Read Online The Spire by Richard North Patterson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Richard North Patterson
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videocam operator focused on Angela; a youngish blond woman carefully examined her body; two plainclothes detectives took notes. Mark tried to remember whether he had seen, or only now imagined, a bruise on Angela's face.
At length the two detectives walked toward the bench. 'Tell them everything,' Farr repeated. 'Leave nothing out.'
The older, red-headed detective identified himself as Fred Bender; the bulky man with a worn, sad face was Jack Muhlberg. Standing over them, Muhlberg said evenly, 'So what happened here''
With quiet efficiency, Farr traced their movements from Mark's arrival at his door. The detective pointed to a nearby garden. 'Let's talk over here,' he told Farr.
They left Mark alone. Disbelieving, he watched men in white jackets examine the ground near Angela's body. The morning sun, he noticed, was turning the frost to dew.
If only.
If only Steve had not invited her. If only she had left before. If only Steve had not left with her. Mark could not decipher cause and effect, only its rudiments. He kept seeing Joe's glazed eyes, Steve's taillights swerving into the night, Angela's wistful smile. Somewhere between that moment and dawn, tragedy had waited for her.
The two detectives returned with Farr. 'Okay, Mark,' Muhlberg said. 'We'll need to go over just what happened.' Turning to Farr, he added, 'You can leave now, Professor.'
'I'd like to stay.'
Bender shook his head. 'That's not how we do things.'
'Is Mark in custody''
Glancing at Muhlberg, Bender said, 'Of course not.'
Farr crossed his arms. 'Then you should understand that he's much more than a student to me. It comes down to this: either I stay, or I'm hiring him a lawyer. Your choice.'
Muhlberg looked nettled. 'How do you feel, Mark''
Mark sorted out his thoughts. 'Professor Farr said to tell you everything. I'd like him here with me.'
When Bender turned to him, Muhlberg shrugged in resignation. Silent, Mark saw George Garrison watching over his murdered friend. He stood so still he could have been in a trance.
'Okay, Mark,' Bender said briskly, and the questioning began.
THE TWO DETECTIVES were dogged and thorough. Reluctantly, Mark described the night: drinking with Steve, encountering Angela, confronting Carl, breaking up the fight between Steve and Joe. Under persistent questioning, Mark explained his relationship to each. 'Before you found her,' Muhlberg asked again, 'when did you last see Angela alive''
It dawned on Mark that he was a suspect. 'When she left with Steve,' he answered tiredly. 'Just like I told you before.'
'Where does Steve live''
'Where I do. We both have rooms in the football stadium.'
The two detectives glanced at each other. 'Can you tell us anything else'' Muhlberg asked.
For an instant, Mark hesitated. 'Yeah. You should talk to Laurie Shilts, Joe's girlfriend. She was at the party, too.'
Muhlberg sat beside him. 'I thought Joe went after Angela.'
'They'd broken up, Laurie told me.'
'Did she say why''
'You'd have to ask her.' Mark stared straight ahead. 'All I know for sure is they'd had a fight.'
Bender wrote this down. Moving forward, Farr asked, 'Can Mark go now''
Nodding, Muhlberg gazed at Mark. 'Do us a favor,' he said, 'and also yourself. Don't talk about this to anyone. I know these kids are your friends. But we need to get their independent memories.'
Silent, Mark nodded. To his surprise, Muhlberg put a hand on his shoulder. 'You were a great quarterback, Mark. I always liked watching you play.'
'I always liked playing,' Mark answered.
THE TWO DETECTIVES left.
'I don't care what they say,' Mark told Farr. 'I've got to find Steve.'
'That would be a mistake,' Farr said firmly. 'It's also too late. I'm sure they've already gone to his room. All you'd do is walk in on them and make yourself look bad.'
Mark felt the enormity of events crashing down on him, the world as he knew it spinning out of control. 'Then what do I do now''
'Stay out of trouble.' Farr's taut voice brooked no dissent.
At length the two detectives walked toward the bench. 'Tell them everything,' Farr repeated. 'Leave nothing out.'
The older, red-headed detective identified himself as Fred Bender; the bulky man with a worn, sad face was Jack Muhlberg. Standing over them, Muhlberg said evenly, 'So what happened here''
With quiet efficiency, Farr traced their movements from Mark's arrival at his door. The detective pointed to a nearby garden. 'Let's talk over here,' he told Farr.
They left Mark alone. Disbelieving, he watched men in white jackets examine the ground near Angela's body. The morning sun, he noticed, was turning the frost to dew.
If only.
If only Steve had not invited her. If only she had left before. If only Steve had not left with her. Mark could not decipher cause and effect, only its rudiments. He kept seeing Joe's glazed eyes, Steve's taillights swerving into the night, Angela's wistful smile. Somewhere between that moment and dawn, tragedy had waited for her.
The two detectives returned with Farr. 'Okay, Mark,' Muhlberg said. 'We'll need to go over just what happened.' Turning to Farr, he added, 'You can leave now, Professor.'
'I'd like to stay.'
Bender shook his head. 'That's not how we do things.'
'Is Mark in custody''
Glancing at Muhlberg, Bender said, 'Of course not.'
Farr crossed his arms. 'Then you should understand that he's much more than a student to me. It comes down to this: either I stay, or I'm hiring him a lawyer. Your choice.'
Muhlberg looked nettled. 'How do you feel, Mark''
Mark sorted out his thoughts. 'Professor Farr said to tell you everything. I'd like him here with me.'
When Bender turned to him, Muhlberg shrugged in resignation. Silent, Mark saw George Garrison watching over his murdered friend. He stood so still he could have been in a trance.
'Okay, Mark,' Bender said briskly, and the questioning began.
THE TWO DETECTIVES were dogged and thorough. Reluctantly, Mark described the night: drinking with Steve, encountering Angela, confronting Carl, breaking up the fight between Steve and Joe. Under persistent questioning, Mark explained his relationship to each. 'Before you found her,' Muhlberg asked again, 'when did you last see Angela alive''
It dawned on Mark that he was a suspect. 'When she left with Steve,' he answered tiredly. 'Just like I told you before.'
'Where does Steve live''
'Where I do. We both have rooms in the football stadium.'
The two detectives glanced at each other. 'Can you tell us anything else'' Muhlberg asked.
For an instant, Mark hesitated. 'Yeah. You should talk to Laurie Shilts, Joe's girlfriend. She was at the party, too.'
Muhlberg sat beside him. 'I thought Joe went after Angela.'
'They'd broken up, Laurie told me.'
'Did she say why''
'You'd have to ask her.' Mark stared straight ahead. 'All I know for sure is they'd had a fight.'
Bender wrote this down. Moving forward, Farr asked, 'Can Mark go now''
Nodding, Muhlberg gazed at Mark. 'Do us a favor,' he said, 'and also yourself. Don't talk about this to anyone. I know these kids are your friends. But we need to get their independent memories.'
Silent, Mark nodded. To his surprise, Muhlberg put a hand on his shoulder. 'You were a great quarterback, Mark. I always liked watching you play.'
'I always liked playing,' Mark answered.
THE TWO DETECTIVES left.
'I don't care what they say,' Mark told Farr. 'I've got to find Steve.'
'That would be a mistake,' Farr said firmly. 'It's also too late. I'm sure they've already gone to his room. All you'd do is walk in on them and make yourself look bad.'
Mark felt the enormity of events crashing down on him, the world as he knew it spinning out of control. 'Then what do I do now''
'Stay out of trouble.' Farr's taut voice brooked no dissent.
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