All Good Deeds Read Online Free PDF Page B

through her watery eyes. “That’s the kid who lives across the street. Is he a suspect?”
    “Everyone in the area will be checked out.” I chewed on my lower lip, wondering if the shitstorm I was about to unleash was worth the additional pain to Jenna Richardson. My gaze landed on a picture of a bespectacled little girl with two front teeth missing and a big ponytail. Somewhere, that little girl who loved pink was trapped, already subjected to immense horror even if her captor hadn’t assaulted her.
    “This boy,” I said, “is Justin Beckett. Do you recognize the name?”
    The hovering uniform sucked in a breath and left the room. My minutes were numbered.
    “It sounds familiar,” Jenna said.
    “A long time ago, he did some not very nice things. And I want to make sure he’s not bothered Kailey. Has she ever mentioned the man across the street?” I tapped the picture on the phone. “He’s a handsome kid. Black hair, green eyes, lanky. Kind of reminds me of one of the kids from the latest boy band. Did Kailey ever mention that?”
    “No. Not that I can remember. She didn’t really talk about boys much. She likes drawing. And Barbies.” Jenna’s shaking hands went to her mouth, and a raw sounding sob shook her entire body. “My baby girl. This morning she was so excited for school. I bought her new shoes last night. Pink, sparkly shoes. Did I already say that? She loved them so much. She wore them for the first time today.”
    Jenna sobbed harder. I swallowed the guilt brewing and leaned forward, tasting my own salty tears. I laid my hand on Jenna’s knee. The woman jerked as if the touch stung her. I quickly pulled away. “I swear to you, I will find your daughter. I won’t stop looking until I do.”
    “That’s not your job, Lucy Kendall.” Detective Todd Beckett’s voice pierced the room. I stood up to face the detective.
    I quickly did the math; Todd was around twenty-seven now. Likely a rookie detective. Physically, he hadn’t changed much. He’d been a gawky, angry teenager then, and now was an awkward and apparently crabby adult. His acne was gone, but a few pockmarks were scattered over one cheek. He wasn’t unattractive, just decidedly plain. The only thing unique about him was his mustache. It made him look like an aging adult film star, and I longed to offer to shave it off for him. Now, instead of being mad at the world like he’d been as a teenager, he exuded the weary ambivalence caused from witnessing too much of the dark side of human nature.
    I felt his pain.
    “It’s been a long time.” I offered him a reserved smile. “Last time, I believe you spit on me.”
    “I was a snot-nosed teenager.” His voice was deeper than I expected. It had a sultry quality that really didn’t belong with his average face. “And you’d helped lock up my little brother.”
    “We both know what he did, Todd.”
    “Is it true?” Jenna stood, arms crossed as if they could keep her from falling apart. “Is there a sex offender living across the street that we didn’t know about? Are you related to him? I want another detective!”
    Todd sighed. “Because his crimes occurred when he was a child, he was released without status. But I promise you, we are doing our due diligence and making sure he isn’t involved, and my partner is handling speaking with my brother. Kailey is our first priority, and there will be no conflict of interest.” His gaze landed on me. I expected seething hate. Instead I saw worry and resignation.
    “Lucy, can I speak with you privately?”
    I nodded, my gaze on Jenna. “Call me anytime. I promise you I won’t stop looking until we find out what happened.”
    I followed Todd’s stiff shoulders into the hallway. He marched ahead and didn’t speak until we descended to the first floor.
    He whirled on me. “I should call your boss and have your ass for this. And throw you into jail for interfering.”
    “If I were still with CPS, I’d say you should. But I’m