio continued. “However, there is still the accomplice to identify. We believe he is the mastermind behind the entire crime, including the vandalism your company has been experiencing. To that end, I think we may have something.” He flipped to the next picture, a piece of scorched paper came into view, barely an inch in diameter. “This is a piece of matchbook cover discovered at the fire scene. Our people have used a special technique to lift off the embossed printing on the cover. The computers magnified the results and this is what we came up with.”
He clicked to the next picture. Five large numbers came into view, standing out amidst the blackened parchment.
“It looks like a zip code,” Sam commented.
“Yes, that’s exactly what it is, Mr. Coalson,” Detective Capizio stated. “And, of course, we have traced it to its origins in Las Vegas.”
“Vegas?” Mac was dumbstruck. “We don’t know anyone there. I’ve never even been there. What’s the connection?”
“That’s what we don’t know. It’s possible that this is the work of a hired professional from Vegas. That could put the true mastermind anywhere. When we follow through with this, we feel you will have your answers and we will have our man. Unfortunately, it could take months. It’s like
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