A Specter of Justice by Mark de Castrique Read Free Book Online Page B

“Uncle Newly” when they were excited. However, once they’d revealed the family nickname, Curt Newland had become “Newly” to his police colleagues as well.
    â€œWhat’s Efird say?” Newly asked.
    Tuck Efird was Newly’s partner and he’d gone to the upper level with the mobile crime lab. Newly had immediately requested the forensics team when Armitage told him the nature of the crime. Heavy fog and rain would erase too much critical evidence if Newly first waited to assess the scene.
    â€œEfird’s walking up Windswept Drive looking for any tire marks where a vehicle might have been parked on the side.”
    â€œGood luck with that,” I told Newly. “The roads up here have no shoulders.”
    â€œLet’s see for ourselves,” Newly said. “I’ve got officers stopping traffic from all directions. And I want to release the scene as soon as I can so we can lower the body. I’m not waiting for the damned ME.”
    â€œThank you,” Nakayla whispered.
    I knew from her subdued manner that Molly’s grisly murder had shaken Nakayla to the core. Having to stand beneath the corpse of her friend was surely agonizing.
    â€œWe’ll have her down as soon as we can,” Newly promised.
    With our flashlights crisscrossing the terrain, he led us under the arch and over the brow of the hill to where on the left Windswept Drive dead ended at College. The narrow road rose steeply up the grade of the highest ridge in a series of tight switchbacks, passing by the top of the bridge and up to a mountain peak community of homes with spectacular views.
    The brittle blue lights of police vehicles flashed above and below us, showing where the roadblocks quarantined the crime scene. Those cars coming over Beaucatcher Mountain would have a detour route available, but the homeowners above us would have to take Windswept in the other direction until Newly cleared all access.
    A brilliant white light cut through the darkness as the crime lab techs turned on powerful halogen beams to illuminate the top of the bridge. We left the road at a severe switchback and followed a short path to where one of Newly’s nephews guarded the perimeter. The backwash of the halogens lit his name badge.
    â€œHi, Ted,” I said in a flat, solemn voice. No one was glad to see anyone under these circumstances.
    â€œSam. Nakayla.” He turned to his uncle. “The techs are just getting started. I’ve got these for you.” He handed Newly a pair of shoe covers and latex gloves.
    Newly took them, looked at me, and shook his head. He knew I was anxious to investigate. “Sorry, Sam. This is as far as I can let you go. When Tuck comes back, give him your statement. I’ll not only need it for the record, but to rule you out as a suspect.”
    â€œMe?”
    â€œYou were alone up here before the bus arrived. The fact that you were under the bridge when Molly was thrown over should eliminate you, but I have to do my due diligence. You understand.”
    I did. I would have done the same thing. At this point we didn’t know if the murder was committed by a single killer or a team, a team that could include me.
    â€œUncle Newly, Hawkins radioed that Nathan Armitage and Tom Peterson want to come up. They say they’re part of the organizing group.”
    â€œIs that right?” Newly asked me.
    â€œYes. But Nathan was at Pack Square and Tom Peterson was working near Grove Park Inn.”
    â€œPeterson is that new lawyer, isn’t he?”
    â€œYes,” I said.
    â€œJust what Asheville needs. Another goddamned ambulance chaser.” He turned to his nephew. “Tell Hawkins to keep them at the roadblock. We’ll get statements later.”
    â€œYou want a list of everyone who knew Molly would be at the bridge?” Nakayla asked.
    â€œMost definitely.” He yelled over his shoulder. “Al, I need you here.”
    Within a