Read Online No Safe Place (Joe Hunter Thrillers Book 11) by Matt Hilton - Free Book Online
Authors: Matt Hilton
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call later and bring him up to speed on my suspicions.
‘I’ve nothing much on tonight,’ he said. ‘Want me to come on by later as a second set of eyes?’
‘There’s no need, yet, Rink.’
‘What if the creepy dude comes back for another look?’
‘I want him to,’ I said. ‘But he might be put off if security’s too tight.’
‘He’d never know I was here,’ Rink said, and he wasn’t boasting, though he’d earned the right. For all he was the size of a pro-wrestler, and almost as flamboyant in dress at times, Rink could be an invisible man when he wished. There’d been times when he’d infiltrated the strongholds of terrorists and enemy fighters under their very noses, and completed his mission without anyone suspecting he’d ever been there – until they found the evidence of his work; usually it had been bloody.
‘I’m just on the other end of the phone if you want me,’ he said.
‘I know.’
He flicked a salute and took off, the thick tyres of his Porsche kicking up a mini-tsunami of crushed shells in his wake. There was an electronic sensor on the gate that allowed him easy exit, and I waited until the gate had fully locked again before going indoors. Clayton was in the kitchen. He heard me enter, and walked out from behind the central counter to meet me.
‘What did the cops have to say about the prowler?’ he asked without preamble.
‘They’re following up on it. I gave the glove to Detective VanMeter and she promised to get back to me once it’s been examined.’
‘I guess these things can take time,’ he said.
‘It’s not like you see in the movies,’ I told him. In fact, from what I’d learned, a lot of forensic investigation was determined by budgetary constraints and how important any single piece of evidence was to a case. On the face of it, the glove I’d seized had nothing to do with the murder inquiry Bryony was investigating, so it might be put aside altogether. Then again, she’d be a fool to discount the presence of the prowler because I for one hadn’t changed my opinion: he was involved somehow, I just hadn’t figured out how yet.
‘Think he’ll come back?’ Clayton asked, and I noticed him again rubbing at his forearm. I wondered if it was a nervous tic.
‘He might…then again he might not. He must realise he dropped his glove and that he might’ve made himself a suspect.’
‘What are you planning on doing if he does show up?’
‘Grab him, hand him over to VanMeter and have him answer some difficult questions.’
Clayton adjusted his spectacles, his mouth puckering slightly as he turned. My answer hadn’t been what he wanted to hear. Perhaps, like Holker did, Clayton expected me to gun the guy down. As tempting as the notion was, we’d no evidence yet that he’d done anything to harm Ella, or even if he was the person responsible for hurling the brick through the door. Until I knew otherwise I wasn’t going to jump to conclusions.
‘As long as my boy’s safe,’ Clayton said, ‘I don’t care what happens to the bastard.’
As if mention of his name had summoned him, Cole appeared in the doorway. He was looking at his feet, shuffling his sneakers on the tiled floor.
‘Everything OK, son?’ Clayton asked.
‘I’m thirsty,’ said Cole without raising his head.
‘I filled your bottle for you.’ Clayton gestured towards a sports bottle on the counter, containing some kind of purple juice.
‘I want chocolate milk,’ Cole said.
‘We don’t have any,’ Clayton said. ‘You finished it yesterday, and I didn’t get a chance to go grocery shopping today.’
Cole hung his head even lower.
‘How about I go out and get some? I can be back in no time,’ said Clayton.
‘Can I come with you?’ asked the boy hopefully.
Clayton glanced at me. I was about to suggest accompanying them to the nearest convenience store, but Clayton pre-empted me. ‘No, you have to wait here with Mr Hunter. I won’t be long; promise I’ll be
‘I’ve nothing much on tonight,’ he said. ‘Want me to come on by later as a second set of eyes?’
‘There’s no need, yet, Rink.’
‘What if the creepy dude comes back for another look?’
‘I want him to,’ I said. ‘But he might be put off if security’s too tight.’
‘He’d never know I was here,’ Rink said, and he wasn’t boasting, though he’d earned the right. For all he was the size of a pro-wrestler, and almost as flamboyant in dress at times, Rink could be an invisible man when he wished. There’d been times when he’d infiltrated the strongholds of terrorists and enemy fighters under their very noses, and completed his mission without anyone suspecting he’d ever been there – until they found the evidence of his work; usually it had been bloody.
‘I’m just on the other end of the phone if you want me,’ he said.
‘I know.’
He flicked a salute and took off, the thick tyres of his Porsche kicking up a mini-tsunami of crushed shells in his wake. There was an electronic sensor on the gate that allowed him easy exit, and I waited until the gate had fully locked again before going indoors. Clayton was in the kitchen. He heard me enter, and walked out from behind the central counter to meet me.
‘What did the cops have to say about the prowler?’ he asked without preamble.
‘They’re following up on it. I gave the glove to Detective VanMeter and she promised to get back to me once it’s been examined.’
‘I guess these things can take time,’ he said.
‘It’s not like you see in the movies,’ I told him. In fact, from what I’d learned, a lot of forensic investigation was determined by budgetary constraints and how important any single piece of evidence was to a case. On the face of it, the glove I’d seized had nothing to do with the murder inquiry Bryony was investigating, so it might be put aside altogether. Then again, she’d be a fool to discount the presence of the prowler because I for one hadn’t changed my opinion: he was involved somehow, I just hadn’t figured out how yet.
‘Think he’ll come back?’ Clayton asked, and I noticed him again rubbing at his forearm. I wondered if it was a nervous tic.
‘He might…then again he might not. He must realise he dropped his glove and that he might’ve made himself a suspect.’
‘What are you planning on doing if he does show up?’
‘Grab him, hand him over to VanMeter and have him answer some difficult questions.’
Clayton adjusted his spectacles, his mouth puckering slightly as he turned. My answer hadn’t been what he wanted to hear. Perhaps, like Holker did, Clayton expected me to gun the guy down. As tempting as the notion was, we’d no evidence yet that he’d done anything to harm Ella, or even if he was the person responsible for hurling the brick through the door. Until I knew otherwise I wasn’t going to jump to conclusions.
‘As long as my boy’s safe,’ Clayton said, ‘I don’t care what happens to the bastard.’
As if mention of his name had summoned him, Cole appeared in the doorway. He was looking at his feet, shuffling his sneakers on the tiled floor.
‘Everything OK, son?’ Clayton asked.
‘I’m thirsty,’ said Cole without raising his head.
‘I filled your bottle for you.’ Clayton gestured towards a sports bottle on the counter, containing some kind of purple juice.
‘I want chocolate milk,’ Cole said.
‘We don’t have any,’ Clayton said. ‘You finished it yesterday, and I didn’t get a chance to go grocery shopping today.’
Cole hung his head even lower.
‘How about I go out and get some? I can be back in no time,’ said Clayton.
‘Can I come with you?’ asked the boy hopefully.
Clayton glanced at me. I was about to suggest accompanying them to the nearest convenience store, but Clayton pre-empted me. ‘No, you have to wait here with Mr Hunter. I won’t be long; promise I’ll be
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