Read Online Try Darkness by James Scott Bell - Free Book Online Page B

who comes to you in the night, frightened of darkness or dream, and you are the one she seeks, and you know you will do anything to protect her. Anything.
    I knew this without pause or analysis or Dr. Phil.
    I just knew.
    Then I carried her upstairs.

33
    I ALMOST MADE it outside without getting stopped. My aim was to gather Father Bob and Sister Mary and get out of there. I could call Brosia later.
    But the uniform saw me on the sidewalk and ordered me to stop. A crowd quickly gathered around, the denizens of the Lindbrook, even Disco Freddy, and started making noises toward Kylie. Some cheering.
    She buried her head deeper in my chest.
    “Back off!” I shouted.
    Father Bob stepped in with a little more patience and gently pushed the people back.
    A moment later Brosia appeared. “Let’s get her out of here,” he said.
    “Where?” I said.
    “My office. Central. It’s a couple blocks away.”
    “I want to get her something to eat first. Calm her down.”
    “I want her at the station, now.”
    “In a little while,” I said.
    “She’s a witness.”
    “She’s also my client. I’ll get her to you soon enough.”

34
    THE FOUR OF us—Father Bob, Sister Mary, Kylie, and I—convened at a corner diner. Sister Mary took Kylie into the bathroom and cleaned her up. She came back tired and a little cranky. Kylie, that is.
    She wanted pancakes. I ordered her pancakes.
    “We’ll go talk to the policeman in a little while,” I said to her. “I’ll be with you the whole time, okay?”
    Kylie nodded.
    “And then we’ll go to a place where all three of us live, and you can stay there with us.”
    I gave a quick look to Father Bob and Sister Mary. Both had
Wait till Sister Hildegarde hears about this
looks on their faces.
    Kylie said, “Will the man find me?”
    “No,” I said. “We won’t let him find you. The police will catch him.”
    That was going to be the thing now, keeping Kylie safe and calm until we could decide what to do.
    After we ate I sent Sister Mary back to St. Monica’s with Father Bob. She said she’d get a room ready for Kylie.
    Then I drove Kylie to Central Division on Sixth Street, parking in front.
    “Is this where the police live?” Kylie asked.
    “Some of them,” I said.
    She held my hand as we walked in.

35
    DETECTIVE BROSIA WAS accommodating. He didn’t fight me about being with Kylie during the interview.
    She sat on my lap in the interview room. Had her arms around my neck and held on to me. I put her little pink backpack on the table.
    “A couple of things,” I said, “before you start.”
    “Go,” Brosia said.
    “If she gets tired, we end the interview.”
    “Fine.”
    “You need to know some things. I was at the Lindbrook last Friday. The victim was a tenant and they weren’t going to let her stay. It’s illegal, and I called them on it. They put me in touch with their lawyer. His name’s Al Bradshaw, works for Gunther, McDonough & Longyear. Now she’s dead.”
    “You saying there’s a connection?”
    “I’m saying that’s what happened. You can follow up.”
    “Thanks. Anything else?”
    I asked Kylie if she needed anything to drink. She said she would like some orange juice, please.
    Detective Brosia brought her a Styrofoam cup with orange juice in it, and a cup of coffee for me. He sat at the table.
    “Kylie,” he said, “can I ask you some questions now?”
    She nodded tentatively.
    “You don’t have to be scared. Your friend Mr. Buchanan is here. Okay?”
    Nodded again.
    “I’m a policeman and I have to try to find the person who did the terrible thing to your mommy, okay?”
    Nod.
    “Can you help me?”
    Nod.
    “Can I look in your backpack?”
    Nod.
    Brosia took the backpack, opened it. Poured out the contents. Some crayons and paper fell out. “Is that all?” he asked.
    Kylie nodded once more.
    Brosia put the things back in the pack and said, “All right. Were you in your room when your mommy got . . . hurt?”
    Nod.
    “Where were