Colby Velocity by Debra Webb Read Free Book Online

driver’s door opened and a tall man wearing a suit stepped out.
    Had to be Burton. Her contact. Rocky disliked him already, mostly because of the suit.
    â€œThat’s him,” Kendra reached for her door.
    Rocky did the same, giving her ample time to round the hood across the street ahead of him. Kendra hadn’t mentioned whether she’d informed Burton she was bringing along a partner.
    Waiting through the requisite embrace, Rocky stood back until the reunion formalities were out of the way. “It’s been forever.” “God, you look good.” He rolled his eyes. Primarily because Burton had it right. Kendra did look good.
    Rocky closed the final couple of yards between his position and theirs. Burton dragged his focusfrom the lady and pointed it at Rocky. Rocky stuck out his hand. “Leland Rockford,” he announced.
    Burton gave Rocky’s hand a challenging but brisk shake. “Lieutenant Wayne Burton, D.C. Homicide.”
    Maybe he misheard but Rocky could swear the man had emphasized the lieutenant part. Rocky jerked his head toward Kendra. “Her partner.”
    Burton ignored that last part, resting his attention on Kendra once more. “You may have been the last person to see Sayar alive,” he said as he turned to the town house, placed a hand at the small of her back and ushered her in that direction.
    Rocky bit back the compulsion to say “Besides the folks at two airports and the car rental agency.” Just another reason he didn’t like the guy. Another dumb reason.
    Except that Kendra looked at Burton as if every word coming from his mouth were the gospel that would show her the way to the promised land. He couldn’t recall once having her look at him that way.
    Burton lifted the official crime-scene tape for Kendra to duck beneath. Once on the other side, they walked wide around the bloodstained section on the walk where the victim had fallen. At the stoop the overly friendly detective removed the crime-scene seal from the door and unlocked it.
    Rocky stayed two steps behind. He figured he would learn more by watching and listening than by attempting to insert himself into the conversation.
    Kendra moved slowly around the living room, visually inspecting the space. She’d told Rocky that she’d been here before and hopefully would recognize anything glaringly out of place.
    â€œSo Sayar didn’t give you any details about why he wanted to hire your agency?” Burton asked.
    For a second Rocky was sure he’d misunderstood the question.
    â€œHe promised to give me all the details when I arrived in D.C. tomorrow,” Kendra said, clearing the confusion for Rocky. She turned to face Burton. “That was to be our first official meeting.”
    Rocky restrained the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. The lady wasn’t as smitten as he’d first thought. She’d kept the details of the final conversation with Sayar to herself. Good deal.
    â€œHe simply said,” she added, “that it was urgent and personal.”
    Burton assessed her at length, obviously not fully buying her story. “He came all that way and didn’t give you anything?”
    She moved to the table next to a recliner and bent down to view the framed photo there. “He said he couldn’t discuss the situation by phone. Showing up to talk to me was his only choice. He wanted acommitment from me that the Colby Agency would take his case and then we would move forward.” She straightened and looked Burton straight in the eye and lied. “He wasn’t willing to share anything until I had the backing of the agency.”
    Rocky was impressed.
    â€œPuts a whole new spin on what we know.”
    Kendra inclined her head and studied her old friend. “What exactly do you know?”
    â€œAllowing you and your partner access to the property is breaking the rules,” Burton hedged.
    â€œThe techs have