Dead Cold Mysteries Box Set #4: Books 13-16 (A Dead Cold Box Set), Blake Banner [story read aloud .txt] 📗

to know who saw Detective Stone leave and where he went. I want to know who he was with. Also, search the area for a burgundy Jaguar Mk II, 1964, right-hand drive with spoke wheels. It shouldn’t be hard to spot. Put a BOLO out on the car and on Detective Stone. Somebody saw him leave. I need that person. Go!”

Penelope emerged from the bedroom, dressed and with an overnight bag. Dehan told Brown to join the search and took Penelope down in the elevator. In the lobby, she met Torres coming in.

“Detective, we found Detective Stone’s car.”

“Where? Where is it?”

He looked embarrassed and a little confused and gestured toward the street. “It was right outside, less than a block down the street.”

Dehan stared at Penelope. Penelope looked scared. Dehan grabbed her and shoved her at Torres. “Put her in my car. If she tries to run, restrain her. Use any necessary force. I’ll be right out.”

Torres led Penelope out to the cars and Dehan went to the desk, where the guy on reception and the security guard watched her approach with the kind of expression you usually reserve for an important guest who’s just thrown up at your dinner party. She said to them:

“Think, and think hard. The life of a police officer is on the line here. You saw Detective Stone arrive and go up to Ms. Peach’s apartment.”

“Yes.”

“She swears he left, but his car is parked outside. Did you or did you not see him leave.”

The porter shook his head and his expression was adamant. “I have been on the desk all morning, I did not see Detective Stone leave after he went up to Ms. Peach’s apartment.”

“Back exit? Service entrance? Some other way out?”

The security guard shook his head. “No, no. Nothing of that sort.”

She hesitated a moment. “Then Ms. Peach has some other property in this block. She must own or have access to another property?”

The porter looked startled. “No, not at all!”

Dehan’s voice was rising. “A parking garage, a store room!”

“No!”

“Goddammit! Detective Stone did not just vanish into thin air!”

The man drew himself up with dignity. “That is as it may be, but Ms. Peach still has no other property here!”

She scowled at him and then an idea began to form in her head. She pulled her cell from her pocket and called the inspector.

“Carmen! What news? Was he there?”

“No, sir. So far it looks like he left and stepped into the Bermuda Triangle. He has vanished without a trace, but his car is parked just outside. The doorman swears he did not leave. I have checked and Penelope Peach does not own any other properties in the apartment block, or have access to any of them.”

“Then where in God’s name…?”

“Sir, we need to know who owns the other apartments. We need to know if Grant Shaw owns any of them.”

“Good heavens! What are you…?”

“It stands to reason, sir, if he didn’t leave, he’s here. If he isn’t in her apartment, he’s in somebody else’s apartment. It’s a process of elimination. Who else might have an apartment in the same block as her? Not Helena, not Lenny dos Santos…but maybe the man she was having an affair with.”

“All right, yes. Good thinking.”

“I’m going to take Penelope in, sir, she’s in the car. I’m going to start grilling her…”

“I’ll make inquiries about the other apartments. Meanwhile, canvass the area in case anyone saw him leave.”

“Already on it, sir.”

“Good. I’ll send more men down, with photographs. He’ll turn up, Carmen.”

“I know, sir. Thank you.”

She went out and found Torres standing by the unmarked Charger.

“I’m taking the suspect to the 43rd. You have more men coming, with photographs. I want everyone, everyone, canvassed in a four block radius. Check the block, too, apartment by apartment, show them the photograph. Somebody must have seen him.”

“If he’s here, we’ll find him, Detective.”

Torres left to join the search and Dehan climbed in the car. She fired up the engine and pulled out into the traffic, heading back toward the Bronx. She studied Penelope’s face in the mirror. She looked scared. Dehan spoke, keeping one eye on her reflection, watching her reactions.

“We’re checking the property register to see who owns the other apartments in your block.”

She saw Penelope frown. “What?”

“If Stone didn’t leave, he is still in the block, in one of the apartments. If not yours, then somebody else’s.”

Penelope shook her head, frowning harder. “Well, who do you expect to find on the property register?”

“What do you think? Who do you think we’ll find?”

“I have no idea, Detective. I honestly have no idea what happened to him after he left.”

Dehan curled her lip. “Sure, only your honesty ain’t carrying a lot of weight at the moment, Penny, and I have a funny notion we are going to find Grant Shaw on the property register, or at the very least Shaw Line Security. What do you think?”

She didn’t answer for a moment. She just stared at the back of Dehan’s head. Then she said, “What does that mean? What are you driving at?”

Dehan raised an eyebrow at her reflection. “Let’s save it for the interrogation room, but it’s beginning to look to me like your relationship with Grant Shaw might have gone a little bit beyond the bedroom, Penny. And that is an idea I am increasingly keen to explore.”

Penny closed her eyes and sagged back against the seat.

FOURTEEN

The door opened and this time the lights were on in the room and also in the passage outside. The figure in the doorway was clear now: black high heels, black stockings, a black dress to just above the knee, blonde hair tied back and a black, lace veil over her face. The figure