True Detectives

Read True Detectives for Free Online

Book: Read True Detectives for Free Online
Authors: Jonathan Kellerman
track at Laguna Seca. Which is what I’d planned to do before Mr. Dmitri— Frostig’s boss—called me in.”
    “Vacation time.”
    “Well earned, Moses.”
    “No one forced you to take the case.”
    “Mr. Dmitri’s an important client. He beckons, I come.”
    “That makes you sound like a dog.”
    Aaron laughed. “We’re all dogs, bro. Only question is, are we going to eat quality chow or scrounge in the trash? Come on, give me a look at the file. I’ll take you out to lunch and we can brainstorm—I pay.”
    “Dmitri pays.”
    “Either way, you don’t. How about the Peninsula?”
    Martha Stoltz’s workplace.
    Moe said, “Why there?”
    “I like the menu.”
    “That’s the only reason?”
    Aaron laughed. “What other reason would there be? C’mon, let’s do it.”
    Over the black silk of Aaron’s broad shoulders, Moe spotted Delano Hardy’s eyes.
    Watching, taking it all in.
    Moe thought of the jovial exchange between Hardy and Aaron.
    Aaron said, “Be flexible, bro.”
    Moe stood. Placed the file in a drawer and locked it.
    “Okay, I get it, bro,” said Aaron.
    “Get what?”
    “You’re the man, I’m hired help.”
    “Peninsula’s fine,” said Moe.
    “Great
menu,” said Aaron. “I hear the room service is pretty good, too.”

CHAPTER
6
    November 11, 1980
    M addy watched the baby sleep.
    The chair by the crib was a City of Hope thrift-shop find: salmon silk tulip seat with a grimy Sloan label underneath and only a few stains.
    Maddy’d paid thirty bucks, considered it the find of the century.
    She’d placed it in the living room, dragging it from the van by herself. Arranged it next to the fireplace with a cute little table that held a vase of silk flowers. Just like they did in
House & Garden
.
    The day she set it up, she poured herself an unfiltered apple juice, waited for Darius to come home.
    He arrived two hours late, reeking of beer and other women. Gaped at what Maddy had done and burst into laughter and pronounced the new addition “beaucoup faggy.” Hoisting the chair easily, he carried it to the garage.
    Later, when Darius was sleeping, Maddy went out there, draped the silk with a clean white sheet, and sat. Filling her nose with garage dust, motor oil, old cardboard, the metallic perfume of Darius’s half-restored Harley.
    Sometimes she still went out there and sniffed the air. Very little had changed, but the tulip chair’s honor had been restored.
    No one to complain when she moved it into the baby’s room. From time to time Darius’s voice rang in her head.
Pink for a boy? Jesus, girl, you are going to turn him into a first-class swish and if you think that means he’ll grow up polite and artistic, think again. I’ve seen what those guys do to each other when they get all pissed off and namby-jealous …
    Maddy’s eyes puffed.
    The baby stirred.
    She hoisted herself up, tiptoed to the crib, stared down at the pink, smooth face, round as a dinner plate. Blue-eyed little angel, like one of those Renaissance paintings.
    Angelic disposition, too. As if he knew enough not to upset the applecart.
    Five months old and already, the freckles. He’d need protection from the sun. And God knew what else …
    She touched his soft little tummy, feeling the swell of ample nourishment through terry cloth.
    Blue jammy. Darius would approve.
    The baby smiled in his sleep.
    Maddy said, “Angel. You have no idea.”
    A slamming door whisked her out of her reverie and she hurried out of the room, shut the door softly, continued into the kitchen.
    Ready to shush the obvious culprit. How many times had she
told
him?
    Aaron was a smart boy, maybe he did it on purpose.
    One thing for sure, he knew what was coming because he shouted, “Mommy!” as if they’d been apart for months and flashed a thousand-watt smile.
    That
smile. She couldn’t help but spread her arms as he ran toward her.
    Aaron’s little head made contact with her belly. He nuzzled her. She got down on one knee and

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