Bullet in the Night Read Online Free PDF Page A

name, Corsini, was followed by the string of digits assigned every ex-con. The numbers assured he’d be known forever in the government. I read on. Abandoned by parents on drugs at age seven... Twisted leg from a car driven by a drunk driver at fourteen. Married and divorced . Thus began a veritable history book of crimes.
    How sad. Darling of no one. His most recent penal code violations came next. I skipped through to his earliest convictions, starting with adolescent shoplifting then stealing from a gas station. According to the police report, Kirk claimed to have a gun in his pocket, which he later denied. No gun was found. He may have been faking a weapon. Rigid, pointed fingers did the job nicely, no doubt.
    Not many holdup victims will risk calling a thief’s bluff with “Show me your gun.”
    The squeak of the shower nozzle signaled Nick’s bedtime routine as I continued flipping through the pages. Ten minutes later, fragrant with Old Spice, he appeared in his worn blue terry robe and sat down next to me.
    “What’s this?” He picked up a loose sheet and began reading aloud. “Kirk Corsini— conviction for pulling off a three hundred grand jewelry store theft.”
    “First felony,” I said over my shoulder. “His accomplice had a real gun and so did the owner. The shopkeeper was killed; Kirk’s accomplice was charged with murder. Kirk became accessory.”
    “Heavy-duty.”
    “Unfortunately, yes.” I couldn’t conceal the sadness in my voice. “Each of Kirk’s crimes becomes more sophisticated.”
    Nick shook his head. “A felon’s twisted version of the social ladder. Always seeking more than he’s willing to earn by honest labor.”
    “Glancing at his list of felonies, I couldn’t help but contrast it with Lenora’s resume, all her personal achievements, service committee chairs, memberships, publications.” My voice cracked. “Now Kirk is fully alive and Lenora near death. Does life have a few inequities?”
    “God will make all things right someday.” Nick sighed. “I believe that’s true, but it sounds trite to someone who doesn’t believe.”
    “See the timeline for Kirk’s release, his subsequent employment, and Lenora’s shooting? Kirk was let out of prison on Saturday and started his job the following Monday. She must have been counseling him in prison to prepare him to start immediately.” I opened a small legal pad to make notations.
    Nick paged through the file. “Here’s a conviction for Kirk’s robbery of his second ex-wife’s home.” He pointed to a paragraph on the page. “This resulted in his most recent prison sentence, followed by parole after serving three years. At least he never personally shot anyone.” I jotted down dates and times.
    We studied the mug shots next.
    “Kirk has a regular album,” I noted. “Weird how his hair went from traditional cut to shaggy, then shoulder length as his crime escalated.”
    “Check out his face, too.” Nick’s brow furrowed. “He started clean-shaven, then a mustache, finally a scruffy beard. Maybe more facial hair seemed protective—a natural mask for higher level hits.”
    “Or perhaps he started feeling ashamed. Guilt can be powerful.” I pushed my hair back from my face.
    “Sounds logical, but it’s a stretch.” Nick turned a page. “On his discharge shots he’s clean shaven again.”
    “A good sign, I hope, because this file describes a hardened criminal. No wonder he’s the prime suspect. How many people believe Christ can change a man inside and out?”
    “You have to admit, fast transition is rare even for the Holy Spirit. In my work with criminals, it’s not common.” Nick plumped up a pillow under his head and leaned back.
    “But not impossible. I see some sudden transformations. Think about the apostle Paul.”
    Nick continued to read. “A parole officer reports Kirk connected with Christ in Prison Fellowship and Lenora’s Second Chance Foundation. He credited both for planting seeds of