Read The Darkness Inside: Writer's Cut for Free Online Page B

think we’re going to get much on shoe impressions. Probably deliberate.”
    “Aiming for the bushes?”
    “Couldn’t say. If it was after dark maybe he couldn’t see where it landed. Maybe he just didn’t care so long as it was gone.”
    “Is there any way of telling for sure how long it was there?”
    He shook his head. “Not possible, especially with the storm.”
    I thought for a moment, weighing up possibilities, the reasons why her abductor would choose this place of all places to dispose of her wallet. He could’ve tossed it in the trash or down the nearest grate in the gutter and we’d never have found it. He couldn’t have carried her across the park, even at night. So why here? “Okay, thanks,” I said to the tech and let him continue. I turned to the cop. “Is the entire park sealed off?”
    “I think so, sir,” he said. “We’ve got guys on most of the entrances.”
    “Check to make sure.” To Agostini, I said, “Jeff, you get hold of Detective Hall. Tell him to be extra careful about local house-to-house and canvassing. Make sure his officers note anything at all that seems weird or suspicious.”
    “Anything weird. Gotcha.”
    “Anything at all.”
    Agostini nodded vigorously. “I’ll tell him.”
    “Do it. This guy could be a local. Could be he wants to watch the show we put on.”

06.

    Boston, MA. 2004.

    “Long time no see, Agent Rourke,” was the first thing Cody Williams said to me once the door behind closed and we were all alone in the visiting room. His voice was throaty and a little raw. He sounded pleased to see me. Probably knew this is his last time in the limelight and aimed to enjoy it as much as possible.
    “That’s right.” I remained standing a couple of yards in from the door, made no move to sit opposite him. No sense letting him get comfortable.
    “You still chasing the bad guys?” He examined his fingernails.
    “More or less, yeah.”
    “And now you’ve come back to see little old me.” He glanced back up, looked annoyed that I hadn’t moved at all, and added, “Now you sit down here with me right now or I’m going back to my cell.”
    I stayed where I was. “First I want to know if you’re actually willing to tell me anything or not. If you just want to play a few conversational games, relive the old days and generally dick me around for a few hours, then I’m leaving. It’s not worth my time or effort. If you’re willing to give up information, then I’m willing to stay. But only if.”
    “You’d quit? What would you say to all them crying families then? What would you tell them?” He sneered, then broke off into a fit of wet coughing. I didn’t know if it was part of the disease or the treatment for it. He made repeated hacking noises, then spat out a great wad of yellow phlegm onto the floor next to him. “I read that letter they sent to the newspapers. They’re still all so fucking wet-eyed over a couple of little whores. ‘Waa! Waa! Where’s our little baby? Waa! Waa!’” He sniggered at his own joke. “With them like that, and it being on the news, what would your bosses say to you, you walked out of here with dick to show for it?”
    “That doesn’t bother me.”
    “You don’t like me, do you, Agent Rourke? You never did. Even that first time we spoke, I could tell you’d have been happy to kill me right there.”
    “What’s to like, Cody? In all the time I’ve spoken with you, all through the trial, all the TV spots and column inches I’ve read about you, I’ve never heard of one single decent thing you’ve ever done or one redeeming quality you’ve ever possessed. Now are you going to play ball, or do I get to go home?”
    He nodded, slow and jerky like a marionette. “Yeah, I think you and I might come to an understanding. Sit down.”
    I hesitated for a moment, then got a cup of lukewarm coffee from one of the vending machines in the corner and headed for the seat opposite Williams. Up close, I could smell the