Read Online Scarlet Rain (The Escaped #2) by Kristin Cast - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kristin Cast
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cause all this.”
“Maybe it’s not here. Whoever did this might have taken it with ’em,” Schilling said.
“You think this is the point of entry?” James walked to the French doors and looked out at the balcony. “Actually, scratch that.” He stepped through the large opening created by the broken glass and onto the deck. Glass popped under his feet, and he bent over, inspecting the shards littering the wood. “Schilling,” he called over his shoulder. “The broken door is definitely not how anyone got in.” James stood and looked over the guardrail. “I’d say it’s more how he got out.”
Eight
Schilling peered over the edge of the balcony, the ornate iron railing pressing into his gut. “That’s one way to get out of a bad situation.”
Tyson George’s towering, muscular body lay on the ground-level patio covered in a white sheet. His black tennis shoes poked out from the end of the blood-soaked cloth covering him; more blood spatters arched in a halo around the body.
James surveyed the scene. “So, he can’t protect his wife, and instead of also getting beat to a pulp, he smashes through the glass and jumps over the balcony?”
Schilling lifted his eyebrow and cocked his head to the side.
“I know, I know,” James sighed. “Jumping to conclusions. Rookie mistake.”
“Detective Graham!” Winslow stuck his head through the hole in the broken glass. “Pierce is here. She’s about to go outside with the other victim.”
“Thanks, Winslow. Tell her I’ll be down in a minute.” James lingered stiffly next to his partner before speaking. “We’re good, right?”
Schilling shrugged. “Depends. You coming over for dinner?”
“You got me on that one.” James shook his head and smiled. “Just tell me when, and I’ll be there.”
“Perfect. You come over, get my wife off my back about meeting you, and we can pretend like your prima donna hissy fit never happened.”
“I can deal with that,” James said, heading for the French doors.
“Wait a tick. There’s one more thing. I need to know what really went down out in those woods.” James opened his mouth to protest, but Schilling held up his hand. “We’ll just be going in circles if you try to deny it. Look, you don’t have to tell me now, but you do have to tell me. I’m your partner. We can’t have secrets between us. Not when it’s about the job. Now, go downstairs. I’ve got this covered up here. Let me know what you find out from Pierce.”
James pushed Schilling from his mind as he trotted down the stairs and through the house. If twisting the truth wasn’t going to work, he’d have to figure out what really happened, and fast.
Pierce met him at the back door and handed him a pair of blue gloves. “Here, you’re going to need these. ”
“Can’t be any worse than what’s upstairs.” He stretched the latex over his thick knuckles.
“I’d say we should bet on it, but I don’t want to take your money.” Pierce smiled and shook strands of her short, blonde bob from her eyes.
“Detective James!” Veronica’s dazzling smile flashed against the warm bronze of her skin.
“Veronica?” His cheeks warmed when her chest grazed his back as she squeezed passed him through the open door. “What are you doing here? I thought you only worked in the office.”
“I am here to assist doctor Pierce.” Like a proud student, she held up the iPad and stylus she held nestled under her arm. “Kirby is on vacation, so I finally had the chance to leave that boring oficina . Don’t look so surprised. I take night classes to one day be a talented dead body doctor like Catherine. But no one told me I had to wear flat shoes. They are hideous.” Her lip curled as she looked down at her feet in disgust.
“You look great. I mean, your shoes look great.” James was sure his cheeks revealed everything, and he fidgeted awkwardly with the tight gloves. “I am a little shocked that you’re getting your degree to be
“Maybe it’s not here. Whoever did this might have taken it with ’em,” Schilling said.
“You think this is the point of entry?” James walked to the French doors and looked out at the balcony. “Actually, scratch that.” He stepped through the large opening created by the broken glass and onto the deck. Glass popped under his feet, and he bent over, inspecting the shards littering the wood. “Schilling,” he called over his shoulder. “The broken door is definitely not how anyone got in.” James stood and looked over the guardrail. “I’d say it’s more how he got out.”
Eight
Schilling peered over the edge of the balcony, the ornate iron railing pressing into his gut. “That’s one way to get out of a bad situation.”
Tyson George’s towering, muscular body lay on the ground-level patio covered in a white sheet. His black tennis shoes poked out from the end of the blood-soaked cloth covering him; more blood spatters arched in a halo around the body.
James surveyed the scene. “So, he can’t protect his wife, and instead of also getting beat to a pulp, he smashes through the glass and jumps over the balcony?”
Schilling lifted his eyebrow and cocked his head to the side.
“I know, I know,” James sighed. “Jumping to conclusions. Rookie mistake.”
“Detective Graham!” Winslow stuck his head through the hole in the broken glass. “Pierce is here. She’s about to go outside with the other victim.”
“Thanks, Winslow. Tell her I’ll be down in a minute.” James lingered stiffly next to his partner before speaking. “We’re good, right?”
Schilling shrugged. “Depends. You coming over for dinner?”
“You got me on that one.” James shook his head and smiled. “Just tell me when, and I’ll be there.”
“Perfect. You come over, get my wife off my back about meeting you, and we can pretend like your prima donna hissy fit never happened.”
“I can deal with that,” James said, heading for the French doors.
“Wait a tick. There’s one more thing. I need to know what really went down out in those woods.” James opened his mouth to protest, but Schilling held up his hand. “We’ll just be going in circles if you try to deny it. Look, you don’t have to tell me now, but you do have to tell me. I’m your partner. We can’t have secrets between us. Not when it’s about the job. Now, go downstairs. I’ve got this covered up here. Let me know what you find out from Pierce.”
James pushed Schilling from his mind as he trotted down the stairs and through the house. If twisting the truth wasn’t going to work, he’d have to figure out what really happened, and fast.
Pierce met him at the back door and handed him a pair of blue gloves. “Here, you’re going to need these. ”
“Can’t be any worse than what’s upstairs.” He stretched the latex over his thick knuckles.
“I’d say we should bet on it, but I don’t want to take your money.” Pierce smiled and shook strands of her short, blonde bob from her eyes.
“Detective James!” Veronica’s dazzling smile flashed against the warm bronze of her skin.
“Veronica?” His cheeks warmed when her chest grazed his back as she squeezed passed him through the open door. “What are you doing here? I thought you only worked in the office.”
“I am here to assist doctor Pierce.” Like a proud student, she held up the iPad and stylus she held nestled under her arm. “Kirby is on vacation, so I finally had the chance to leave that boring oficina . Don’t look so surprised. I take night classes to one day be a talented dead body doctor like Catherine. But no one told me I had to wear flat shoes. They are hideous.” Her lip curled as she looked down at her feet in disgust.
“You look great. I mean, your shoes look great.” James was sure his cheeks revealed everything, and he fidgeted awkwardly with the tight gloves. “I am a little shocked that you’re getting your degree to be
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