Among the Missing Read Online Free PDF

uneven parallel bars or vaulting horse. When a knee injury knocked her out of the Olympic finals, she'd joined the Sierra County Sheriff's Department.
    Nepotism had nothing to do with her success; she'd been on the force two years before marrying the sheriff's son, Harney Hodges.
    She smiled, remembering the way Harney was this morning when the telephone rang at the worst possible moment.
    Celebrating the third anniversary of their wedding.
    On top of her and madly thrusting.
    "No!" he'd gasped.
    "Yes."
    "No!"
    "Don't stop," she'd gasped. "God. No. Don't. Stop!"
    It had still been ringing by the time they got done and they both rolled, still embracing, Harney still deep inside her. The rolling took them sideways across the bed and closer to the phone. From her position on top of Harney, she was able to reach out and pick up the handset.
    "A homicide," she'd explained after hanging up.
    "I'd like to homicide Madge."
    "You're so mean when you're angry."
    He'd laughed.
    Pac took her foot off the gas pedal as the car broke through the last of the trees. Jack Staffer was standing between a Jaguar and a big old red Pontiac, talking to a young blonde. . . .
    Bass Paxton's Grand Prix.
    Bass is involved in this?
    And that's Faye!
    Pac drove past Bass's canoe, parked beside another patrol car and leaped out. "Faye, are you all right?"
    "No, not really."
    Pac turned to Jack. "What's going on?" she asked.
    "She and Bass Paxton had a run-in with a headless corpse," Jack said. "Down there." He pointed toward the wooded slope. "Rusty wants you to do your stuff."
    Pac nodded. To Faye, she said, "How do you feel?"
    "Not too good." She made a feeble smile. "I'm feeling a little better though, I guess."
    "You'll be all right."
    "Sure."
    "You're staying with her?" she asked Jack.
    "Right."
    She turned to Faye. "I have to go down. I'll probably be gone a while, but Jack'll stay here with you."
    "Okay."
    She hurried back to her patrol car and took a Nikon and a crime-scene kit out of the back seat. With a final glance at Jack and Faye, she started down the trail.
    Normally, she would have enjoyed the heavy, sweet odor of pine. She might even have stopped to take photos of the cone-littered trail or of the dust-swirling, golden sunlight slanting down through the trees. But not this morning. Not with a dead body down below.
    At the bottom of the trail, the trees ended and she could see Rusty wandering over the sand, head down, a cigar protruding from his mouth. Bass was standing a few yards from the body, not looking at it.
    Her shoes dug into the sand as she hurried forward.
    Rusty came over to her. "Sorry we had to drag you out of bed, darling."
    She felt herself blush.
    And Rusty noticed it. "Oh?" he said. "Hmm. Now I'm twice as sorry. Please tender my apologies to Harney, too."
    "Nothing to apologize for."
    "Bet he doesn't see it that way."
    "Ah, he's all right."
    "And happy anniversary. Sorry we had to interrupt it like this."
    "These things happen."
    "Not too often around here, they don't. You going out to dinner tonight?"
    She nodded. "We've got reservations for the Fireside. Think I'll be able to keep 'em?"
    "Sure. I don't see why not. But the sooner we get this situation wrapped up, the better."
    "Who's our body?" Pac asked.
    "If she belongs to the purse I found in the Jag, she's Alison Parkington. Resides in Santa Monica."
    "Long way from home."
    "Hi, Pac," Bass said, striding toward her.
    She turned to him. "Hey, Bass."
    "How you doing?" he asked.
    "Not bad," she said.
    "Wish I could say the same."
    "You can go back up to Faye if you'd like," Rusty told him. "We'll want statements, though, so stay with Deputy Staffer."
    Bass nodded. He muttered, "Guess I'll go on up." He glanced toward the body, but quickly looked away. To Pac, he said, "See you later. Say hi to Harney for me."
    "Sure. See you."
    He started walking toward the trail.
    Rusty stepped closer to Pac. "Bass and Faye found the body at about nine o'clock this morning," he