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

“That’s true.”

“So, though it might explain his lies, the secret email account and his secret telephone, it does not explain his attempt to flee the country, his pulling a gun on officers of the law or, I might add, his attempt to run you down.”

I studied him and drew breath. He seemed to have a slight aura. I looked over at Dehan and saw that she had one also. Either they were both becoming enlightened beings, or I had slight double vision resulting from concussion. I decided to go with the latter theory, because I also felt too tired to explain what to me appeared extremely obvious, but to them didn’t seem to be clear at all. Instead, I said, “Well, let’s see if he pulls through.”

Dehan said, “I just spoke to the hospital. He’s in surgery. His left lung is badly damaged and he lost a lot of blood…” She stopped talking and I saw the corner of her mouth twitch and her eyes flooded. She took a deep breath and went on. “They won’t know till tomorrow midday what kind of shape he’s in.”

The inspector gave her a moment to take a couple of deep breaths, then spoke quietly and kindly.

“Carmen, I know today has been very traumatic. Taking a life is always traumatic, we all know that, but when it’s a fellow officer, it is especially so. However, he might pull through, and I want you to know that your actions today, in capturing a suspect and, more especially, in saving your partner’s life, were nothing short of exemplary. You didn’t take a fellow officer’s life, you risked your own to save a fellow officer’s life. You must remind yourself of that.”

She managed a smile. “Thank you, sir.”

“I can see that you are both exhausted, so I am ordering you to go home and rest. Order in, watch a movie, sleep. And sleep late tomorrow. To help you both do that, especially you, John, let me sum up briefly for you:

“Lenny, who had known Reynolds since he was a boy, and had stayed in touch through the church they both attended, made the mistake of allowing himself to fall into a sexual affair with Celeste, Reynolds’ daughter. No doubt at the time, he thought it was a harmless adventure. However, as so often happens in these cases, with men of that age, he found himself becoming infatuated. She was a deeply unhappy girl in a deeply dysfunctional family, and his own paternal, protective instincts got the better of him and led him away from the path of righteousness.

“She, as is perfectly natural in a girl of her age, fell in love with Chad, a boy who, though we may find him disagreeable, to her was the answer to all her prayers. But she did not know how to tell Lenny. So she strung them both along, avoiding the inevitable confrontation as long as she could. In the end, the inevitable happened, and Chad discovered her infidelity. He demanded she break it off and that was what she tried to do, on the Sunday afternoon. But that evening, after her big row at home, as she was on her way to Chad’s house, Lenny phoned, from this very station house, and asked to see her. She decided, as you yourself said, John, to see him and get it all over with, there in the street, rather than letting him meet Chad. But tragically, when she tried to break it off, his passion got the better of him, and he killed her. The witnesses saw him and his white truck right there, at the scene of the murder.

“When he discovered that you had her computer, and that you would find his emails, he knew he was lost, he panicked and he ran. I’m afraid, John, that it could not be clearer. And I am confident that tomorrow morning, when you have rested and your brain has slowed down, you, too, will see it that way.”

I made a one-shouldered shrug. “The witnesses all described a large man. Lenny was medium at best.”

Dehan sighed. “From an upper floor, Stone, at night, in November, in the drizzle and half concealed by the giant chestnut tree. Also, Celeste was pretty small. A man assaulting her in those conditions could well appear large.”

I spread my hands. “You’re right. I need a large whiskey and a deep sleep. Let’s see how things look in the morning.”

The inspector gave a big, satisfied smile that made him look oddly like Santa Claus after attending a health spa on a Caribbean holiday. “That’s the spirit!” he said comfortably. “Take a couple of days’ rest, you both richly deserve it.”

We went carefully down the stairs. Dehan was saying, “Ordering in sounds like a good plan, Stone. You know what I fancy? I fancy a curry…”

I gave her a narrow-eyed smile and nodded like that was a nice idea.

She went on, “You probably just want a hot bath and a large whiskey, huh, big guy?”

All my back, my arms and my legs were beginning to seize up. I walked like the Mummy toward the exit and said, “I hate baths. But the large whiskey sounds good.”

We stepped out and she opened the umbrella she had thought to bring with her. She linked her arm in mine and we started across the road toward the Jag. The rain pattered loudly on the taut, black cloth. “You don’t buy it, Stone, I know. But you have to let go, not be obstinate, and accept that for once you are not right. You are only half right.”

“OK.”

She opened the passenger door and I climbed in with difficulty. She got in behind the wheel, stared at me a while and finally said, “OK, what is it that’s eating you?”

I shrugged. “What’s been eating