Dark Waters Read Online Free PDF

single for so long. She was in her early forties when we married. But it had been eleven years now. Time for her to realize she didn’t have to be so goddam strong all the time. She had me. I could do that part every once in a while.
    We took our time getting back to the cabin. I found a bench in the foyer by the elevators and asked Jean if we could sit for a minute. ‘I need to call Emmett back. It won’t take a minute,’ I told her. I’m a good liar.
    It was pretty late, but Emmett picked up on the first ring. ‘’Bout damn time,’ he said.
    â€˜What a way to greet your boss,’ I said.
    â€˜Boss? Didn’t you hear? I’m the new sheriff-in-charge.’
    â€˜That’s
acting
sheriff, in charge of not much!’ I said. Sobering, I said, ‘Now, about that asshole Darby Hunt. And I
do
mean asshole. When they lived together in Prophesy he used to beat Cheryl something awful. And I hate to say it, but I’m the one who encouraged her to finally leave him.’ I shook my head, remembering. ‘Didn’t think he’d do that. Bad as he was, I didn’t think he’d do
that.’
    â€˜
Man, we never know, Milt. Don’t beat yourself up over it.’
    â€˜Yeah, I stopped doing that at least ten years ago, but now? I can’t believe they let him out. Can’t be for good behavior.’
    â€˜He did twenty-five. What was his sentence?’
    â€˜Huh. Twenty-five. Didn’t realize it had been that long. No parole for that asshole, happy to note. But they coulda kept him longer, just for the hell of it.’
    Jean was getting fidgety. ‘Go on to the cabin, honey,’ I said, my hand over the phone. ‘I won’t be much longer.’
    â€˜OK, but, Milton, we’re on
vacation
! Do you know the definition of that word?’
    â€˜Yes, ma’am,’ I said.
    She gave me a look and headed for the cabin.
    â€˜She gone?’ Emmett asked. ‘Now we can talk.’
    â€˜I
am
on vacation,’ I reminded him.
    â€˜Yeah, but you’re not dead. So tell me about this asshole Hunt.’
    â€˜Bad to the bone,’ I said. ‘Him and two of his cousins, same age as him, used to terrorize Longbranch High, so much so that we got called in a couple of times, mostly when they were doing athletics outside of town.’
    â€˜Yeah, I was about to say. The high school’s in city police jurisdiction and I don’t remember getting any calls on them.’ Emmett used to be police chief of Longbranch until politics got him booted out and I was lucky enough to talk him into joining the sheriff’s department.
    â€˜Yeah, they turned over a car at a game against Bishop.’
    He snorted. ‘A Volkswagen?’
    â€˜No,’ I said. ‘A Chevy Impala. All three were big boys. Anyway, at the school rodeo at the arena out by Jasper, they got in a fight and put a kid in the hospital. Then one of ’em, never found out which, punched out a bull.’
    This time he downright laughed. ‘You’re shitting me!’
    â€˜No, and it might have been funny if it hadn’t been for the kid in hospital with a punctured eardrum and a caved-in sinus cavity. Doctors said he’d never ride a bull again.’
    â€˜Shit. Sorry I laughed.’
    â€˜Well, punching out a bull is kinda funny,’ I admitted.
    â€˜Did the bull go down?’
    â€˜Like two tons of brisket,’ I said.
    â€˜I got a list here of his cousins. Which ones were his wingmen?’
    â€˜Billy and Shorty Hunt.’
    â€˜I thought you said they were big?’ Emmett said.
    â€˜Yeah, Shorty was the runt of the litter. Only six-two, two hundred and ten pounds of pure mean.’
    â€˜Ouch.’
    â€˜Yeah, no shit, ouch. He went after Dalton once, and big as Dalton is, it took two deputies to pull Shorty off him.’
    â€˜Yeah, well, Dalton may be big but he’s not mean.’
    â€˜That’s the