Read Online The Third Rail by Michael Harvey - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michael Harvey
Tags: Fiction, General, Suspense, Mystery & Detective, Crime, Private Investigators, Hard-Boiled, Chicago (Ill.), Criminal snipers
Ads: Link
SUV down a nice, long stretch of road. Robles looked back through the viewfinder and counted off the seconds in his head. One, two, three ... The woman was smiling and drumming her fingers on the steering wheel. Four, five, six ... Robles could just make out the top of the kid's head above the dashboard. Seven, eight ... He looked up again. The SUV blew past in a puff of morning mist. Robles smiled. Perfect. He lensed a few more cars. Got timings for all eight lanes, but focused mostly on the traffic coming toward him. When he was done, Robles snapped a few general photos, wide-angle stuff, just in case anyone happened by and wondered why he was there. A photo documentary project. Then Robles crouched back among the trees and waited. For the traffic to build. And his cell phone to buzz.
CHAPTER 19
I woke up and smelled the coffee. Literally. There was someone in my house, and they were making a pot of joe. Whoever it was, at least they had the good sense to use my stash of El Diablo beans. Now if they'd only bring me a cup.
The second time I woke, the smell was stronger and the intruder closer, as in over my bed, cup in hand, smiling. Simply dream and ye shall receive.
"You're here," I said.
"I let myself in." Rachel Swenson put my coffee on the night table, leaned in, and kissed me. I'd gotten home at a little after four. I looked at the clock on my nightstand. It read 6:50.
"You staying or going?" I said.
"Going. I've got an early meeting."
"I'm thinking they can get along without you."
Rachel's smile was fragrant, even as she shook her head no. I ran my hand down her hip and imagined the slightest bit of maybe. That, of course, was the time Rodriguez picked to call.
"Hello," I said.
"You sound like hell."
"Fuck you. I just woke up."
The detective chuckled. "You ready to go?"
"Go where?"
"Lawson wants to meet us this morning at the Southport L. They finished processing the scene, but she's going up for another look."
"I told Hubert Russell I'd meet him for coffee."
"You bringing him in on this?"
"Could be. Why don't you tag along? Save me the trouble of explaining things twice."
"Explaining what?"
"Filter on Milwaukee. You know where it is?"
"Sure."
"Eight a.m. We can talk then."
I hung up. Rachel sat down beside me and I held her for a good thirty seconds. If I were smart, we never would have moved.
"Sounds like we both have full days," she said, leaning back and studying my face.
I hadn't had time yesterday for anything except a quick phone call, telling her I was involved in the thing at Southport and would explain later. Later, apparently, was now.
"What do you know?" I said, dropping my head back to the pillow.
"Well, I'm guessing you were the eyewitness the police are talking about in the Southport shooting."
"It's a little more complicated than that."
"I'm shocked."
"I bet you are."
"Fill me in."
"I can tell you I'm now attached to the task force working the case."
A frown. "Both shootings?"
I propped myself up on one elbow. "Yeah, they're connected. Hey, you know Katherine Lawson?"
Rachel Swenson was probably the smartest person I knew. Certainly the best looking. She was also a sitting judge for the Northern District of Illinois, which meant she knew the feds. Lots of them.
"Sure. Katherine's a bit of a star with the Bureau. You working this with her?"
"I get the feeling I am. Myself and Rodriguez."
"That should be interesting."
I wanted to pursue how and why Rachel found Agent Lawson so interesting. I also wanted to seriously get Her Honor into bed. Unfortunately, it was getting late for both of us.
"Let's make a date," I said.
"Dinner?"
"Tonight. No matter what."
"You cooking?"
"You feeling brave?"
"Seven o'clock, Kelly."
"Bring your appetite, woman."
I finished my coffee and swung my feet to the floor. Rachel touched me on the shoulder. "How deep are you in this thing?"
I heard the twinge in her voice and thought about the night before--my starring role as the duck
CHAPTER 19
I woke up and smelled the coffee. Literally. There was someone in my house, and they were making a pot of joe. Whoever it was, at least they had the good sense to use my stash of El Diablo beans. Now if they'd only bring me a cup.
The second time I woke, the smell was stronger and the intruder closer, as in over my bed, cup in hand, smiling. Simply dream and ye shall receive.
"You're here," I said.
"I let myself in." Rachel Swenson put my coffee on the night table, leaned in, and kissed me. I'd gotten home at a little after four. I looked at the clock on my nightstand. It read 6:50.
"You staying or going?" I said.
"Going. I've got an early meeting."
"I'm thinking they can get along without you."
Rachel's smile was fragrant, even as she shook her head no. I ran my hand down her hip and imagined the slightest bit of maybe. That, of course, was the time Rodriguez picked to call.
"Hello," I said.
"You sound like hell."
"Fuck you. I just woke up."
The detective chuckled. "You ready to go?"
"Go where?"
"Lawson wants to meet us this morning at the Southport L. They finished processing the scene, but she's going up for another look."
"I told Hubert Russell I'd meet him for coffee."
"You bringing him in on this?"
"Could be. Why don't you tag along? Save me the trouble of explaining things twice."
"Explaining what?"
"Filter on Milwaukee. You know where it is?"
"Sure."
"Eight a.m. We can talk then."
I hung up. Rachel sat down beside me and I held her for a good thirty seconds. If I were smart, we never would have moved.
"Sounds like we both have full days," she said, leaning back and studying my face.
I hadn't had time yesterday for anything except a quick phone call, telling her I was involved in the thing at Southport and would explain later. Later, apparently, was now.
"What do you know?" I said, dropping my head back to the pillow.
"Well, I'm guessing you were the eyewitness the police are talking about in the Southport shooting."
"It's a little more complicated than that."
"I'm shocked."
"I bet you are."
"Fill me in."
"I can tell you I'm now attached to the task force working the case."
A frown. "Both shootings?"
I propped myself up on one elbow. "Yeah, they're connected. Hey, you know Katherine Lawson?"
Rachel Swenson was probably the smartest person I knew. Certainly the best looking. She was also a sitting judge for the Northern District of Illinois, which meant she knew the feds. Lots of them.
"Sure. Katherine's a bit of a star with the Bureau. You working this with her?"
"I get the feeling I am. Myself and Rodriguez."
"That should be interesting."
I wanted to pursue how and why Rachel found Agent Lawson so interesting. I also wanted to seriously get Her Honor into bed. Unfortunately, it was getting late for both of us.
"Let's make a date," I said.
"Dinner?"
"Tonight. No matter what."
"You cooking?"
"You feeling brave?"
"Seven o'clock, Kelly."
"Bring your appetite, woman."
I finished my coffee and swung my feet to the floor. Rachel touched me on the shoulder. "How deep are you in this thing?"
I heard the twinge in her voice and thought about the night before--my starring role as the duck
Similar Books
