Read With Silent Screams for Free Online Page B

a man turned around to look at me. “Detective Moon?” I surmised.
    “And you are?” he asked, standing up. He was easily a foot taller than me, and also much wider, with the build of someone who regularly worked out. As I got closer, I noticed the nasty scar just above his cheek. It stretched to his ear and was jagged enough for me to think it was probably the result of broken glass, maybe a bottle, rather than a knife. The words “Semper Fi” were tattooed on his right forearm, just below the rolled-up sleeves of his light-blue shirt.
    “Nathan Garrett,” I said, offering my hand.
    William took the hand in a comfortable shake. You can tell a lot about a man from his handshake. Is it too firm, too loose, does he try to overcompensate for something by trying to crush your hand in return? William didn’t go for the crush, not that he would have succeeded. He was more likely to have lost the hand for good, but it was nice to know I was dealing with a grown-up.
    “I got a call telling me to expect you.” He started patting his pockets and removed some cigarettes. “Let’s go outside, I need a smoke.”
    As we both left the building, I smiled at the desk sergeant and stood outside in the cold while Bill fumbled with a cigarette.
    “You want one?” he asked, offering me the packet.
    “No, thanks.”
    He gave me a “please yourself” expression and finally got one lit, taking a long drag before breathing it out. “So, you’re here on the behalf of Galahad.”
    “I’m here to find Simon Olson and stop him and his friends from murdering people. I was told that you were dealing with the case.”
    Detective Moon took another drag, making me wait for his response. “That’s right. Galahad has given me instructions to hand Simon over to him once the case is solved. But someone is going to pay for those murders, and if that means his friends get to see the inside of a jail cell instead of him, then I’m okay with that.”
    “Simon will see the inside of a place worse than any jail you can imagine,” I said.
    “I spent eighteen months in Vietnam, I can imagine a shitload of bad things.”
    “You were a Marine,” I said.
    “Yeah, left the corps in seventy-three. Moved here and became a cop. I had a nice quiet life until about four months ago, when the first body showed up.”
    “How many have there been?”
    “Officially? Four. Unofficially? At least a dozen.”
    “Why the discrepancy?”
    “Most of the people are still missing; we’ve only found four bodies, so that’s the official count. It’s lucky the captain works for Galahad, too, otherwise the FBI would have been called in. Serial killer cases in a rural town like this, we don’t usually have the manpower to solve them.”
    “Do you know where Simon or any of his friends are?”
    William shook his head. “Up near Mount Bigalow is our best guess, although I can’t say more than that. The four bodies were found all around the same area. I figure we wait till daylight and then go hunting.”
    “Anyone else know why I’m here?”
    “Captain told everyone you were a external consultant to help bring the killer to justice. People around here are wary of newcomers, but you’ll find them friendly enough when they decide you’re not here to piss them off. The captain and me are the only two who know who you are.”
    “Good, that should make things easier.”
    “Oh, I almost forgot.” William took a key from his pocket and passed it to me. “There’s a motel about a half-mile down the road. Your room is already booked. Do you have anything with you?”
    “A bag with a few bits of clothing and a toothbrush, but nothing that’s going to last long.”
    “There’s a clothes shop nearby. We’ll get you sorted out in the morning. Can’t have you traipsing around the woods and not looking the part.”
    “Thanks,” I said and flicked the red leather key ring over, showing the number 4 in gold.
    William walked me back to my truck. “Get some