Ghost Walking (A Maggie York Paranormal Mystery Book 1) by Ally Shields Read Free Book Online

reassured Brandt, and he dropped his hands and moved beside her, watching her face now. “We’d been working the murder of a minor drug dealer, hoping it would lead us to the head man. We were pretty sure it was Bullet—that’s Paul Castile. The informant said a deal was going down and Castile would be there in person. A couple of guys from Vice tagged us, making it a joint response.” She glanced at him. “It looked like a break for everyone.”
    “Why weren’t you wearing a vest?”
    “Didn’t have them. We were on an interview in Coridan’s off duty car when Vice called. There was no time to go back for them.”
    “Bad decision, but it squares with what I’d assumed from the file. Now walk me through your movements that night.”
    “Ray Coridan and I came in from this side, Vice from the back street.” Maggie closed her mind to the feelings threatening to surface and focused on the scene as it had unfolded that night. “We parked down the street and immediately heard what sounded like a fight in the courtyard. So we ran to the gate and saw six guys swinging lead pipes and nunchucks at each other. Not at all the gunfight we would have expected.”
    “Show me where you were.”
    Maggie walked over and stood on the right side of the front gate. “Coridan was next to me. I heard one of the vice guys yell ‘police,’ and we drew our guns and raced in to back up their action. I broke left, Coridan to the right, and I’m not sure where he went after that.”
    “That’s fine. Just tell me what you recall.”
    Surprisingly, the images in her head were clear now. Her pulse picked up a beat. Maybe she’d remember something important, something that would make a difference. “It was so hazy before today, but coming here…I know exactly what I did.”
    “It happens, once victims get past the trauma.”
    “Yeah, I knew that but never understood it.” She walked into the alley. “The noises were loud. Scuffling, body blows, yelling. I was surprised there was no shooting. Hurst was there for sure. I remember seeing him.” She stopped, mesmerized by the face of the man now haunting her. So she had seen him before, but he’d been wearing a dark T-shirt that night, not a hoodie.
    “Something else?”
    “Uh, no, just thinking. I’d just pulled one of the thugs out of the fight and had turned to restrain him when I heard the gun shot, felt the jolt, the first stab of pain—”
    “You turned?” he interrupted. “Show me.”
    She went through the actions as she remembered them and turned to face the alley entrance. “I had my cuffs out when it happened.” Even in the dimming light of the alley, she saw the odd expression on Brandt’s face. “What is it?”
    “Since you were shot in the back, the shooter couldn’t have been at the entrance as everyone assumed. Not if you’d turned around. Are you sure that’s how it happened?”
    “As sure as I can be. I fell against my suspect.”
    “Which explains your position,” Brandt finished. “He would have pushed you away, altering the fall pattern.” He raised his eyes toward the back of the block-long courtyard. “The shooter was back there. We’ve been looking in the wrong place.”
    She followed his line of sight and swallowed a gasp. Bobby Hurst—hoodie and all—sat on top of the back wall.
    Then he faded away.
    “Is something wrong?” Brandt asked, alert to her reaction.
    “Something caught in my throat. Come on. Let’s check the back wall.”
    “Wall?” he questioned, keeping pace with her. “That would take a sniper. What makes you think the shooter was that far away? Isn’t it more likely he was among the gang fighters in the center?”
    “I saw…um, I don’t know. It’s just a feeling.” She kept walking. He’d think she was a nutcase for sure if she even hinted about Hurst. Reaching the six-foot stone wall, she grabbed the edge and pulled her 5’8” frame onto the flat top surface. It was wide enough to sit or couch, but