Read Online White Space Season 1 by Platt + Wright - Free Book Online Page B

clock on the wall over the door which led to the front of the station and its lobby. Before they reached the exit, the only closed door in the hall opened, and the familiar face of Jon’s old friend Kevin Brady came into view. Though they were the same age, Brady looked pudgy and tired, his dark curly hair graying above the ears. Jon wondered if he looked so ragged because of stress from the job or from having a wife and twin six year olds.
    Brady thanked Officer Henry, who went through the door to the front of the station, and then met Jon, slapping him on his shoulder with his left hand as he offered him his right. “Sorry about the trouble, Jon,” he said.
    Jon shook his hand, noted the clammy palm, then said, “Thanks for letting me go with a warning.”
    Brady said, “Of course,” then gestured toward his office, stepped inside, waited for Jon to enter, and closed the door behind them.
    Brady sat behind his cluttered desk and waved a hand to Jon to take a seat opposite him. Jon did, as his eyes scanned the small, messy office, which looked about 30 years past due for a makeover. As did Brady’s ancient desktop computer. Yellow smoke stains pocked the ceiling tiles above the desk.
    “So,” Jon said. “You made police chief, eh? Damn, you’re the youngest chief by two decades.”
    “Well, I don’t know how impressive it really is. Nobody else wanted the job, if I’m being honest. The real money is with Paladin.”
    “Yeah, don’t get me started on those assholes,” Jon said.
    “You mean the assholes on your family’s payroll?” Brady said, and then looked like he wished he’d kept his mouth shut.
    “Yeah, well obviously they’ve forgotten who butters their bread. So what’s the deal with the fence? And all the security? How many damned officers do they have?”
    “Officially, they’ve got 40 guards. Unofficially, I’d say triple that.”
    “What the fuck?” Jon said, shocked. “They starting an army?”
    Brady smiled nervously, and then answered the other part of Jon’s question. “The fence went up two years ago. This your first time seeing it, I guess?”
    Jon nodded.
    “Yeah, they fenced off the whole northeastern part of the island. They had some lab break-ins, but it was mostly to cut down on the deaths.”
    “Deaths?”
    “Yeah, you know that bridge that runs across Tanner’s Pass? Well, kids have been crossing the girders along the bottom of the bridge on dares and stuff. And a lot of them have fallen into the water and hit the rocks. We had 10 kids die two years ago, and another 15 kids and adults who’d gone missing, believed to be suicides that either washed out to sea or into some of the caves along the pass.
    “Jesus,” Jon said.
    “Yeah, and since your family owns the land, they’re looking to cut down their liability, though I’m not sure who in their right mind would sue the Conways.”
    Jon nodded. He knew all too well how vicious his family was when it came to the courtroom.
    “So, they put up a fence and set up guards around the perimeter.”
    “A lot of work to keep people from killing themselves on an old bridge,” Jon said. “Don’t you think?”
    “I dunno,” Brady said, clearly wanting to change the subject. “So, what brings you to town? The funeral? Sarah?”
    “Yeah,” Jon said. He considered asking Brady if he knew anything about Emma’s paternity, but decided to keep that question close to his vest for now. Though Brady had been a close friend, that was many years ago.
    “I’m sorry,” Brady said. “I know how close you two were.”
    Jon sighed, “Yeah, it’s a tragedy. You all know what happened? Why the teacher snapped?”
    “No, not a thing. Hell, five minutes into the shooting, the Feds swooped in and took over the investigation.”
    “The Feds?”
    “Yeah, and get this … they’re coordinating efforts with Paladin.”
    “Is that even legal?” Jon asked.
    “Well, the township made Paladin the same as us, really. Though given