Read Online Progeny by E. H. Reinhard - Free Book Online Page A

it’s nice out.” She pointed. “They lead out to the courtyard in the back. Henry would have taken that way so he could chat up whoever was sitting outside on the way back to his room.”
    She walked us over and outside through the doors. “The back path here takes you over to his building.”
    We followed her past the wicker tables with umbrellas, to the sidewalk heading back toward the residents’ housing. Hank and I kept our eyes on the ground as we walked, looking for any scrap of evidence. The sidewalk headed toward a wooden deck overlooking the pond, then turned back toward the complex. We found nothing. Janet stopped at the back door of the building and removed a white keycard from the pocket of her white jacket. She slid it through the reader on the locked door and turned the handle.
    “Is this always locked?” I asked.
    “Yeah, all the residents have a card. Henry always wore his on a cord around his neck.”
    “Do the readers log anything? Time and date of entry and by whom?” Hank asked.
    She shook her head. “No.”
    We searched the ground and shrubs around the back door for a moment before entering. Our walk down Mr. Pullman’s path had netted us nothing. We took the elevator back up to the sixth floor and walked to room 608. Telwan, Pax, and Officer Meechum stood inside.
    “Got something,” Meechum said. He held up an evidence bag with a round purple inhaler inside. “It belonged to Mr. Pullman. I found it out in the back parking lot against the pond.”
    I took the bag and turned the inhaler inside so I could see who it was prescribed to. Henry Pullman’s name was on the label attached to the back. I spun the plastic bag in my hand again. The medication contained in the inhaler was printed under the brand name. They matched with the tox report we had on the deceased man.
    “Back parking lot?” I asked.
    Meechum nodded in confirmation.
    I looked at Janet. “Any reason why he’d be back there?”
    “No. None.”
    “Maybe he got in a car and dropped it,” Hank said.
    “Or was taken and dropped it. Did Rickson get anything from the front gate?” I asked.
    “He’s having them make copies of the log now,” Telwan said.
    “Good.”
    Pax held out his hand for the inhaler, and I handed it over.
    “I’m through here,” Pax said. From the kitchen table, he took the items, sealed in evidence bags, that he’d selected for DNA sampling and placed them in his kit, along with the inhaler. “I want to get everything back and get started. I’ll see what prints are on the inhaler at the lab and let you know.”
    “Thanks, Pax,” I said.
    My phone buzzed against my leg in my pocket.
    I turned to see Hank pulling his phone from the inner pocket of his suit jacket. When we both got a text at the same time, that meant one thing.
    I pulled out my phone. “From the captain,” I said.
    “Yup,” Hank said.
    We had matching text messages from Captain Bostok to call him back. The message was followed by 187 and 9-1-1 .
    I dialed the captain, who picked up right away.
    “Hey, it’s Kane.”
    “Are you with Rawlings?”
    “Yeah. He’s right next to me.”
    “We have another. It’s out in Wesley Chapel. Pasco County sheriffs are on the scene and expecting you.”
    “Pasco County?” I asked.
    “It’s the Redding copycat again.”
    “Shit. We’re on our way out there.”
    “Rick will meet you there. I’ll send the address to your phone.”
    “Got it.” I hung up and looked at Hank. “We have another one.”
    He let out a breath and bobbed his head.
    “Telwan, Meechum, do another lap around the lot and see if there’s anything else. Have Rickson get me a copy of that gate log as soon as possible.”
    “Will do,” Telwan said.
    “Are you going to need me out there?” Pax asked.
    “Rick is meeting us there. Get what you got here back to the lab and get started,” I said.
    “Okay.” Pax took his kit and left the room.
    Hank and I were right behind him. We hopped in our car and