Bay of Deception Read Online Free PDF

cup.  “Though the paper made it sound like I was.  Actually, a suspect can be detained for up to forty-eight hours under suspicious circumstances.  Since I actually lived in Monterey, Sullivan looked for anything he could to hold me and when he found out about the 911 call, he had reasonable cause. When Linda failed to regain consciousness and slipped into a coma later the next day, Sullivan had the perfect opportunity for the pay back he’d wanted all along.  It wasn’t hard to justify, what with my fingerprints on the knife, Linda sprawled on the floor with a serious head injury and a ‘gash’ on her leg.  
    “Such a story is a windfall to the local papers,” he said after taking a sip of his espresso, placing his cup on the beautiful blue-grey tile set into the island tabletop.
    "I became the Crime Of The Summer and lurid details were served up daily.  The fact that men cut themselves worse while shaving or that it was I who called 911 simply didn’t stay in the paper long. 
    "Only after Linda pulled out of her coma eleven days later and what should have been a two week investigation was dragged out for three months, did such trivialities become relevant once again.  I was cleared of all charges and eventually put back on duty, but there’s nothing like three months of sensational headlines to make a lasting impression.”  He lifted the small cup to his lips, drained it and rose.
    She took his cup and placed it along with hers in the sink and then led him to the entrance.  She halted before the heavy oak doors and stared momentarily at the tile beneath her before finally looking back up. 
    “I’ll go ahead and press charges against my husband,” she said, leaning against the doorframe.  Burning like twin candles before him, her eyes closed for a few seconds and when they reopened, two smoky beaten-down coals stared at him.  “If you think it’ll do any good.”
    “If you don’t, he’ll just do it to the next Mrs. McKenny.”  He waited as she took this in and finally she reached for the door and pulled it open.  
    “I’ll come to the station tomorrow morning, if that works with your schedule?”  
    “Works just fine,” he said with a smile and stepping out, turned back and extended his hand.
    Perhaps in Los Angeles or even San Jose, a car’s engine pushed to the limit is a common distraction, but the outraged whine behind Oliver sent all his internal alarms off the scale. 
    Releasing her hand, he craned his neck in time to see the sky blue Mercedes skid to a halt behind his cruiser as a burst of gunfire splintered the doorframe beside him. Two other bullets smacked mid-center into his Kevlar vest, their impact sending the two of them toppling onto the tiled entrance.

CHAPTER FOUR
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Another burst of gunfire shredded the wall above them as they struck the unforgiving tiles, instinctively clinging to each other as they rolled free of the doorway.
    “Call 911!” Oliver half shouted, releasing Jenny as he rose to a crouch.  Heart jack hammering, he drew his weapon, switched off the safety and stepped to the door’s edge, ready for the pounding of attacker’s feet up the walkway.  Instead, an engine’s roar mixed with the squeal of tires pushed him back until it trailed off down the street. 
    He leaned against the inside wall and felt the inevitable adrenaline-induced urge to react, to do anything except sit and wait for backup and only a minute or two later he heard the wail of approaching sirens.   
    “Jenny," he called, turning back toward the hallway.  "You okay?
    “Yea...yeah.  I’m okay,” the small shaky voice came back.  “Are...are they gone?” 
    “Yes,” he said after dipping his head briefly into the doorway and back out.  “But stay put till I give the all clear, okay?”
    Her shaky, incredulous laugh came back, “Hah, no argument here!”
    What sounded like several squad cars whipped around the two ends of