Bleed (Detective Ellie MacIntosh) by Kate Watterson Read Free Book Online Page A

isn’t a game. Three men are dead. It is my job to find out why. Tell me, Dr. Lukens, do you have any knowledge of how those two victims ended up in Greta’s house, or how the third one was shot in her kitchen? Give me a decent answer, and I’ll be on my way.”
    Dr. Lukens looked at her steadily. “I have never met Mr. Cranz and I cannot discuss my patients with you.”
    Ellie knew a brick wall when she came up against one. “I will make a note of that. And I doubt Greta can be charged; she was surprisingly thorough.”
    “It was self-preservation.”
    “I am more inclined to think it was premeditated murder.”
    “Sooner or later, Sam would have killed her. Justice is served.”
    “We don’t get to decide—”
    “But sometimes we do. Like the serial killer you killed up north or The Burner your partner shot. Neither one of them stood trial. You’ve killed in self-defense.”
    That stopped her. Ellie took in a deep breath. “I can’t argue that, but what we are talking about is different.”
    “I don’t see it that way, but then I know things you don’t.”
    “We could push for a court order for her file.”
    Georgia Lukens smiled. “And all that would do is provide you with information showing that, indeed, she truly believed her life was in danger.”
    The confidence in her voice meant she was probably telling the truth, at least about that.
    The light blinked again and Ellie noted it. “Thank you for your time, Doctor. By the way, I like the painting. Lefort. I’ve never heard of him.”
    “I like it too. The artist was a French doctor. He was married to an Englishwoman who was executed by the Nazis for her work with the Allies during World War Two. It reminds me of courageous women, rather like you, Detective, willing to take risks to help others.”
    Point taken.
    “Very subtle.” Ellie said the words ironically and glanced at the other door. “I assume you want me to use the separate exit. I know how much you value the privacy of your patients.”
    “I would appreciate it,” Lukens answered serenely.

 
    Three days later
    The package leaned against her desk, brown paper against the plain metal. Ellie paused in the act of putting away her phone, hand arrested near her pocket, and then gave a soft exhale that was almost a laugh as she registered the size and shape.
    Touché .
    “There’s no return address.” Grasso held a file, his gray eyes as intense as ever. “Not snooping, I promise, just waiting for you to come in, and I am a detective, after all. Packages delivered in plain brown wrapping always interest me.”
    “I know who sent it.” Very clever, Dr. Lukens .
    “Oh?”
    “It’s a painting.”
    “I see. Do people often randomly send you artwork?” Her partner looked about as amused as he ever did, which was rare.
    “It’s hardly random.” Ellie squared her shoulders. “Now then, you must be hovering by my desk for a reason on your day off again. What do we have?”
    “Suspicious death on the south side.” Those silver eyes gleamed. He liked his job far too much.
    With resignation, she murmured, “Let’s go.”

 
    Read on for a preview of
    Buried
    Kate Watterson
    Available in January 2014 from Tom Doherty Associates

    A TOR BOOK
    Copyright © 2013 by Katherine Smith

Prologue
    White jagged streaks split the sky and the deafening blast, only a few seconds later, meant the lightning had hit all too close.
    These early fall storms could be really nasty.
    Time to get off the water.
    Roger Bridges nudged the canoe toward the bank, paddle dipping fast, his back hunched as the storm roared in.
    He fought his way under an overhanging branch because he had no choice—by now the lake was wild, the wind coming from the north, waves hitting the sides of the craft, slapping water upward into his clothes and face. The roar of the wall of rain swept in like a force of enemy aircraft, low and hollow.
    Dragging the canoe out wasn’t the easiest maneuver, but he’d paid three