Read Believing Again for Free Online Page B
Authors: Peggy Bird
for a long time thinking about the reactions of other women to him, the rejections and embarrassment. Danny wouldn’t be like that, would she? Surely she was smarter, more sensitive. With a sigh, he got out of his vehicle and locked it up. Only way to find out was to try. But he sure as hell wasn’t going to reveal it all the first time they were together. He wanted this to work. He’d take it slow.
But could he take it slow? Would she let him?
Next weekend. He’d ask her to have dinner with him and find out next weekend.
Chapter Five
Thank God she’d gotten some sleep. Monday morning proved to be everything Danny hated about that particular day — sorting out what happened over the two-day absence while also attempting to get a handle on the upcoming week’s commitments and finding there weren’t enough hours in the day to get it all done.
In addition to what would surely be a long court appearance mid-week, she was facing a shitload of witness interviews she’d promised Sam she would take care of for another case they were working. All of which meant that she had to ignore the niggling feeling she had that the killer of the homeless men was biding his time waiting to move in for another kill. Not that she could have done anything with the feeling anyway — they still had no idea what triggered him. Or who he was.
They hadn’t gotten beyond what they already knew the victims had in common — gender, homelessness, military service, the Veterans’ Medical Services Clinic, and probably the same weapon. With the cardboard ID’d as possibly coming from the clinic, it meant they should take a closer look there. But for what?
She had to get to the clinic, maybe the camps again, talk to more people. And she would, right after she found twelve more hours in every day and developed the ability to live without eating or sleeping so she could finish the “to do” list Sam had handed her and get the reports done for their other cases.
Then she got a phone call that rearranged her priorities.
“Hartmann,” she said, probably more abruptly than usual.
“Wow, I thought a few hours of sleep would make you feel better. Apparently it didn’t work,” Jake Abrams said.
She laughed. “Yeah, it worked. Then I got here and saw what was facing me for the week. What can I do for you, Doctor Abrams?”
“What happened to ‘Jake’?” he asked.
“Jake, please. It’s been a long morning and it’s only nine-thirty.”
“Well, I’m afraid I may be about to complicate it further. Something’s up with Kaylea. She went missing from the camp where you talked to her. I tracked her down to a different camp but she won’t tell me what happened. Obviously it was serious enough to make her move again. She did say she was willing to talk to you.”
“I’ll go see her as soon as I … ”
“This camp is not one I want you going to alone. If I could get her out of there I would. I sure as hell don’t want you there.”
“I appreciate the Neanderthal attitude. Sort of. Well, honestly, not really. It’s my job and I’ll be fine. Where’s the camp?”
“I’ll pick you up at any time you tell me and I’ll take you there. I don’t have surgery today and my morning opened up when I talked to Kaylea. My schedule is your schedule.”
Danny sighed. She could tell from the tone in his voice she wasn’t going to win. And her instincts told her this was important, she needed to talk to Kaylea. “All right. You drive. I’ll bring the weapon and the handcuffs. Fair enough?”
“Your sarcasm is duly noted, Detective. What time?”
“Half hour, Doctor. Out front.”
• • •
This camp was nowhere near a cramped, concrete bridge abutment. It was in Forest Park, the five thousand acre, city-owned, wilderness park which spread across the hills north and west of downtown Portland. After a hike from a parking lot at the edge of the forest, most of it through dense woods and thick underbrush that gave few visual
But could he take it slow? Would she let him?
Next weekend. He’d ask her to have dinner with him and find out next weekend.
Chapter Five
Thank God she’d gotten some sleep. Monday morning proved to be everything Danny hated about that particular day — sorting out what happened over the two-day absence while also attempting to get a handle on the upcoming week’s commitments and finding there weren’t enough hours in the day to get it all done.
In addition to what would surely be a long court appearance mid-week, she was facing a shitload of witness interviews she’d promised Sam she would take care of for another case they were working. All of which meant that she had to ignore the niggling feeling she had that the killer of the homeless men was biding his time waiting to move in for another kill. Not that she could have done anything with the feeling anyway — they still had no idea what triggered him. Or who he was.
They hadn’t gotten beyond what they already knew the victims had in common — gender, homelessness, military service, the Veterans’ Medical Services Clinic, and probably the same weapon. With the cardboard ID’d as possibly coming from the clinic, it meant they should take a closer look there. But for what?
She had to get to the clinic, maybe the camps again, talk to more people. And she would, right after she found twelve more hours in every day and developed the ability to live without eating or sleeping so she could finish the “to do” list Sam had handed her and get the reports done for their other cases.
Then she got a phone call that rearranged her priorities.
“Hartmann,” she said, probably more abruptly than usual.
“Wow, I thought a few hours of sleep would make you feel better. Apparently it didn’t work,” Jake Abrams said.
She laughed. “Yeah, it worked. Then I got here and saw what was facing me for the week. What can I do for you, Doctor Abrams?”
“What happened to ‘Jake’?” he asked.
“Jake, please. It’s been a long morning and it’s only nine-thirty.”
“Well, I’m afraid I may be about to complicate it further. Something’s up with Kaylea. She went missing from the camp where you talked to her. I tracked her down to a different camp but she won’t tell me what happened. Obviously it was serious enough to make her move again. She did say she was willing to talk to you.”
“I’ll go see her as soon as I … ”
“This camp is not one I want you going to alone. If I could get her out of there I would. I sure as hell don’t want you there.”
“I appreciate the Neanderthal attitude. Sort of. Well, honestly, not really. It’s my job and I’ll be fine. Where’s the camp?”
“I’ll pick you up at any time you tell me and I’ll take you there. I don’t have surgery today and my morning opened up when I talked to Kaylea. My schedule is your schedule.”
Danny sighed. She could tell from the tone in his voice she wasn’t going to win. And her instincts told her this was important, she needed to talk to Kaylea. “All right. You drive. I’ll bring the weapon and the handcuffs. Fair enough?”
“Your sarcasm is duly noted, Detective. What time?”
“Half hour, Doctor. Out front.”
• • •
This camp was nowhere near a cramped, concrete bridge abutment. It was in Forest Park, the five thousand acre, city-owned, wilderness park which spread across the hills north and west of downtown Portland. After a hike from a parking lot at the edge of the forest, most of it through dense woods and thick underbrush that gave few visual