Big Girls Don't Cry Read Online Free PDF Page B

death are apprehended and punished.”
    All the men around the table nodded in agreement, their expressions as fierce as Jake’s.
    With a heavy sigh, the chief jumped in.
    “Hell, Jake, we’re all with you one hundred percent. Anthony was a fuckin’ superstar. In all my years, I’ve never had a more accomplished undercover guy. Damn, he could move in the shadows like he was born in them. I’ve never seen a guy who could fit in the way he could, insinuate himself in any situation, whether it was a confab with a passel of gang bangers or a meeting with the mayor. He was a fuckin’ chameleon. And you got my word that no one is gonna rest until we haul in the asswipes who killed our guy. I know he was a beret, but hell, he was also a cop. Our cop.”
    A chorus of agreement rang out. Jake gave the men time to speak, to remember Anthony. The stories were poignant, some funny, some hardcore, all were heartfelt. He was gratified that Anthony affected the men in this police department the way that he had his team. When they turned back to him for orders, Jake knew he had their cooperation.
    “Okay, men, I want every transcript, every piece of evidence, and every fucking clue, no matter how unimportant it seems, on my desk by 8 a.m. tomorrow morning. We’ll meet then. Lt. Morrison is my point man. Anything you need from me or to say to me can go through Clint. We’re joined at the hip. Oh, and while you’re at it, make a copy of those materials for Miss Beloi.”
    The chief reared up. “Dammit, Jake, you know we can’t do that. This is an ongoing investigation into a fucking undercover operation. Antony was getting close, damn close. The last time we talked his eyes were gleaming. Said it would be a matter of days before we’d get a break in the case. We can’t have a private citizen, an overwrought young woman at that, sticking her nose in critical police business.”
    Jake raised an eyebrow and drawled, “Unless I’m mistaken, and that ’overwrought’ young woman who raked you over the coals an hour ago, was an aberration, you don’t have a choice, Chief. I’ve got a feeling Anthony and his sister share more than looks. Anthony would grab a rat by the tail and wrestle it to the ground until he could read every entrail splattered there. My sense is his sister’s got the same instincts.”
    He held up his hand, stopping the chief’s protest. “Give her what she asked for, John. Redact anything confidential. There’s no reason she can’t see the witness list. Hell, she’ll likely know everyone on it before end of day tomorrow.”
    He added with a slight frown, “Hold back the autopsy report.”
    The chief growled, “Christ, Jake, that’s the one thing she has a right to see.”
    Jake shook his head. “I know that, John. But I want to be sure someone is with her when she reads it.”
    No one at the table argued. Words weren’t necessary. They’d all seen the body.
    ~~~
    Lexie hiked up her exercise bra and yanked on biker shorts. Unrolling a practice mat on the balcony of the shabby motel, she glided into the Kung Fu crane position. She forced herself to move slowly, gracefully, breathing into the demanding posture. She longed to drive her fists and feet into a punching bag, to find a sparring partner who fought as hard as she did. But she’d have to wait until she found a dojo close by, where she could go day or night. She didn’t know how long she would be in this dusty town, but even a day without a three hour strenuous practice left her with jangled nerves ready to claw out the eyes of the person closest to her.
    She scoffed. Some martial artist she was. Calm? Centered? Detached? Like hell. She was wound tighter than a spring, every muscle twitching with the effort to be still. Her most difficult practice had always been the one she forced herself to do now. She breathed in and out, slow deep breaths, oohming the word, detach. But it was no use. All her years of work with Master Wan to focus her