Read Online Paint It Black by P.J. Parrish - Free Book Online

here,” Wainwright said.
    â€œWell, you’re not into this nature shit,” Louis said, walking ahead.
    They went to the base of the platform and stopped cold. There were dark brown stains on the gray wooden steps.
    â€œBingo,” Wainwright said.
    Some of the bloodstains were splatters, others streaks. “It looks like he dragged him up,” Wainwright said. “Careful going up.”
    Slowly, avoiding the bloodstains, they ascended the ten steps. The platform was about six-foot square and it left them just above the tree line. To the east, across the narrow inlet, there was another body of land. But Louis didn’t focus on it. His eyes were drawn immediately to the large brown bloodstain in the middle of the platform. It radiated out nearly three feet. On one edge of the stain, black overlapped the brown.
    â€œPaint,” Louis said, pointing.
    Wainwright nodded.
    For several long seconds, neither man said a word. Louis was rooted, unable to take his eyes off the huge brown stain. It was hard to believe Anthony Quick had any life in him when he was thrown into the water.
    â€œKincaid, over here.”
    He looked up to see Wainwright standing by the railing. The rail was peppered with blood splatters and there was one large brown smudge.
    â€œThis has to be where he threw him in,” Wainwright said.
    Louis stretched to look down into the water, dark as coffee grounds. “Where exactly did they find the body?” he asked.
    Wainwright looked around, then pointed to a spot about ten yards away where the mangroves formed a point.
    â€œSo the tides didn’t move him,” Louis said. “Your hunch was right.”
    â€œYeah,” Wainwright said quietly. There was something in his eyes, but he blinked it away. “Well, I guess I’d better get a tech unit out here and call Bledsoe. He and the DA will need to know about this.”
    They headed down to the squad car and Wainwright radioed in to his office. Louis leaned against the car, staring back at the wooden platform, trying both to see and not see what Quick must have gone through up there. Had he been able to comprehend what was happening to him as he was dragged up those steps? Had he known his killer? That was unlikely, given the fact that the same man probably also killed Tatum. Unless there was some link between the two dead men. But what could a liquor-store owner from Sereno Key and a computer salesman from Toledo have in common?
    â€œWell, the county guys are on their way over,” Wainwright said. “By the way, Sheriff found Quick’s rental in the Holiday Inn lot, keys on the ground. And they found a clerk who said Quick asked about going fishing. He was supposed to get back by six for some awards dinner but never showed.”
    â€œCan we talk to the clerk?”
    Wainwright pursed his lips. “Sheriff says they’re handling it.” He looked out over the water. “Damn,” he said softly. “I hate to have them in on this.”
    â€œThis is your jurisdiction, isn’t it?” Louis asked.
    â€œTechnically. But I don’t have the men to do this kind of work and that asshole Mobley knows it. I have three uniforms on my little force, Kincaid. None of them has ever done anything harder than trying to take down Levon the other day.”
    Louis guessed Mobley was the Lee County Sheriff and that there was some bad blood between the two men. Or maybe Wainwright was just embarrassed about having to admit his department’s inadequacies. The same thing had happened back in Michigan. What was it with cops and turf wars?
    â€œKincaid,” Wainwright said.
    Louis glanced back at him.
    â€œYou’ve got good instincts.”
    â€œThanks.”
    â€œWhy’d you give up the badge?”
    Louis felt himself tighten. The words I didn’t have a choice came to his mind , but he didn’t say them.
    â€œI needed a break,” Louis replied.
    Wainwright was