Bloodstain by John C. Dalglish Read Free Book Online Page A

listening in. “Did he ask for her by name?”
    Brooke turned and looked at the questioner. “Who’s she?”
    “That’s my Partner, Detective Layne.”
    Brooke turned back to Jason. “No, he didn’t call her by name. Just said ‘tell the tall, dark haired one to come over’.”
    “What did he look like?”
    “Average guy, I guess. Don’t know how tall, seein’ as he was sittin’, and he never looked at me. Just kept starin’ straight ahead. White, dark hair, maybe mid twenties.”
    “Do you think you could give a sketch artist a try?”
    “Sure, but I don’t think I remember much detail.”
    “I’d like you to try anyway.”
    “Okay. Now?”
    “Yes. I’ll get him up here as quick as I can.”
     
    *******
     
    The sketch artist did his best, but Brooke wasn’t much for description. True to her word, she didn’t remember much detail, and Jason was forced to admit the drawing looked like a white guy with dark hair. Not much help.
    Brooke had tried her best, in between requests for help finding her friend, and Jason assured her he would file the report , and start the search. He didn’t tell her why he was willing to move on her case ahead of the forty-eight hour rule.
    Jason and Vanessa both felt they weren’t looking for a missing girl, but instead, their next crime scene. Their gut told them wineglass had taken Stephanie Morris.
    The fact the pick-up is black, and has a white bed topper, was new information and it helped narrow the search. The problem was vehicle records don’t list bed toppers and the number of black pick-ups in the greater San Antonio area was huge. Still, each piece of info helped.
    They thanked Brooke for her help , took the picture of her friend she’d brought with her, and got a description of what Stephanie was wearing. Jason promised to call if they found anything.
    Vanessa sat at her desk looking at the picture of the missing girl while Jason walked Brooke out to the parking lot. When he came back, she looked up at him , and Jason saw the strain on her face. She spoke for both of them.
    “Man, I hope we’re wrong about this one.”
     

 

     
    Chapter 9
     
    Norman waited patiently for the red light to change. He didn’t hear any noise from the back of the pick-up, and he liked it that way. Only once did he have to stop and re-secure one of the girls. That had been Marcie Walker, and he’d made sure it hadn’t happened again.
    The light turned and he headed around the west side of Canyon State Park. He’d seen the pictures on TV of the service road, and figured it likely the gate was locked, or watched, or both.
    He knew of an unattended archery range down a gravel road and, being that it was summer, no one was likely to be there. It wasn’t archery season and there were no lights to shoot by. It was just getting dark when he pulled up.
    He sat in the truck for nearly a half hour to make sure there wasn’t any activity. He’d passed a logging truck about a mile back, but figured they would have gone home by now.
    He got out and went around to the back of the pick-up. Lifting the topper hatch, he found the girl laying on her side, staring at him.
    I love the fear in your eyes, Marcie.
    Grabbing her taped ankles, he dragged the naked woman toward him. She tried to kick loose but it was pointless.
    Once he had her on the tailgate, he slit the duct tape around her ankles , and made her walk in front of him toward the woods. The girl frantically looked for a place to run, someone to save her, but they were alone.
    They entered the woods , and walked about fifty yards, when Norman decided it was far enough. “Stop here.”
    He turned her around and forced her to sit by the base of a large tree. She started to whimper through the tape over her mouth.
    Norman reached into a bag he was carrying , and pulled out a wine glass, setting it down near the girl. Next, out of the bag came his nine-millimeter pistol. The girl’s eyes got huge, and she tried to get up, but