Forgotten Place by LS Sygnet Read Free Book Online

out,
Ned.  Sometimes a bitter man can reach out from the grave and
continue to wreak havoc," Johnny said.
    "Maybe Helen could help me with the overseas
guy," Crevan suggested.  "I'm sure she's still better
connected with the bureaucrats in Washington than any of us
are.  We might need the State Department to find this
guy."
    Shelly stared at the table and Devlin got
the weird vibe even stronger.  "I thought she told you that
she doesn't feel up to working this one, Crevan.  I'd rather
not push her to return too early, not that she's been cleared for
active duty anyway.  There's a process for that.  If I
could get her to return my phone calls, perhaps I'd know if she's
feeling well enough to discuss what happens before she can return
to the job."
    Orion sort of squirmed in his chair a little
bit.  Devlin realized that there was a lot more going on in
Darkwater Bay than he ever imagined, most of it brewing within the
ranks of law enforcement.  "She did look... well, may I be
frank here?"
    "Wish you wouldn't," Crevan muttered.
    "Please do, Devlin."  Orion's fingers
clenched into fists again.
    "She didn't look much like a cop," he
said.  "In fact, she looked pretty sick."
    "Like she isn't recovering?"
    Devlin shook his head.  "That's not
what I meant, sir.  I guess I was just expecting someone a
little more... sturdy.  I've seen more meat on cattle in
India.  She looked tired.  Haggard.  I didn't really
notice it until she came down to the ER this morning.  She
tried to shake my hand when she introduced herself.  It was
covered with the victim's blood, but I thought for a second that
she'd scraped the skin clean off when she fell over in the
garage."
    Orion pressed a fist to his lips.
    "I'll stop by to see her later today,"
Crevan said.  "This morning was traumatic, Johnny.  It's
like Devlin said.  He'd never met her before, and while I
agree that she looked tired, I didn't think she looked quite as bad
as all that."
    Johnny pushed away from the table. 
"Let me know if OSI can assist in any way.  If this case
starts looking like it's related to David Ireland's murder, I need
to know immediately.  Shelly, thanks for the heads up on the
investigation.  We'll talk soon."
    "What the hell did I walk into?" Devlin
breathed softly after Orion left the room.
    "It's a personal matter unrelated to the
investigation, detective," Shelly said.  "You have your
springboard in the case, gentlemen.  Keep me posted on your
progress."
    Devlin turned to Crevan.  "Okay, I get
it that there's something else going on here, but why did you lie
to Commander Orion about Dr. Eriksson?  You told her she
looked like shit, that she must've lost 20 pounds.  I heard
you say it."
    Ned cleared his throat.  "Dev, it's
like Lou said.  Personal thing.  Orion and Eriksson had
some sort of relationship until after she was shot, and suddenly
Orion is stomping around town with only one thing on his mind –
arresting every criminal he can find –"
    "And Helen turned into a recluse who only
returns calls from friends when she knows we aren't home to answer
the phone," Crevan said.  "When I saw her today, I realized
that it was a huge mistake to let her get away with that sort of
behavior, but we did."
    Ned snorted softly.  "Helen has been
getting away with pretty much whatever she wants to since the day
she got to Darkwater Bay, Crevan.  Don't get me wrong. 
Her methods were pretty darn impressive before she got shot. 
But I agree with you.  Hell, I had no idea who she was at
first today.  She looked nothing like the Helen I remembered
from two months ago."
    "Let me get this straight.  She really
does look like a starving Hindu cow... but we're lying to Commander
Orion because...?"
    "Johnny will go ballistic," Crevan
said.  "Then again, he seemed as determined to avoid her as
she has to avoid everybody."
    "So he still has feelings for her?"
    "After what I just saw?" Ned shook his
head.  "I wouldn't bet the farm, as Briscoe