Bouncer Read Online Free PDF Page A

you.”
    Was it his imagination or did Roger grin?
    “Yeah, right,” he whispered as they wheeled him away under the twitching florescent lights. By God, that was rich. Roger chuckled to no one in particular as things began to fade.
     
    Nick Thayne sounded highly professional on the phone and indicated he could be in Monroe within 90 minutes. Chief Rollins gave him directions to Chester Street and breathed a sigh of relief half-mixed with trepidation. He’d already called the Mayor and explained the situation, and she’d immediately agreed to the temporary arrangement. She didn’t like Bill Peters much, either.
    “Get a handle on this case before the press has a field day,” was her only admonishment. Cindy Perez hated negative publicity, and Chief Rollins had felt the acrid side of her tongue only three weeks ago when his rookie officer had been pulled over on a possible DUI. What a fricking mess that had been. Thank God Phelps had only had the flu. He crossed his fingers and suddenly prayed. Make this an open and shut case , he asked the God, who always seemed to be just around the corner and never quite near enough to help. Richard’s ever-present ulcer flared, and the burning irritation in his rotund stomach indicated that this might just be the case he’d dreaded all his life.
     
    Nick smiled at his good fortune. With his utility bills directed to a collection agency, the car agency threatening to repossess the love of his life, and his current squeeze dumping him for some middle-aged real estate agent with more money than brains, he was in dire straits. Nick figured he could last another two weeks without real income. The check he had just tried to deposit from one Jason Oswald had bounced. He’d done exactly what that overbearing lout of a salesman had asked and followed his cheating wife around town, snapping pictures. He’d presented Oswald with the torrid evidence, not that he blamed the wife, Beverly, one bit. Her husband was a boor of a man, and he wondered for the umpteenth time why women stayed with men who were bad for them.
    Heading to Monroe on a job not only got him out of town and away from the bill collectors but would legitimately stave off those self-same jackals for a couple of months. For one brief moment, Nick remembered his mother’s offer to help and gritted his teeth. No way! He’d make it on his own, his family be damned. He rubbed the back of his neck and gulped down a migraine-strength pain tablet before tossing his overnight bag, computer, and sketch book into the small trunk. He swung his long frame into his cherished, cherry-red Mustang and checked the map, noting the long, straight highway. If he could avoid the CHPs, he’d sail down the road at 100 miles an hour—this baby could take it! He flipped on his radar sensor and gunned the engine. Things were looking up.
     
    By the time Nick arrived at the vacant lot on Chester Street at 5:15 p.m., the body had been removed, though several bystanders still stood respectfully behind the yellow tape. Oh, how America loves the violent and ridiculous . From the fascinated stares reflected on the faces of the residents, they probably thought this was just another episode of the Jerry Springer Show . He was slightly irritated that the body had been removed before he’d had a chance to examine it, but didn’t blame the police chief, who’d suddenly had this mess dumped on his plate. Besides, it was blazing hot and no body lasted long in heat like this. A young officer named Randy Phelps followed him about and showed him the Polaroid’s he had taken of the crime scene before Roger had been whisked off to the hospital.
    “So, how’s Roger doing?”
    “Don’t know,” said the rookie. “Getting his appendix out is all I’ve heard. Keeled over right there near the grave. Said the body had been killed elsewhere and was buried here later.”
    Nick didn’t need the rookie to tell him that, since it was so obvious, but he smiled