Read Online The Debt Collector by Lynn S. Hightower - Free Book Online

her up and down. “I’m praying for them,” he said softly.
    Sonora looked over his shoulder, saw Crick with his back to her, deep in conversation with Sanders, and headed his way. Felt Sam’s bulk at her back as she headed down the hall.
    Crick turned and looked at her, and she felt a knot in her stomach as she waited for him to ask why they had been gone so long.
    â€œAnything?” he asked.
    Anything? she wondered.
    â€œThe woman is dead,” Sam said. “Joy Stinnet died on the table in the ER.”
    Sonora nodded. “I was right there, she never regained consciousness.”
    Crick rubbed the back of his neck. “Damn. Okay. Sit down, right now, Sonora. Write down exactly what she said to you, word for word.”
    Sonora sat at her desk. Looked at the typewriter. Drew a total blank. Crick glanced her way, and she started typing Js. J J J J J J J … she glanced up. She wanted to know what the hell was happening.
    Crick was talking in a low tone to Sam. “Nothing yet on the Jeep, CSU is still out there, but Mickey’s in the lab, he got in about fifteen minutes ago. He’ll be over soon as he can. What about that baby?”
    â€œNot a scratch,” Sam said.
    Sonora had quit typing.
    â€œWe got Sanders working on next of kin, Molliter’s checking for prison breaks and ex-cons, and Gruber’s coordinating the initial reports from the neighbor canvass. We’ve got three uniforms out there right now, working the crowd and going door to door.” He glanced up, saw that Sonora was not typing. “Got it?”
    â€œAlmost.”
    â€œOkay, get this entered into NCIC and see if we get any hits. How many men were there, did the mother make any sense on that?”
    â€œTwo men and an angel.” Sonora noticed that Molliter had stopped and was listening.
    Crick looked at her.
    â€œIt’s what she said.”
    â€œTwo makes more sense,” Crick said. “Got to be two.”
    Sonora nodded. Two men, egging each other on. She’d seen that synergy before, a sort of heinous performance art, two predators playing Can You Top This? A third didn’t work. A third meant a gang, premeditation, a crime where money changed hands. Business. The curtain cords used to bind Carl Stinnet said crime of opportunity.
    Sonora checked her watch. Wondered how much longer CSU would be out there, and if she could get back tonight. She typed more Js. She closed her eyes, put herself back in the hallway, remembered the woman’s screams when the bed ruffle had been pulled away.
    What the hell was it she had said?
    Someone behind her called her name, right about the time her phone started ringing. She picked it up.
    â€œCincinnati Police Department, Homicide, Specialist Blair speaking.”
    â€œDetective Blair or Delarosa, please.”
    A man’s voice. Businesslike, not unfriendly, a certain self-confidence in the tone. Not the slippery whine or cant of the typical informer.
    â€œThis is Blair.”
    â€œI understand you caught yourself a bad one.”
    Sonora sat up, tried to keep the wary tone out of her voice. “Who’s speaking, please?”
    â€œSorry. My name is Jack Van Owen, retired, Homicide, is Crick there?”
    â€œYeah, I’ll—”
    â€œNo, don’t go get him. I want to talk to you, but I know you’re busy, and you’d probably like to hang up on my ass. I used to work with Crick. I was his partner for eleven years, so after I tell you what I’ve got to tell you, go talk to him, he’ll vouch for me.”
    Sonora sat back in her chair. The name was familiar. Jack Van Owen.
    â€œI wouldn’t be bothering you right now, but … you’ve got a home invasion and some physical evidence that includes olive pits. That right?”
    Sonora felt the knot of tension in her jaw.
    â€œPolice radio,” the voice said, with just a trace of amusement. “Old habits, you