Christy Barritt - Squeaky Clean 07 - Mucky Streak by Christy Barritt Read Free Book Online Page A

how word spreads, especially now thanks to social media. We post one thing online, people share and then friends of those people share it. The message gets passed along at an amazing pace. The few cases we’ve helped solve have been because someone has recognized a picture. They would have never seen that picture without our help.”
    “Sounds both practical and amazing.”
    “Girl, we’re totally on the same wavelength.” She gave me a fist bump.
    “Right on.” I tapped into my inner soul sister.
    She began pattering away. “Okay, I’m going to start simple. I put together the basic information on this case, and I’m going to post it later today on our website—if that’s okay with you. It’s all been posted before, but I’m going to start recirculating it.”
    I nodded. “Sounds good to me.”
    “I’ll ask people to post it around and see if we can discover any other information. We get a lot of false leads, but sometimes there are major payoffs.”
    “Payoffs are good.”
    “If you need me to do any kind of online research for you, just let me know. I’m available. Don’t tell anyone, but I’m also pretty decent at hacking into systems, if you know what I mean.”
    “ I may have to take you up on that online research.”
    Jamie pointed from Holly, to me, and back to herself. “I’m thinking we could be like the MOD Squad. One black, one white, and one blonde. What do you think?”
    I laughed out loud. “It’s a definite possibility.”
    “I can scour the thrift store for some old bell bottoms,” Holly offered.
    “I’ve already got the afro.” Jamie pointed to her hair.
    I laughed again. “You could be on to something, but …” I glanced at my watch. “We’ll have to talk more later. Right now, I’ve got to get to my meeting.”
    “I’ve got to run, too. Gotta do an interview for an article I’m writing.” Jamie waved goodbye and scurried out the door.
    Holly gave me directions to the chili joint, and then I grabbed my purse and stepped outside. I rounded the corner where I’d parked and I stopped in my tracks.
    The tires of my rental car were slashed.
    I walked closer and bent down to examine each one. What in the world? Was that impending feeling that someone was following me not my imagination? I’d briefly thought that maybe Garrett had hired someone to tail me, but it wouldn’t make any sense for Garrett to pay someone to do this.
    With a sigh, I stood and went back inside the ho use. Holly looked up in surprise. “That was fast,” Holly said.
    “My tires were slashed.”
    Holly’s mouth gaped open. “No way. I mean, this isn’t the best area of town, but stuff like that doesn’t happen that often. I mean, never before to us. Unless getting egged once counts.”
    “I’m going to need to call the poli ce, I guess. But I’ve got to meet the detective. He only had a short window of time.”
    Hol ly stood. “I’ll take you. We’ll call the police when we get back.”
     
    ***
     
    I settled down in an ordinary looking restaurant in a not so great part of town for some Cincinnati style chili—a sweet tasting meat sauce served over spaghetti noodles and topped with handfuls of shredded cheddar cheese. Though I hesitated at the idea at first, when I tried it, I actually liked it.
    But I liked the fact that I was able to meet with the detective even more.
    Detective Morrison was a trim man in his sixties. He still had a head full of gray hair. His face was squarish and slightly wrinkled and his eyes contained a certain world-weariness that I’d seen before on too many law enforcement personnel who’d been worn down by the cruel reality of how heartless people could really be.
    He ordered what was called a four-way chili because it also had beans, a large diet soda, and a side of garlic bread. Holly opted for a salad.
    “Thank you for meeting with me,” I started when we all had our food.
    “An hour,” he reminded me. He cast me a tired glance while still bent down