Chasing Darkness by Robert Crais Read Free Book Online Page A

exist.”
    Lindo’s eyebrows lurched nervously and he pulled the binder close.
    â€œThey wouldn’t?”
    â€œThey wouldn’t tell me anything, and now I meet you, and you know the book, but you don’t know a whole hell of a lot about anything else.”
    â€œMaybe I don’t need to know, Cole.”
    He tucked the binder under his arm. He was fine as long as we were lost in the science, but now he was frightened again.
    â€œYou better not tell anyone about this, Cole. This is just between us.”
    â€œI’m good with it, man. Don’t worry about it.”
    He started to say something else, but stood and walked away without looking back.
    I stayed in the dark booth, still seeing the pictures. I closed my eyes to shut them out, but the pictures came to life. The blood spurted from Janice Evansfield’s throat with each beat of her heart, the stream growing weaker as her heart slowly died. The red pool expanded around Sondra Frostokovich as blood dripped from her nose, the metronome drops logging the time of her death. The bubble of blood swelled in Yvonne Bennett’s wound until it burst. Seeing the images felt like being trapped in a gallery with nightmares spiked to the wall, but I could not believe it. I told myself not to believe it.
    I imagined Lionel Byrd in the chair with the album. In my mental movie, he turns the pages one by one, reliving each murder. The gun is on the chair beside his leg. If he has the gun, then he has planned his own death. He will take the gun and the album to the chair. He will reminisce about his work. Maybe he will even regret these things. Then, when he’s had enough, he will join his victims in death. I wondered if he thought about how he would shoot himself. Up through the bottom of the mouth or in the temple? Up through the mouth feels creepy. You might miss the kill shot, but blow off your mouth. Then you might wake up in the hospital, alive, charged with the murders, mouthless.
    I would have gone for the temple. I thought Lionel Byrd would have gone for the temple, too.

6
    ANGEL TOMASO had been alone when he saw Yvonne Bennett disappear into the alley. There had been no way to double-check his version of events, but he had seemed like a good kid with a steady job, and was well-liked by his co-workers. Crimmens had believed his story was solid, too. The time window was the one thing we all agreed on, but now the police didn’t seem to feel it was important. Maybe they had talked to him, and maybe he had changed his story. I decided to ask Bastilla.
    I worked my way back across the city, climbed the stairs to my office, and let myself in. The message light was blinking and the counter showed four new messages. I opened a bottle of water, dropped into place at my desk, and played back the messages.
    The first message was straightforward and direct. An anonymous male voice told me to fuck myself. Great. The incoming ID log registered his number as private. The second message was a hang-up, but the third was from the pest control service that sprays my house for spiders and ants. They had found a termite infestation under my deck. Could today get any better? The fourth message was similar to the first, but left by a different male caller.
    â€œWe’re going to kill you.”
    He screamed “ kill ” as loud as he could.
    This voice was younger than the earlier voice and shaking with rage. One threat would have been easy to write off as a crank, but this made three. Maybe something was going around.
    I deleted the messages, then found Bastilla’s card on the edge of my desk and called her.
    â€œBastilla.”
    â€œThis is Elvis Cole. I have a question for you.”
    â€œWhen can I have your files?”
    â€œTake it easy, Bastilla. That isn’t why I’m calling.”
    â€œWe don’t have anything else to talk about.”
    â€œI didn’t call to argue. I’m here in my office to get the