Read Kiss and Kill for Free Online

is,” whispered Barney, “how to talk to him without getting shot.”
    â€œWe could leave,” Ed whispered back.
    â€œWithout finding out where the Bartons went?”
    â€œI mean, get the car and come in as though we’d just arrived.”
    Barney shrugged. “I doubt if he’ll swallow it—he’s no country dummy if he rigged up that device. But we can try. At least nobody’ll get hurt.”
    They crawled out and into the woods, retrieved their car, and drove up beside the other car. The word “sheriff” decorated its door in foot-high letters. As Barney and Ed stepped out of their car, the spotlight flared in their eyes.
    â€œStay right there, boys,” said a voice cracked with age from inside the sheriffs car. “And state your business.”
    â€œWe came to see the Bartons,” said Barney. “Are they home?”
    The light remained on them for another thirty seconds. Then it went out. “You got a license to carry that hogleg, son?”
    Barney thought wryly: Two hundred dollars for a specially tailored suit, and what does it get me? “Yes. I’m a private detective from Chicago.”
    â€œBring it here, sonny. Move slow. I’ve got a forty-five aimed at your gizzard.”
    Barney drew out his wallet very carefully and walked over to the other car. The gun muzzle resting on the window frame was the dominant feature of the Sheriff’s personality; by the dashlight of the car Barney saw a narrow, seamed face, like the face of Grandfather Fox. A hand took the card and held it under the map light. The Sheriff grunted.
    â€œYour license is good for Cook County, sonny. You ain’t in Cook County. Hand me the gun, butt foremost.”
    Barney did so, moving slowly.
    â€œNow walk around to the other side of my bus and get in. We’ll head back to town. Your friend can drive the other one.” To Ed the old man said: “You go ahead of us. Stay on the blacktop right into town. If I blink my lights, you stop your car and set there.”
    As they drove down the twisting road, the Sheriff said to Barney conversationally: “You didn’t try to get into the house, but you set off my beeper. How come?”
    â€œWe wanted to see who showed up.”
    â€œWhy?”
    With crusty old lawmen like this sheriff Barney had found that the best strategy was no strategy at all. He told the old fellow the full story of Liz Tollman’s disappearance. The Sheriff drove in silence. Suddenly he blinked his brights and pulled onto the shoulder. Ahead, taillights flared as Ed instantly stopped.
    â€œYou’re two weeks too late to see Maynard Barton and his wife. They went off here.” He pointed to the guardrail; where he pointed, it was scored and bent outward. “We had to scrape their remains up in baskets.”
    Barney peered over the edge. There appeared to be no bottom to the canyon. He drew back, shivering. “Accident?”
    â€œThe State Police lab checked out what was left of the car. Found traces of another car’s paint on the right-hand door. A black, late-model Buick. Tire marks on the pavement told us the Bartons were forced off. It was murder, all right, premeditated. There ain’t another spot on this road where you could be as sure of killing someone.”
    He blinked his lights again and both cars drove on.
    â€œOld Barton was retired, didn’t have more’n a few years left, anyway. His wife, Sue, I guess she’d have wanted to go with him if she’d had a choice. Known ’em both forty years; reason I got so mad when the killers got away. Thought of taking a vacation and trying to track ’em, but it looks like you’re on the same trail. I’ll tell you what I know, and you do your damnedest. Just let me know when you find ’em.”
    â€œIt’s a deal,” said Barney. “What do you know?”
    â€œTell you in my office,” said the