Cold Justice Read Online Free PDF

her a quick kiss. Annie held on, her arms wrapped around
his neck, enjoying his smiling brown eyes for a few moments before letting him
go.
    He grabbed his keys by the door and was gone, the Firebird
roaring down the street and out of sight.
    Franklin & Franklin was on the third floor of a
high-rise office building in the downtown core of the city. He made it there in
a few minutes and swooped into the taxi waiting area. He strode through the
revolving door and into the lobby of the building. People were hustling about,
suits with briefcases scurrying to and from the elevators, clicking and
clacking of heels, echoing off the Italian marble floor. Urgent business of all
kind being done at a never-ending frenzy.
    Jake slid into the elevator behind two professionals in
thousand dollar suits, and pressed 3 on the panel. They ignored him, talking
urgently about an impending court case, and the hanging judge it had been their
luck to draw. The elevator dinged, and the doors swung open on the second
floor. Two chatty women bustled in and touched the 12 button. The elevator rose
again, the door slid, and Jake stepped out onto the third floor.
    Franklin & Franklin took up the entire floor of the
building. Jake cursed himself for not doing this yesterday. This was a great
firm to get in good with, and he would like to see more business come their
way.
    He gave his name to the receptionist. She was expecting him,
and she withdrew a manila envelope from a cubbyhole in front of her. She handed
it to him with a warm smile. “His addresses are here,” she said, pointing to a
paper attached to the front of the envelope.
    Jake looked at it briefly, smiled and thanked her. “I’ll get
this done right away.”
    She beamed back at him, and watched him as he turned and
left. She sighed dreamily, and went back to work.
    Jake squeezed back into the elevator as it dinged open, and
then dropped to the lobby. Another swarm was desperate to get on as the doors
clanked open. He swung out and crossed the expansive lobby, and then back onto
the sidewalk, breathing in the fresh air, glad to be out of the incessant hive
of activity.
    Back in his vehicle, he looked at his watch, and then at the
information attached to the envelope. He will be at work now, he thought. He
memorized the address and tossed the envelope onto the passenger’s seat.
    He had lived in Richmond Hill all of his life, and knew
every street and alley in the city. He dropped the shifter into reverse, and
backed out. He squealed away, roaring past a cop who was giving a parking
ticket to some unfortunate citizen. The cop looked up and frowned, watching the
Firebird speed out of sight, taking a left at the next lights.
    In a few minutes, Jake turned onto Branson Street. He
watched for Jackson Auto, and saw it just ahead on the right. He rumbled into
the lot and parked behind a banged-up Tercel. He grabbed the envelope and swung
from his vehicle.
    The huge garage door at the front of the decaying building
was wide open. A car was up on the hoist, and a mechanic was changing the oil.
Jake saw a steady drip, drip, from the transmission and knew the owner would be
in for a wallet-breaking job very soon.
    Two guys were on the side wall, one standing with his hands
tucked firmly in his pockets, the other leaning against a work bench, puffing
on a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth. Jake couldn’t hear what
they were saying, and as he walked toward them, they stopped their chatting and
looked at him.
    Smoker raised his brows at Jake. “Can I help you?” Tiny
puffs of smoke shot from his mouth as he talked.
    “I’m looking for Fred Thornbury?”
    The other guy said, “I’m Fred.”
    Fred took the envelope as Jake handed it to him.
    “You’ve been served,” Jake said, as he turned and walked
away. He grinned as he listened to Fred cursing and sputtering, until he jumped
in the Firebird, shutting out the angry sounds.
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 7
     
     
     
    Wednesday, August