Read Online Witches of Three: Charlene by Temple Hogan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Temple Hogan
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and assumed a professional air.
“Yes, sir, I was, but I had some errands to run and thought I’d just stop by.”
“Once a cop, always a cop,” Sam said. “Besides, we could use her, Captain. We’re shorthanded today.”
“I’d like to get back to work,” Charlie said quickly, grateful for Sam’s intercession.
Nick studied her face, and she wondered if she looked capable enough to convince him. Besides, she didn’t like being treated as if she would break apart at the first sign of trouble.
“All right, Spencer,” he said. “But work in the station. No street duty for the day.”
In her elation, she almost saluted then decided not to push her luck. Nick glared at her and stalked away.
“Oh, sir, I need to talk to you about something,” she called after him.
He paused in a long stride and turned to look at her. “Fifteen minutes,” he said and left without waiting for her response.
Everything about him, from his stern demeanor to his stiff shoulders said he was perturbed with her. Well, so be it. That would probably happen a lot in their relationship, especially if he didn’t drop the helpless female image he had of her. She wondered how he would react when she told him she was a witch. She pushed that chore aside for the moment. Plenty of time for that later. Her own irritation with Nick had passed by the time she headed to his office.
“Sit down, Officer Spencer,” he said, waving toward the straight-backed chair in front of his desk. He sat down as well and looked at her. “What is this about?”
“Well, I found out the name of the man who shot Geronimo,” she said, getting straight to the point.
He looked surprised then his lips tightened. “How did you do that?”
“I have an informant down on Lambert Street. She said she saw the shooting, and she recognized the man who did it. A Mr. Kermit Nolan, if you can believe the name.”
Nick sat back, blinking as he stared at her, then he swept through the papers on his desk, drew out one and read it before looking back at her.
“Were you down on Lambert Street this morning?” he asked sternly.
“Yes, I was. That’s where my informant works.”
“On Lambert Street?”
“Yes, sir,” she answered formally. “And before you ask, I saw the dog attack on Nolan.”
“Were you the one who called in the tip?” His gaze was so piercing that she didn’t know what to say. Certainly, not the truth, at least not all the truth. Not yet.
“Yes, sir, I did,” she said, then to distract him, hurried on with another question. “Did they get his gun to check with ballistics?”
“No guns were found.”
“The bastards. They must have ditched them before the police got there.”
“Without evidence, we won’t have a lot to hold him on.”
“You have eyewitnesses,” Charlie reminded him. “I was there, I saw him shoot Geronimo. There was no provocation or anything. He just pulled out his gun and shot him.”
“I’ll assign a man to stand guard at the hospital, and when they’ve patched him up, we’ll put him in a lineup.”
“In the meantime, he won’t be able to shoot anyone again soon,” Charlie spoke unthinkingly. “His shooting arm’s out of commission.”
“How do you know that?” Nick asked, looking at her in surprise.
“It just stands to reason,” Charlie said quickly, trying to cover her error. “He would automatically use his dominant hand to protect himself, wouldn’t he?”
Nick stared at her, and she sensed he wasn’t buying her noninvolvement. “Charlie, watch your back. You’re a witness, and he could come after you to keep you quiet.”
“I’m aware of that, sir,” she said. “I’ll be careful.”
“I don’t want you to discuss this with anyone outside this department,” he said. “It might put your life in danger. I’ll have Kermit brought in and put in a lineup. We’ll bring in your informant to make an identification as well.”
“You know you can’t do that. Her life would be
“Yes, sir, I was, but I had some errands to run and thought I’d just stop by.”
“Once a cop, always a cop,” Sam said. “Besides, we could use her, Captain. We’re shorthanded today.”
“I’d like to get back to work,” Charlie said quickly, grateful for Sam’s intercession.
Nick studied her face, and she wondered if she looked capable enough to convince him. Besides, she didn’t like being treated as if she would break apart at the first sign of trouble.
“All right, Spencer,” he said. “But work in the station. No street duty for the day.”
In her elation, she almost saluted then decided not to push her luck. Nick glared at her and stalked away.
“Oh, sir, I need to talk to you about something,” she called after him.
He paused in a long stride and turned to look at her. “Fifteen minutes,” he said and left without waiting for her response.
Everything about him, from his stern demeanor to his stiff shoulders said he was perturbed with her. Well, so be it. That would probably happen a lot in their relationship, especially if he didn’t drop the helpless female image he had of her. She wondered how he would react when she told him she was a witch. She pushed that chore aside for the moment. Plenty of time for that later. Her own irritation with Nick had passed by the time she headed to his office.
“Sit down, Officer Spencer,” he said, waving toward the straight-backed chair in front of his desk. He sat down as well and looked at her. “What is this about?”
“Well, I found out the name of the man who shot Geronimo,” she said, getting straight to the point.
He looked surprised then his lips tightened. “How did you do that?”
“I have an informant down on Lambert Street. She said she saw the shooting, and she recognized the man who did it. A Mr. Kermit Nolan, if you can believe the name.”
Nick sat back, blinking as he stared at her, then he swept through the papers on his desk, drew out one and read it before looking back at her.
“Were you down on Lambert Street this morning?” he asked sternly.
“Yes, I was. That’s where my informant works.”
“On Lambert Street?”
“Yes, sir,” she answered formally. “And before you ask, I saw the dog attack on Nolan.”
“Were you the one who called in the tip?” His gaze was so piercing that she didn’t know what to say. Certainly, not the truth, at least not all the truth. Not yet.
“Yes, sir, I did,” she said, then to distract him, hurried on with another question. “Did they get his gun to check with ballistics?”
“No guns were found.”
“The bastards. They must have ditched them before the police got there.”
“Without evidence, we won’t have a lot to hold him on.”
“You have eyewitnesses,” Charlie reminded him. “I was there, I saw him shoot Geronimo. There was no provocation or anything. He just pulled out his gun and shot him.”
“I’ll assign a man to stand guard at the hospital, and when they’ve patched him up, we’ll put him in a lineup.”
“In the meantime, he won’t be able to shoot anyone again soon,” Charlie spoke unthinkingly. “His shooting arm’s out of commission.”
“How do you know that?” Nick asked, looking at her in surprise.
“It just stands to reason,” Charlie said quickly, trying to cover her error. “He would automatically use his dominant hand to protect himself, wouldn’t he?”
Nick stared at her, and she sensed he wasn’t buying her noninvolvement. “Charlie, watch your back. You’re a witness, and he could come after you to keep you quiet.”
“I’m aware of that, sir,” she said. “I’ll be careful.”
“I don’t want you to discuss this with anyone outside this department,” he said. “It might put your life in danger. I’ll have Kermit brought in and put in a lineup. We’ll bring in your informant to make an identification as well.”
“You know you can’t do that. Her life would be
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