Read Raven: A political thriller for Free Online

snickered. “How personal?” he asked.
    He really didn’t mean it. He was just on the defensive because the
push was on to solve her murder. Besides, it was none of his business what
victims did with their lives to provoke the violent means of their death.
    “It’s not like that.” The Chief quickly cut Don off.
    “So, what makes her so special?”
    “Isn’t he still missing?” Fred quickly added hoping Don would catch on
to the importance of this case. Plus, he wanted to give Don some time to regain
his composure.
    The Chief just nodded and then picked up a folder and opened it. “I
sent a unit to talk to Ms. VanBuren six days ago. Now all of a sudden she
turned up dead,” he said, as he snapped the folder shut to show his anger.
    Don’s interest was piqued. “So you think it’s connected?”
    “I don’t know. That’s what you get paid for. Find the connection if
there is one,” the Chief snapped and then continued, “Otherwise, get me the guy
who did it and pull it off the boards.”
    Don shook his head and then turned to the door while getting up.
“We’ll try.”
    The Chief just pointed his finger at Don. “Don’t try . Do it. By Monday I want this
case solved.”
    Don just shrugged as he walked out. Fred followed him out of the
Chief’s office. He also was not happy with the orders that were given.
    Once out of the office, Don quickly walked over to his desk and took
the squad keys out of the top desk drawer. Without saying a word, he motioned
for Fred to follow him. This was going to be a long day, and that didn’t make
Don happy. It was days like this that Don regretted his choice of career. He
hated whenever politicians were involved in a case he was on because there was
always an unreasonable push to get the case solved.
    Don walked out of the station house, slamming doors and not speaking
to anyone. It was at times like this that people around him avoided him
altogether.
    Once in the squad Don pulled out the cassette tape from his jacket
pocket. He quickly stuck it in the tape player in the dash and then pressed
rewind.
    Fred had had a hard time keeping up with him and was almost fearful he
would leave without him. He quickly hopped into the squad and then looked up at
Don. “You haven’t listened to it yet?”
    Don just turned to him with a sarcastic grin. “Not you too.”
    Don quickly put the car in gear and sped away from the curb.
    The tape player started playing the first message. “Raven darling,
it’s Mom. Please call.”
    Don nodded. He knew how mothers could be. Before he moved back to
Maggie’s, he couldn’t go more than two days not talking to her or she would be
on the phone trying to find out if he was okay. The second message started playing
quickly.
    “Raven, your father and I are worried. Please call us.”
    Don laughed to himself, thinking about Maggie and how this VanBuren
chick’s parents put her to shame. When the third message started to play, Don
half expected it to be her parents again. “Raven, Cathy here. The work was
under warranty. I love the car. See you soon.”
    Don turned to Fred with a puzzled look. It occurred to him that at
some point this past week possibly a friend of VanBuren’s was driving her car.
The fourth message quickly cut into his train of thought. “Your father was at
the house, would you please call!”
    Before Don could digest that message, another message quickly started
playing. “I’m flying into town for a few days, how about dinner? Catch you
later.”
    It sounded like the victim had a suitor. The message didn’t leave a
name—and there was an air of familiarity to the message, giving Don the
impression that Raven would know whom it was without giving a name.
    Don maneuvered in traffic. That last message bothered him and he
didn’t know why. Before he could figure out why, the sixth message came on
quickly.
    “If you don’t leave him alone, you’re dead!” the woman snapped and
then hung up.
    Don turned to Fred with a