Read Serial Date: A Leine Basso Thriller for Free Online

known felon? Sure, they knew the men weren't actual serial killers once they signed the waiver, but still. Leine couldn't imagine her daughter being quite so naïve.
    The bachelors didn't do much for her, either, but she watched them closely. Her gut told her the killer remained nearby, curious to see the effect of his actions. She'd never been tempted to stick around. Once she'd completed a job, she disappeared.
    But that was business. This type of kill was personal. Leine never let things get personal.
    Tina finished her piece and Billy handed the camera to a grip. Javier said something to her and laughed as he walked away toward the concession table.
    Billy sat down in the director's chair and slid what looked like a script from his back pocket. One of the electricians walked up to him and started chatting. Leine waited until they were finished, then made her way over and sat next to him.
    “Nice work.”
    Billy nodded, smiled. “Thanks.” He eyed her for a moment, then, “You're Gene's friend, right?”
    “Yeah.”
    “He said you worked as a bodyguard for some government agency.”
    “Something like that. Have you always been a cameraman?”
    Billy shifted in his chair. A strand of dark, wavy hair fell across his face and he tucked it behind his ear. “No, but it's my favorite, so far. Right up there with director.”
    “From what I hear, you're pretty good.”
    Billy smiled and looked down, obviously pleased with the compliment.
    “What did you do before this?” Leine figured it took years to become proficient in handling a video camera and he didn't look all that old. She guessed late thirties.
    He shrugged, looked into the distance. “I tried teaching. Couldn't deal with the bureaucracy. Then I experimented with a couple of other gigs that didn't work out and here I am.” He returned his attention to Leine. “It's a shame about Mandy.  What are you planning to do about it?”
    The abrupt change of subject surprised her.
    “That's for the police to decide. I'm just here to help make sure everybody's safe.”
    Billy folded his arms across his chest. “They know who killed her?”
    “Not yet. The police are working a couple of leads. Hopefully they'll know more in the next twenty-four hours.” Leine didn't mention Gene told her they'd narrowed the suspects down to two main persons of interest and interviewed them both that morning.
    Leine had been watching each of the bachelors on set and eliminated most of them in her own mind. Gene gave her copies of their personnel files, but none of them struck her as the violent, mutilating kind. One of the two men the cops singled out, Devon Winston, said he'd been having dinner with his mother at the time of the murder. Leine thought the alibi convenient, but figured his mother would break down under questioning if the story wasn't true.
    That left Charles Graber, the main bachelor for the season and usually on set. According to the files he was the least violent of the two, but had a shitty alibi. Gene thought the cops found some evidence linking him to the murder. Still, Leine didn't feel one way or another about him.
    Billy folded the script and returned it to his back pocket. “Tell me about being a bodyguard. You ever smoke anyone?”
    “It wasn't like that. I mainly did low level bureaucrat types.”
    Billy studied her for a moment. “Why don't I believe you?”
    Leine smiled. He's bluffing, trying to punch up his idea of what kind of person I am. I'm not that transparent.
    “You can believe what you want, Billy, but I haven't had to kill anyone.” Technically true. She could have turned down any of the targets, but that would have cost her the reputation she'd worked so hard to build.
    Billy's lips curled up at the corners and his eyes danced.
    “Whatever you say, Leine.” He got to his feet and held out his hand. “I need to run. Let's talk, soon.”
    She shook his hand and he headed for the exit, a bounce in his step.
    That's one odd duck, Leine