Home Before Midnight by Virginia Kantra Read Free Book Online Page B

He wasn’t stirring up trouble, damn it. All he wanted was to put in his hours and go home. But . . .
     
    “You said when you hired me that there’s no such thing as small town crime,” he reminded Walt.
     
    “Well, that’s true. Human nature is human nature wherever you are. We’ve got our share of bad apples. Bad asses, too, what with the gangs moving in from Durham and Raleigh and all. That’s why I thought somebody with your experience would be such an asset to the department. But you know as well as I do that in a community this size, half the job is public relations. We’ve all got to get along.”
     
    Steve knew all about the importance of getting along. He had almost five months left of his six-month review period before his hiring became permanent. The last thing he wanted was to argue with his boss. But he’d be damned before he’d let concern for his job keep him from doing it.
     
    “Somebody wasn’t getting along with Helen Ellis,” he pointed out.
     
    Walt eyed him reproachfully. “Now, you don’t know that.”
     
    “I haven’t proved it.” Yet . “But it’s my job to keep an open mind.”
     
    “And it’s my job to keep things from getting out of hand.”
     
    Steve waited. The thin stream of air from the vent overhead spent itself in the thickness of the room. Sweat dampened the back of his shirt.
     
    “I heard from Paul Ellis this morning,” Walt said.
     
    Here it comes, Steve thought. “Did he retract consent?”
     
    “Not yet. But he should. What were you thinking, placing the house in lockdown?”
     
    “I was searching for signs of an intruder,” Steve said evenly.
     
    “That’s bullshit. You know it, I know it, and if Ellis hasn’t figured it out yet, he’s dumber than I thought.”
     
    “Has he lawyered up?”
     
    “Naw, he’s just shooting off his mouth about how we’re all against him on account of he’s questioning our handling of the old Dawler case.”
     
    “Not me,” Steve said. “The Dawler case was before my time.”
     
    “Yeah, I guess it would be. We only had seven officers back then. Biggest case we ever saw. I was lead detective. You must have been, what, in high school?”
     
    It was an attempt to put him in his place.
     
    “Just out,” Steve said. “And in the army.”
     
    “Well, it doesn’t matter. Point is, Ellis is threatening to talk to the press.”
     
    “What’s he going to tell them? His wife died. We’re investigating.”
     
    “He doesn’t think we should be.”
     
    Steve didn’t give a damn what Paul Ellis thought. “The ME doesn’t agree with him.”
     
    “But the media might. He’s one of them—a writer. Police Bungle Death of True Crime Writer’s Wife makes a mighty interesting headline.”
     
    “I don’t bungle,” Steve said. “He signed a written consent to search.”
     
    “Which he can withdraw at any time.”
     
    “Then I’ll get a warrant.”
     
    “Not without probable cause, you won’t.”
     
    Steve’s jaw clenched. “Which is why I haven’t gone to the judge yet. I’m waiting on the autopsy.”
     
    Walt frowned and switched lines of attack.
     
    “Ellis claims the responding officers contaminated the crime scene.”
     
    “Why would he say that if he doesn’t think a crime has been committed?”
     
    But Walt wasn’t interested in speculating on Paul Ellis’s motives. “Did they?”
     
    Steve barely knew Wayne Lewis. But he wasn’t sacrificing the earnest rookie to some egotistical writer.
     
    “Look, the EMTs were already there. Lewis called me, and I took appropriate steps to preserve the scene.” After it had been tromped through by a team of paramedics and all four officers on duty that night. “I don’t need Ellis or anybody else to tell me how to conduct an investigation.”
     
    “Except me,” Walt said.
     
    Shit .
     
    “Yeah,” Steve said slowly. “Except you.”
     
    “As long as we both understand that.” Walt held his gaze a moment longer