Page 27 of A Dirty Shame

“Not like you’d score there anyway,” Martinez piped in. “She’s way out of your league, bro. Never would’ve made it past second base with that one.”

“It’s a first date, you moron,” Lewis said, cuffing Martinez on the side of the head good-naturedly.

Martinez was in his mid-twenties and still had enough shine on him to tell me he hadn’t been on the job too long. He was a couple of inches shy of six feet and stocky with it. His skin was the color of a caramel latte, his hair and eyes were black, and his smile was cocky. “My point exactly. You’ve got to give ‘em something to come back for. Right, boss?”

Jack looked at Lewis and reached out to take the stack of papers back. “On second thought, I think you’re a lot more suited to the follow-ups,” he said, dropping the stack in Martinez’s lap.

Lewis and Colburn burst into laughter, and I felt my lips twitch as well. “Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful,” Martinez said.

“It’s a struggle every damned day,” Jack said with a straight face. “Now, if we can get back to the murder that’s interrupting our playtime maybe we can all go home sometime today.” He turned to Lewis. “Information has come to me that George Murphy might be able to shed some light on this investigation. Track him down and bring him in for questioning. Let’s make it informal for now. Doctor Graves saw him headed towards Newcastle in the tow truck, so he’ll be back to the garage before the end of the work day more than likely.”

Lewis winced. “I’m not sure if I’d rather have the grunt work you stuck Martinez with or convince George he needs to cooperate with the police. I heard he caught a wild boar once, punched his hand through its chest, and pulled the beating heart right out of that sucker. Maybe I should wear the Kevlar.” He and Martinez both stood and headed toward the door.

“I’ll make sure to visit you in the hospital,” Martinez said. “It’s never a chore to talk with the pretty nurses.”

“Remember this is Code Red,” Jack said before they could open the door. “I don’t want any leaks. Keep those files locked up and give any new information directly to me or Colburn.”

“You got it, boss,” Martinez said and shut the door behind them.

“They make me feel old,” Colburn said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t have a lot of new information for you, Jack. The tire tracks disappeared about half a mile from where the body was left, heading southeast, so they could’ve gone to King George or Nottingham, or another county entirely. It’s a large tread tire, so we’re looking for a truck or oversized SUV.”

“Not a Cadillac?” Jack and I both asked at the same time.

“Definitely not. I’ve got the measurements. Now all I’ve got to do is narrow it down to brand. I’ve got a bad feeling about this one.”

“You’re not the only one,” Jack said.

“I’ve been doing door-to-doors near the drop site and also around Reverend Oglesby’s neighborhood. Word spreads when a body is found that way. Especially here. There are some that are clueless when I start questioning them, but there are others who’ve heard the rumors. And they’re scared. You can see it in their eyes, even as they deny that they know anything.”

“Then those are the ones I want you to talk to again.” Jack looked at his watch. “We’ve got nothing after this long, and it’s not going to get any easier to keep dragging it out. I’m going into interview. Let me know if someone clicks for you.”

Colburn unfolded his long body from the chair and gave us both a salute before he headed out.

“How do you feel about sitting in on the interview with me?”

“It makes me feel a little sick to my stomach, actually. Is there one of those two-way mirrors like on TV? And will we be recorded? I’ve never liked the sound of my voice on a recording. Though maybe it’s better now that I’ve got the husky thing going.”

“We’ll listen to the tape later,” he said, holding out his hand and pulling me from the chair. Our bodies bumped briefly. Just an innocent touch that should have been over before it began. The feelings that rioted inside my body weren’t foreign. I’d felt attraction before. Lust. Desire. Need. All of those things that made up basic body chemistry when two people clicked. But those feelings I’d had before were like distant shadows.

I put my hand against his arm to catch my balance and push away, but I was frozen there in his arms. My blood pumped faster and my heart slammed against my chest as his hand rested lightly on my waist. I somehow found the courage to look up. Just to see if I was imagining the whole thing.

The heat in his eyes had turned them almost black, and my fingers clenched against his shirt at the sight of all that restrained power. I don’t know what it was he saw in my face, but it made him loosen the grip I had on his shirt and kiss my fingers softly before separating our bodies.

“Wait—Jack—”

“All in good time, Jaye.” He squeezed my hand once and then let go. “Let’s go hear what the good doctor has to say.”

Chapter Twelve

There was only one interview room in the King George County police station, and sometimes it doubled as storage if things were extra slow. They only boasted five jail cells, so the lack of interview space wasn’t terribly surprising. Most of the problems in this county could be solved without putting someone behind bars. It was an advantage of living in a place where you knew almost everyone.

I followed Jack down the hallway, the grey tile and mint green walls assaulting my eyes with every step. A uniform stood at attention outside a metal door, and he gave Jack a silent nod.

“Any trouble?” Jack asked.

“No, sir. He’s declined representation for the moment, and he asked for a glass of water. I gave him a bottle out of the fridge.”

Jack nodded and opened the door. He gestured for me to enter first, and I realized why as soon as I got my first glimpse of Doctor Gregory Vance. A woman was just another kind of minority to a man like him, and he barely gave me a glance before he turned his attention back to Jack.

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