COLLATERAL CASUALTIES (The Kate Huntington mystery series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

this.”
                “I’ll think of a way to get some names without telling him anything specific. How can I get in touch with you? Should I just e-mail–”
                “No. Don’t make any contact with me in a way that can be traced. I called you Friday from a throwaway cell phone.” He took out a business card and slid it across the table to her, while retrieving the folder with his other hand. “Number on the back is another throwaway. After I hear from you, I’ll toss it. Don’t say your name when you call, just leave the info on the voicemail.”
                Kate shook her head. “This is unreal.”
                “I wish it were. Oh how I wish it were.”
                He stood up and extended his hand. She rose and took it. As they shook, he said his lines in a slightly louder than normal voice.
                She gave his hand a small squeeze before letting it go. “Take care of yourself, Miller,” she whispered. Then in a normal voice she said, “Thank you, Mr. Dawson. I’ll look forward to hearing from you.”
                Kate picked up her purse, turned and walked away. If Ambassador What’s-His-Face was watching, she hoped he wasn’t close enough to see that she was blinking back tears.
    ~~~~~~~
                When Kate got back to her office, she had a few minutes before her first afternoon client was due. She called Skip and asked him for some names of detectives for a client.
                “It isn’t something I can help with?” he asked.
                “It’s not your kind of case.” She suspected he was dying of curiosity, but he knew better than to ask for an explanation once she’d told him it was related to a client.
                “Hang on a sec.” She heard paper rustling. “Okay, you got a pencil?”
                “Yes.”
                He said a name, spelled it, gave her a phone number. “This guy’s done some subcontracting for us, when we were short-handed. Smart, discreet, won’t ask questions. From the few minimal, minuscule details you’ve given me...” Kate could hear the grin in his voice. “I’d say he should be able to handle the job.”
                “Two referrals would be good.”
                A pause, then Skip gave her another name and number. “He’s a sleaze ball, will do anything for a buck. But he usually dances with the gal who brung him. He won’t double cross your client.”
                Kate thought the second guy was the better bet. “Thanks, sweetheart. I love you so much.”
                “Gee, I get that for some lousy referrals. What do I get if I actually do some detecting for you?”
                “Oh, I think we can come up with a fitting reward,” Kate said, her voice a bit husky. “And you don’t have to do anything more. You’ve done just enough.”
                Skip laughed and disconnected.
                Kate closed her eyes for a moment. Could she do this? Could she help Miller indirectly sign a man’s death warrant? Then she saw in her mind’s eye the last pictures Miller had sent of his kids. His daughter in a riding habit hugging a pony, horse-crazy like her little Edie was. His son with an impish grin on his face.
                She pulled out the card he had given her and called the number.

CHAPTER THREE
                Skip looked down at his wife sitting next to him on the sofa. The preoccupied expression, that had been coming and going all evening, was back. “Hello. Earth to Kate,” he said gently.
                Her eyes lost the faraway look as she turned toward him, but they were still the washed-out gray they became when she was worried or stressed.
                “I’m sorry, sweetheart. What were you saying?”
                “I was telling