Read Online Shots in the Dark by Allyson K Abbott - Free Book Online Page A

most of us cops are.”
    Not wanting to push the Jimmy idea too hard, I switched topics, though I feared my next one was just as likely to leave me discouraged. “When am I going to see you again?”
    â€œI can’t come by tonight, but tomorrow evening is looking good. Do you have any plans?”
    â€œI have plans during the day, but the evening should be open. The Capone Club has a new case we might be looking into.”
    I filled him in on Sandra’s visit with the group, and when I was done, he said, “I’m not very familiar with the case, though I do remember hearing about the trial on the news. The actual crime happened before I came to town. Do you have any reason to think the guy might be innocent?”
    â€œNothing yet, other than his sister’s conviction that he didn’t do it. But I’m hoping that if I talk to Ben Middleton, it will give me a better sense.”
    â€œAre you sure you want to get involved with this, Mack? You’ve been complaining about all the press you and the others have been getting, and this is only likely to make that worse.”
    â€œAre you worried about my reputation or your job?”
    â€œI’m worried about you, silly. My bosses aren’t happy about the ribbing they’ve gotten in the media because of what you’ve done, but they’ll get over it. And as long as they don’t know I’m still working with you in any way, I should be fine.”
    â€œIf it turns out this Middleton guy is innocent and we can prove that, it’s not going to make the police department look any better.”
    â€œTrue, but maybe it will make them stand up and look at you and the group in a different light. I still think your synesthesia can be useful in helping us investigate crimes, and if you continue to show them that, maybe they’ll come around.”
    â€œOr maybe they’ll make life more difficult for me . . . and for you.”
    â€œDon’t worry about me. I can take care of myself. And you seem to have weathered all the press quite well so far. It’s even upped your business at the bar.”
    â€œThat it has,” I admitted. “And speaking of the press, I had an idea.” I then told him my thoughts regarding Clay and the idea of bringing him into the group on a limited, need-to-know basis. “He’s one of the more persistent reporters. Hell, he practically lives in my bar these days. I’m thinking if we can’t beat him, we might as well join him . . . or rather invite him to join us. He could be a useful resource.”
    â€œBut if he gets wind of this letter writer case, it could all blow up in our faces.”
    â€œThen we won’t let him in on it. No one knows about it now except for you, Mal, Cora, and the brothers. None of them will say anything to him.”
    â€œI don’t know, Mack. It’s risky. We don’t know if we can trust the guy.”
    â€œI’ll feel him out first, see if he seems forthright. And we can test him by letting him in on the cases the Capone Club is working on and seeing if he follows the rules. I’ll play it by ear.”
    â€œIs that a synesthetic thing, playing it by ear?”
    â€œIt just might be,” I said, smiling.
    There was a long silence, long enough that I thought our call had been dropped.
    â€œDuncan, are you still there?”
    â€œI’m here. I was just thinking about all this crime stuff you’ve gotten involved in. Maybe the bosses and Jimmy are right. Maybe it was wrong for me to bring you into it.”
    â€œIt’s a done deal, Duncan. No use crying over spilt vodka, as my father used to say. If I hadn’t wanted to help you, I wouldn’t have.”
    â€œI get that, but that was then and this is now. Maybe you should go back to being a simple bar owner. You said before that spending time dealing with the dark underbelly of the city was depressing, and I don’t want you