Not Dead Yet by Pegi Price Read Free Book Online

badge number for the complaint I am going to file about your rude behavior.  It is unprofessional and unacceptable.  I will be happy to cooperate fully with the investigation when I am treated with respect.  If you are incapable of doing that, I’m sure your supervisor can send someone else to take my statement.”
    “Bitch,” he muttered under his breath.“All right, we’ll do it your way. A unit went to the house. No one answered the door, so they kicked it in.  There was no one home, but there were signs of physical struggle.”
    “What signs?”
    “Furniture out of place, things knocked over, some blood. The officers interviewed neighbors, but no one will admit they saw anything.  We’re going to increase patrols in the neighborhood, keeping a lookout for your client and her husband.  We would like to interview family members, in case she contacted them.  Do you know the names of any of her relatives?”
    “Boy, I wish I did.  She mentioned she has a sister, but I don’t even know her name.  Sorry.I wish I could be more help.”
    The detective grunted in response.  ”Now will you answer my questions?” he asked, his arms crossed over his large waist.  The middle section of his body looked much too large for his hands and feet.
    “Sure.”
    “When did she get the order of protection?  It does not show up in our records.”
    “She didn’t get the order.  We went to court yesterday, but she was afraid to tell the judge what had happened because her husband was there, intimidating her.”
    “And we’re supposed to help her, when she won’t help herself?” he asked. He went on with his questioning. He licked the tip of his pencil occasionally as he wrote notes.
    “She was terrified,” Theia snapped at him.  “She’s afraid to stand up to him.  Any will power she may have once had was beaten out of her years ago.”
    The officer stared at her. Theia raised one eyebrow and glared at him.
    Theia answered his remaining questions before he left.  Based upon the few questions he asked and the lack of detail in them, it was clear his report would just be filed and the case closed. Another domestic violence case—a new one every minute. She put Rose’s file in her outbox and reviewed her calendar of upcoming court dates.
    “So, how did that go?” Mollie asked from Theia’s doorway.
    “That cop was one royal asshole.  He was rude and he just didn’t give a damn. He’s not going to do anything but file his report.  If they ever find a cadaver that matches her description, they’ll stamp it ‘Case Closed.’  Until then, nada.  At least he did give me a little information, but it’s not good.  They went to the house, found signs of a struggle – furniture moved around, stuff broken, blood on the floor – but no people.”
    Mollie sat in a guest chair across from Theia. “What did he say when he heard the phone message?”
    Theia’s mouth fell open.  “You know, I was so pissed off at him I forgot about that.  Damn.  I’ll have to call him. I wrote down his name and badge number because he was such a jerk.”
    They were silent for a moment. Theia shook her head and said, “I seriously doubt he would come back here to listen to a phone message.  He has probably already put the report in dead files – no pun intended. But I will call and let him know about the message.”
    “You know you will feel guilty until you do.”
    “You’re right,” Theia admitted.  “I’m already feeling guilty about this case.”
    “Why?”
    “I don’t know if I handled Rose the right way.  I wanted so badly to help her, to prop her up so she would have the courage to testify against him and get the court’s protection.  When I have dealt with people this emotionally damaged in previous cases, I have found that the only thing they still respond to is force, not kindness.  If you just pat them on the hand and say “you poor thing,” they end up dead.  But if you exercise “tough