The Soul Hunter by Melanie Wells Read Free Book Online

sharp ax-like instrument. Multiple blows.”
    I felt my stomachache return.
    The police were investigating leads, David was saying. The paper listed a number for a tip line.
    “Do you think I’m one of the leads?” I asked. It was arhetorical question. Of course I was one of the leads.
    “Have you heard from the DPD?” he asked.
    “The Jackson Five? Not yet, but they’re probably waiting for me at my house.”
    “Yeah. I tried your home number first. Where are you, so early on a cold Sunday morning?”
    I told him my swimming story with the wet footprints, finishing with the weird garage door lumberjack incident from the night before.
    He whistled. “You win the contest for the worst twenty-four hours.”
    “Drew won that one, I think.”
    “Yeah. Some prize.”
    We were silent for a minute, sharing an odd, intimate connection to this real-life girl, a living, breathing human person who had gotten up yesterday morning like she did any other day. And had died at the business end of an ax.
    I fought to keep the image out of my brain. I didn’t want it there. But my mind, attracted by some sort of morbid magnetic field, would not cooperate. I could see it happening in front of me, playing out in vivid, full-blown, Fujifilm detail. I felt the most profound sadness for her.
    “You must be exhausted,” David was saying. “Want to come out here?” He lived about an hour south of town. “Hide from the posse and get a little rest? I could make you tomato soup and Cheetos. Served up with a cold Dr Pepper. Cold milk and Oreos for dessert. Your favorite.”
    A nap on David’s couch and a babysitter lunch sounded absurdly luxurious to me.
    “I’d love to, but I couldn’t sleep on a bet, I don’t think. I’m too wound up.”
    “How about dinner then? We need do-overs for last night. I owe you midlist wine and a white tablecloth.”
    The white tablecloth jarred my memory. I groaned. “I’m supposed to have lunch with my dad today. And his horrible new wife Kellee with two e’s.”
    “They’re in town?”
    “They flew in for lunch. Their version of a birthday present.”
    “Happy birthday. Sorry. I should have said it when you picked up the phone. I was focused on the paper.”
    “No, no, it’s fine. Happy birthday, cha cha cha. My birthday’s the last thing on my mind.”
    “I didn’t get to give you your present. I was going to give it to you at dinner last night.”
    I brightened. “What did you get me?”
    “Do you really want to know? Or do you want it to be a surprise?”
    “Hm. I think I’ll take the surprise. I’m going to need some cheering up later. I can tell from here.”
    “Do they let you bring wrapped gifts into Lew Sterrett Justice Center?”
    “Very funny. Hey. Maybe I need a lawyer. Do you think?”
    “I’d get one, if I were you.”
    “I don’t know any lawyers. I’ve always been so proud of that fact.”
    “What about the Pink Ice Queen Lawyer from last year?”
    “She works for the university, I think. SMU is going to fire me if I keep getting accused of crimes…” I mused, almost to myself. “I gotta get myself out of this.”
    “What time is lunch?”
    “Twelve thirty. After church.”
    “Your dad goes to church?”
    “No, me. I go to church.”
    “Are you still going?” he asked.
    “To church or lunch?”
    “Either.”
    I looked at my watch. It was almost nine thirty. I could make the early service. At the very least, I’d have somewhere to hide from the Jackson Five for a few hours.
    “I really can’t get out of lunch. And I probably need a Holy Spirit spanking before I spend any time with Dad and Kellee.”
    “Want to leave dinner open?”
    “That’ll leave you in limbo all day.”
    “Don’t mind.”
    “Pining for me, I hope.”
    “Pining. Yes. Absolutely. And worrying,” he promised. “Lots of worrying.”
    “Good. That makes me feel better, actually. I’m needy today.”
    “Understandable. Call me if anything comes up.”
    I threw the phone