Read Marcie's Murder for Free Online

bed . I learned two things from my daddy that day. One, don’t run out into heavy traffic without looking , and two, if it ain’t your dog, then Jesus Christ let the damned thing go.” She stared at Askew. “You ’re chasing the wrong dog, pal . Let him go.”
    Askew shook his head and turned to Branham. “I’ll be in my office. If the s heriff’s o ffice calls, patch it through to me. I want to talk to them. ”
    “Hang on just a second,” Karen said, leaning forward. “We’re not done yet. There’s a person of interest you need to bring in.”
    To his credit, Askew didn’t move and didn’t change his expression. He continued to look at Branham. “Well?”
    “Detective Stainer saw someone in town this morning who resembled the physical description given by the eyewitness,” Branham explained. “Got into a white pickup truck and drove west on Bluefield.”
    “Lotta white pickup trucks around here.”
    “Tall guy with a beard.”
    “Lotta guys with beard s around here. Hillbilly heaven. ”
    “We could check into it.”
    “Or we could stick with the tall guy with a beard who’s sitting on his ass in our cell as we speak,” Askew said. “I’ll be in my office.” He pushed away from the door frame.
    “Wait a sec, Chief,” Branham said. “I just thought of somebody might fit the description. You know that guy who’s in charge of the monastery at Burkes Garden? What’s his name again?”
    Askew frowned. “The monastery? You mean the guru fellow there ? ”
    “Yeah. What’s his name again?”
    “Brother something,” Askew said.
    “Cook?” Branham offered.
    “Baker,” Askew said. “Brother Baker. Brother Charles Baker .”
    “That’s the guy. Tall, has a beard . Could have been him.”
    “ That c ould have been who the d etective here saw this morning,” Askew agreed, “but tell me this: when was the last time you saw a guru monk from a religious monastery hanging around a dump like Gerry’s at mid night?”
    Branham said nothing.
    “And when was the last time that guy in the cell back there was seen hanging around a dump like Gerry’s at mid night?”
    “ Baker could have been the guy Pete saw , ” Branham said.
    “I’ll be in my office . ” This time, Askew left.
    “He always this blockheaded?” Karen asked.
    “He’s a good man and a good cop, and he just lost his wife. Cut him some slack.”
    “You’re right. Sorry.” Karen was silent a moment. “The guy should be recused from the case if it’s his wife.”
    Branham stared into his coffee cup and set it aside with distaste. “He and I already had that conversation. It was short and ugly.”
    “ This Baker guy ,” Karen said, “is worth tracking down . ”
    “I know . ”
    “Didn’t I hear you ’ve got a detective around here ? Isn’t that what he’s for? Detecting stuff? Why don’t you send him to this garden place to check out the monk?”
    Branham shook his head . “ I doubt he’s available at the moment .”
    “What the hell does that mean?”
    “It means he’s not available, Detective,” Branham said curtly.
    “Then I’ll go.”
    “The hell you will.”
    “Then you go.”
    “I ’ve got work to do.”
    “You ’ve got a killer to catch . ”
    Branham sighed . “ Yeah, y ou’re right. I’ll go. It’s worth a look.”
    “I’ll go with you.”
    “The hell you will.”
    “We’re kind a in a loop here ,” Karen said.
    He shook his head . “What am I thinking? It’s a sunny morning in September , Burkes Garden is one of the prettier places around, and a good-looking woman wants to go for a car ride with me. Where’s the problem?”
    “I’ll drive,” Karen said , standing up .
    “No , y ou won’t. I’ll drive.”
    “This time,” Karen conceded, “but you don’t know what you’re missing.”
    “I’ll bet I do,” Branham replied.

    8
    Branham grabbed the keys to one of the police cruisers, a five-year-old Chevrolet Caprice , and in no time they were heading westbound on