Bring the Heat by Jo Davis Read Free Book Online Page A

your detectives on trying to catch who killed Ashley and the baby?”
    â€œYes, as well as another case we have.” He was
not
going to mention the auburn-haired victim from the other day—the one with the note that was likely addressed to Austin himself.
    â€œI hope she helps to catch that animal,” his mom spat. Then she stopped, took a deep, calming breath.“I’m sorry. You don’t need to think about anything but getting better. I’m glad she’s a friend.”
    â€œShe is.” Just then there was a knock on the door. Austin sat up a bit, half expecting the visitor to be the subject of their conversation. So he was more than a little disappointed to see the chief walk into the room.
    â€œAustin, it’s good to see you awake.” Glenn strolled over to the bed, held out his hand.
    Austin shook the offered hand as best as he could. “Thanks.”
    His mom kissed his cheek and stood. “We’re going to head out for a while, find a bite to eat. See you later, honey. Love you.”
    â€œLove you, too, Mom.”
    After clapping his shoulder, his dad followed her out. Austin watched them go, dreading this talk. He wished they had sent the chief away, anything to put off what he sensed was coming. Then again, might as well get it over with.
    â€œHow are you feeling?” Glenn asked.
    â€œGo ahead and say what you came here to say,” he snapped. “Don’t insult my intelligence by beating around the bush.”
    Glenn stared at him, looking hurt. “Don’t insult me by implying I don’t care. I may be your boss, but we’re friends and I have a great deal of respect for you.”
    That took the wind out of his sails and he sank into the pillows, closing his eyes. When he opened them again, the chief was simply waiting. “My apologies. I didn’t mean to disrespect you, I’m just on edge.”
    â€œAnyone would be, after what you’ve been through.” Glenn paused, face filled with sympathy. “Austin, you need time off.”
    â€œI knew that was coming. Especially after this,” he said, indicating his current predicament.
    â€œYeah. I was going to suggest it anyway, with what happened to your family. And with you being too close to the case, there’s just no way I can allow you to work it.”
    Officially
. Unofficially, the chief wasn’t going to stop him. Nobody would.
    â€œSure, I get it.”
Say all the right things and he’ll go away
.
    â€œTake a month off and we’ll reevaluate, see how you feel—”
    â€œA
month
? I was thinking a couple of weeks.” A ball of dread began to form in the pit of his stomach.
    â€œFour. Get your head together—you’ve been through a lot.”
    â€œIs that an order?”
    â€œIf you want to put it that way, yes.”
    â€œWhat else is going on here, Glenn? The truth.”
    Sitting back in his chair, the chief met his gaze without flinching. “You’re not an official suspect in Ashley’s murder, but there’s some circumstantial evidence that makes you someone we need to rule out.”
    Knowing that didn’t make it easier to hear, and the dread became an iron weight around his neck. “What kind of evidence?”
    â€œThere was a hair found on your wife’s body that DNA will probably show belongs to you. But hell, youlived in that house with her for years, so your DNA is all over that place.”
    â€œWhat else?”
    â€œYour belt was used to strangle her,” Glenn said grimly. “There were a couple of fingerprints on it. One of them matched your right index finger. However, it wasn’t in the right hand position for the action of strangling her.”
    He wanted to be sick. “And the other print?”
    â€œUnknown. That’s the one we believe actually belongs to the assailant, but we need a damn suspect.” Glenn paused. “You want to do something