Read Mistaken Identity for Free Online

number for Karen King, as well as Jason’s cellphone number. “Just remember, when you speak to Frederick ’s brother, his mother is sickly.”
    Lucinda jerked her head over to Freddy. She saw no indication that his grandmother’s mention of his brother surprised or bothered him in any way. It seemed as if the boy believed Jason was his brother.
    “Please don’t distress her,” Victoria said as she handed the address to Lucinda.
    Lucinda and Robin walked out of the house and stopped by Robin’s patrol car. “So what’s running through your head?” Lucinda asked.
    “Something’s off. Something’s odd.”
    “Yeah, odd’s a good word.”
    “Does Freddy really have a brother?” Robin asked.
    “The grandmother says so – a half-brother anyway. His name is Jason.” Lucinda looked down at the address in her hand. “Jason King, I believe.”
    “Which parent do they share?”
    “The father, she said.”
    “How old is Freddy’s brother?”
    “In his forties, she said.”
    “What?”
    “Yeah, about thirty years’ difference in their ages. I imagine it is biologically possible but it sure doesn’t sound probable to me.”
    “You believe her?” Robin asked.
    “No, but Freddy does.”

Seven
     
    Returning to the Sterling home, Lucinda donned booties and latex gloves before crossing the threshold. She went up the stairs to the bedroom. The bed was stripped of its linens. Rectangular holes scarred the surface of the mattress.
    Marguerite emerged from the bathroom and smiled at Lucinda. “Glad you’re back. I’ve got something to show you.”
    Lucinda pointed to the bed. “Blood on the mattress?”
    “Nah, but we did find some body fluids and took them for testing.”
    “Good. If someone other than Jeanine and Parker Sterling were in that bed, we need to know.”
    “My thinking exactly. I found two bullets in the bathroom. Wanna see?”
    “Excellent,” Lucinda said, following Marguerite into the adjoining bath.
    Marguerite pointed to a spot on the wall and both women leaned toward it, their noses just a hair’s breadth from the surface. “Thirty-eight?” Lucinda asked.
    “That’d be my guess. The ballistics labs will let us know for sure.”
    “Where’s the other one?”
    Marguerite led her into a luxurious, large shower. A broad rain shower head pointed down from the ceiling. Four water jets pointed at each other from opposite walls. “Right here.”
    Lucinda looked at the cracked slate tile. “You got a flashlight?”
    Marguerite pulled one from her tool belt and handed it to the detective. Lucinda studied the bullet. “Looks like the same caliber.”
    “Yeah. But not the same victim.”
    “You sure of that?”
    “I did a quick blood typing test around each bullet. Type A in the shower, type O on the wall.”
    “Nice, Spellman. Very nice. If we could only find the head, we could get trajectory and have a shot at recreating the scene.”
    “We haven’t found it in the house.”
    “I doubt if it’s anywhere near here. But, I’ve got a cadaver dog coming over to check the grounds, just in case. Any sign of a gun in the house?”
    “Not yet. No gun. No ammunition. But we’re still going through the house,” Marguerite said. “They all know to alert me if they find a gun, a head, hands or anything else of interest.”
    “Thanks, Spellman.”
    “Lieutenant, there’s one thing that’s bothering me.”
    “What’s that, Spellman?”
    “There are two adults in this house. Two cars in the garage. But we’ve only been able to find one ring of keys. Doesn’t make sense.”
    “No, it doesn’t. Any theories?”
    “Got me, Lieutenant, it’s just odd. We’ll keep looking. They might still show up somewhere.”
    “Let me know if they do.” Lucinda went downstairs and went from room to room observing the techs at work. Pleased with their thoroughness, she was, nonetheless, impatient for them to finish and get out of the house. She wanted to spend some time here alone.
    That