Read Online Winter House by Carol O'Connell - Free Book Online Page B

Side screwed up. Willy Roy Boyd was hired for a murder. It’s all there,“ she said, pointing to her own report, the one he had never read. „It all fits.“
    „Talk fast, Mallory.“
    „The West Side precinct has no volume in homicides,“ she said. „They looked at the same evidence and came up clueless. If we just write this one off, then one of those women dies.“
    „Not so fast,“ said Coffey. No, he was not getting stuck with this lame case. „If you guys are right about murder for hire,“ and he was not conceding this, „why wouldn’t the ladies ask for police protection?“ He turned to Riker for his answer.
    Mallory jumped in. „Two other people live in that house – the old lady’s sister and brother. They were conveniently out of town for the attempted breakin last week, and they weren’t home last night, either.“
    „Even if you were onto something,“ and Coffey doubted that, „it’s still not a case for Special Crimes. The department has a task force for that kind of – “
    „It’s not a mob hit,“ said Mallory, „and it’s not gang related. Willy Roy Boyd wasn’t connected that way. But he had an expensive lawyer for his bail hearing, and the bail bond cost him a fortune. He’s got no assets, no job, but his wallet was full of hundred-dollar bills. He was hired to kill one of those women. If we don’t work this case, no one else will.“
    „And your partner collects icepick murders,“ said Coffey. „You left that out.“
    This was no joke. His detectives had not been invited to last night’s party on the Upper West Side. He knew that Riker had been tipped to the aspect of the ice pick.
    Over time, word had come back to Jack Coffey, mentions of his senior detective turning up at crime scenes in every borough where an ice pick was the murder weapon. Special Crimes had only handled one such case, only one standout among the more common murders via muggings and domestic disputes. No matter how ordinary the crime, Riker had been a faithful visitor at every scene all his working life. And no one knew the reason.
    „Why?“ Coffey had to ask or he would have blown out his teeth trying to hold it back. If Riker would only answer him, the man could keep this damn homicide. The lieutenant’s only other consideration was the possible embarrassment of having a taxpayer drop dead after the case was closed out. „Why ice picks, Riker?“
    „He doesn’t have any normal hobbies,“ said Mallory, betraying impatience with Coffey’s little side trip.
    The lieutenant was a second away from slapping her with a charge of insubordination when her partner spoke up.
    „I collect icepick cases,“ said Riker, „because my father did. My grandfather collected them, too.“
    „I need a little more than that,“ said Coffey, and he was surprised by his own lack of sarcasm.
    „Willy Roy Boyd was hired by amateurs,“ said Riker, „but maybe he was killed by a pro, somebody who had a little practice with a pick. Maybe the ladies weren’t the only ones in the house last night.“
    „A pro?“ The lieutenant was incredulous at this escalation from a nice old lady to a professional assassin. „A pro… with an ice pick!“ He shook his head slowly from side to side. Oh, no, this was the age of miracles and wonders, long-range rifle sights equipped with infrared devices that could see in the damn dark. „No contract hitman has used an ice pick since the forties – “
    „And there’s one old case still on the books, mass murder,“ said Mallory. „How would you like to wrap nine unsolved homicides this week?“
    Oh, Jesus freaking Christ.
    Jack Coffey could not find the words to toss these two out of his office. The partners politely waited for him to find his voice again. He did. He slammed his fist down on the desk. „No, this is not happening! Riker, tell me she’s not talking about Stick Man.“
    Mallory answered for Riker. „Special Crimes Unit would get all the credit, and we need