The Silent Boy (Emma McPherson Book 1) by A.J. Flynn (early reader books .txt) 📗

II

They made their way through the dark streets, lost in thought. Finally, Officer Taylor said, “Why in the hell did the kid do it? What made him get the idea to climb out the window in that robe? It doesn’t make sense why he’d all of a sudden decide to go for a walk in the middle of the night.”

McPherson rested her head on the back of her seat and closed her eyes. “From what they’re saying, he was a well-behaved kid, and not the sort that would leave in the middle of the night just for a walk. Wherever he planned on going was important to him. More important than whatever punishment he might have gotten if he were caught. I think we’ll have to talk to one of his friends—a good friend. Someone the boy liked and trusted enough to give and receive favors.”

Taylor thought this over, then asked, “But if they were such good friends then how did the boy end up strangled?”

“Somewhere during his wandering last night,” McPherson answered in a low tone, “Charlie must have seen or heard something he shouldn’t have. Something someone was willing to kill to keep from being uncovered. Exactly what that thing is is hard to say, but you can bet your wife’s new panties, I’m going to find out.”

“Yeah, good thinking.” Taylor parked along the curb. “How does Chinese food sound? There’s a place open there across the street.”

“Show me the way. I could eat sawdust if you seasoned it.”

The place was lowly lit, but on the whole both officers had seen far worse, so they picked out a booth.

“Should we order some beers, or are we still on duty?” Taylor asked hopefully.

“Still on duty,” McPherson replied but, after a brief look at the young man’s disappointed expression, added, “so I can have one while you look the other way. Then you can have one, and I’ll do the same.”

Taylor was still smiling when the Chinese waiter offered the menus.

McPherson waved hers away. “I’ll have a dish of prawns, chow, and egg foo yung, and a bottle of beer as well.”

“Same,” Taylor agreed.

The waiter returned with their beer before they even knew he was gone.

“Fast service.”

“Yeah,” the lieutenant mumbled, dabbing her mouth after a long swallow. She’d been on duty since early that morning, and needed a beer.

“How’s Liam?” Taylor asked.

“Fine. He found a few new houses for me to look at, but I’ve been too busy to really settle down and study them. Where he finds them I’ll never know, but I swear some of them look like they would dissolve in a rainstorm.”

Taylor laughed. “That’s funny. A tough cop like you spending her spare time wandering around looking at foundations and plumbing.”

“What’s so funny about that?” McPherson asked mildly. “When Liam and I get married, we’ll have to have a place to stay, and when you’re investing that kind of money, you better make damn sure you don’t get trapped. The only things Liam pays attention to is how big the rooms are and how much cupboard space the kitchen has. He doesn’t seem the least bit interested in whether or not it will blow over from the first high wind.”

“You’re funny, Lieutenant. So, when are you and Liam planning on taking the big leap? You two have been together as long as I’ve known you.”

“Hopefully by summer. After all, neither one of us are exactly young anymore, and we wanted to make sure everything was just right before we started. We should have everything set out by May or June.”

“Well, good luck.”

“Thanks. Looks like our food is on its way. Order me another beer, will you? I’m going to call up the lab and see if those casts were any good.”

“Sure thing, but don’t be too long or your prawns might get cold. Nothing gets colder faster than fried prawns.”

“It’ll just be a minute.”

McPherson kept her word, and within two minutes she was back.

“Anything?”

“Two of the footprints were good, but both of them were from the left foot. It looks like the tire prints were the best, so we’ll have a lot of footwork ahead of us finding out who they belong to.”

With that they both settled into eating. When they were finished, each paid for their own check and returned to the car.

“It’s a little after ten,” McPherson said, “so let’s run back by the Turners, just to make sure things are still quiet. Maybe the Valentines will be home by now and can tell us something. Probably not, but it’s worth a try.”

“OK, Lieutenant. Who needs sleep anyway?”

McPherson grunted. “Yeah well, I love my work. Let’s get going.”

Taylor steered the car away from the curb and swung into the street. “You don’t plan on bothering the Turners anymore tonight, do you, boss?”

“No, and don’t ever call me boss. Just drive. I’m trying to think.”

Ten minutes later, they were coasting quietly past the Turner house.

“All’s dark and seems well,” Taylor remarked.

“Yeah, which is what you might expect, I guess. The doctor must have knocked both of them out. Circle back around the block and park in front of the Valentines. I saw a light on, so they must be home.”

A few minutes later, Taylor pulled up to the curb. McPherson stepped out while Taylor slid down in his seat for a nap. With a look of irritation, the lieutenant began walking towards the house, which, besides a single added carport and a mint-green paint job, was an exact duplicate of the Turner’s place. The thought played in her mind that if she were color-blind, and came home drunk, she’d have one hell of a time finding his house. Smiling at her own mental picture, she rang the doorbell.

III

The man that answered was tall and slender, and good-looking by most people’s standards. He had wavy dark hair that grew down to a widow’s peak, and hazel eyes that looked both soft