Break No Bones by Kathy Reich Read Free Book Online Page A

the effort."
    Pete blew across his coffee, then sipped.
    "Then contact grew infrequent. When Helene did cal, she was always frustrated, complained that the clinic she was at never had enough supplies, maintenance sucked, patients were getting shortchanged. She thought GMC might be cooking the books. Or the doctor who ran the place might be skimming off the top."
    More coffee.
    "Flynn admitted that he was unsympathetic, thought Helene was on another of her defender-of-the-poor crusades. Apparently she took that posture frequently. Besides, Flynn wanted the kid to get on a more traditional career path. As a result, things became less than warm and fuzzy between Helene and the old man. But then, Buck's not a warm and fuzzy guy."
    "So now Flynn and his pals want an accounting of how their money's been spent. Why the change of heart?"
    "For whatever reason, communication breakdown, too busy recruiting lost souls, GMC dragged their colective feet in responding to Flynn's initial inquiry."
    "And Flynn doesn't take kindly to being ignored."
    "Bingo. So the money is my primary mission. But there's a sideline. Helene's dropped out of sight, and Herron has made no effort to provide Flynn with any explanation of that, either. I think Flynn's interest in Herron may grow partly out of arrogance and wounded pride, partly out of guilt."
    "How long has Helene been missing?"
    "Flynn hasn't heard from his daughter in over six months."
    "What about Mrs. Flynn?"

    "Died years ago. And there are no siblings."
    "Flynn's just now starting to search for Helene?"
    "Their last conversation ended in a fight. Helene said she never wanted him to cal her again, so he discontinued attempts at contact. The only reason he's bringing up the Helene issue now is that he's decided to launch a financial investigation and apparently feels I could learn more about Helene's departure at the same time. Or so he says."
    I raised my brows in surprise.
    "Flynn's a very rigid guy."
    "He asked Herron about Helene?"
    "Yes. But getting to see the rev is like getting an audience with the pope. Herron's people told Flynn that before Helene left she'd mentioned to some of the GMC staff that she had inquired about a position with a free clinic in Los Angeles. Said it was a larger operation."
    "That's it?"
    "Flynn managed to harangue the cops into checking with the kid's landlord. She said Helene had mailed her a note stating she was moving on. The envelope contained the key and the last rent owed. Helene had left some things, but nothing of value. Place was just a tiny studio, utilities included."
    "What about bank accounts? Credit cards? Cel phone records?"
    "Helene didn't believe in worldly possessions."
    "Maybe there's nothing more to it. Maybe Helene split for the other coast and hasn't reported in."
    "Maybe."
    I thought a moment. The whole tale didn't seem to hang true.
    "If Flynn was such a big donor, wouldn't Herron have met with him personaly?"
    "Milion and a half smackers big enough? I agree with you. Herron should be faling al over himself helping to locate Helene. Something's weird, and Flynn should have been on top of this before now. But my main job is the money."
    Pete drained his cup, then set it on the table.
    "In the words of that great humanitarian Jerry McGuire, 'Show me the money.'"
    6
    AFTER BREAKFAST, PETE LEFT TO FLY HIS FIRST SORTIE OVER GMC. I settled on the veranda, Boyd at my feet, twenty blue books in my lap.
    Maybe it was the ocean. Maybe the quality of the take-home exams. I found it hard to concentrate. I kept seeing the grave on Dewees. The bones on the autopsy table.
    Emma's pained face.
    Emma had started to speak outside the hospital, then changed her mind. Was she about to explain what she'd learned on the phone? The cal had obviously upset her. Why?
    Was she about to say something concerning the skeleton? Was she withholding information? Improbable.
    I stuck with grading until I could bear it no longer. Just past one I checked a tide chart,