Night Mask by William W. Johnstone Read Free Book Online Page B

afternoon that Lani and Leo were interviewing Karl and Anna Muller, Cal Denning had stopped on the way home for milk and bread. For reasons he could not understand, he was jumpy. His stomach was all knotted up with tension. Once home, with a martini in his hand, all settled in the recliner to watch the news (not the news carried by KSIN), he began to feel better.
    Cal lived alone, up in the hills, in an A-frame with a lovely view. His nearest neighbors were more than a mile away. They never socialized, and that’s the way he liked it. He didn’t even know their names.
    Cal was not an especially unfriendly type of person, he just liked his privacy and his cats. Twice married and twice divorced, Cal had made up his mind a long time back that he was better off single. He settled down for the early news and took a sip of his martini. One of his cats suddenly yowled loudly and made a dash for the kitchen. Cal thought nothing of it. Mice were not an infrequent thing.
    â€œGet ’im, Mr. Nixon,” Cal said, and turned his attentions back to the TV.
    The last thing he remembered was a terrible, painful roaring in his head, and Cal Denning’s world turned black.
    Since he had the next two days off, he would not be missed by anyone at the station complex.
    The big male cat, Mr. Nixon, leaped at the intruder and landed on the trespasser’s back, digging in with his hind claws and ripping at the person’s face and neck with his front claws. With a scream of pain and rage, the cat was slung away and the bloodied individual stumbled for the back door, blood pouring from a deeply slashed face, the tire iron used to smash Cal’s head firmly held in a gloved hand. The denim-clad person disappeared over a ridge.
    In the house, Cal stirred once and moaned, then he was still.
    * * *
    Lani and Leo struck out cold in Boston. They checked out every Longwood on the tax records in Boston and surrounding communities, but none were the right ones. Then they went to the newspapers for help and accessed the microfilm and computers for anything that had the name Longwood in it. They found lots of Longwoods, but not the right ones. Then they went to the libraries to ask for help. Again, they found Longwoods, but not the right ones. It was a very frustrating four days. On the evening of the fourth day, after a hot soak in the tub, and then sprawled out on the bed, Lani decided to call the office just to see what was happening back in Hancock County.
    â€œEngineer out at KSIN got the back of his head bashed in,” she was told. “It’s a strange one, too. Nothing was taken from his wallet or home.”
    â€œRipper-related?”
    â€œWe’re not treating it as such. We think something scared the burglar away.”
    â€œIs Cal dead?”
    â€œNo. But he’s still in a coma. The doctors think he’s going to make it.”
    â€œNo more Ripper attacks?”
    â€œNot that we know of.”
    Lani lay on the bed for a time, then dressed and walked down to Leo’s room. He was relaxing on the bed and pointed to a bottle of Crown Royal on the dresser. She fixed a drink and sat down, telling him about Cal.
    â€œI know Cal Denning,” Leo said. “He’s worked on our equipment for free. I’d be very much surprised to learn that he has an enemy in the world. He’s a very laid-back guy. And a nice guy.”
    â€œWell, he was almost a dead guy.” She looked down at her drink then lifted her eyes. “It’s related, Leo.”
    He stared at her for a moment. “You’re reaching, Lani.”
    â€œI can’t help it. It’s related. I know it is. I feel it.”
    Leo sighed and slowly nodded his head. “I think the half brother and sister are in California, Lani. In the La Barca area. Did we get anything back on our request to force the opening of the Longwood trust?”
    â€œDenied. No reason to believe the boys have anything to do with the Ripper