Dead Don't Lie Read Online Free PDF

profile.
    So what triggered this violence?
    “Family annihilator cases are extremely rare, especially with family units like this,” she said without looking up.
    “I agree.”
    “Do we have any leads?” Ryan sat next to Evelyn, peering over her shoulder at the photos.
    “Why bring us on now? Why not with the first case?” Evelyn passed the glossy five-by-sevens to Ryan and glanced over at him uneasily. She hadn’t wanted to hand the photos over, concerned about how they might affect him. They made the perfect pair: he was lighthearted, she was serious; he played by the book, she pushed the boundaries. While she held people—and the emotions they garnered—at a distance, Ryan was all in. Had always been all in. It was one of the many qualities that she loved in her partner; he felt deeper than any man she’d ever met. And she couldn’t even imagine what those pictures would do to him if they’d hit
her
so hard.
    Ryan began to flip through the photos, then stopped. He looked up, his face hard. “Tell me this isn’t happening. Tell me this isn’t fucking happening. Here. On our stomping ground.”
    He held the same photo of the young child with her throat slit that she’d stopped at. The child looked to be about Ava’s age. His hand shook. A muscle in his jaw jumped. They’d seen some twisted things while working homicide. The seasoned—burned-out was more like it—detectives told them it’d get easier. That seeing the capacity of the sickos out there was par for the course. They encouraged both her and Ryan to disengage. Total bullshit. So yeah, she could only imagine that the photo made him see red.
    “The Langdon case was a priority,” Kessler said. “We needed your full efforts to close that one down. At the time, we thought it was a one-off. But with this fresh crime scene...”
    Evelyn’s mind scrambled to categorize the information they’d been given. Her gaze swept to the captain. She did a double take. The corners of his mouth were turned down in a tight grimace as he clenched and unclenched his fists.
    Evelyn leaned forward and gripped the armrest. “Does the chief think serial?”
    Ryan’s head snapped up.
    “I didn’t say that.” Kessler’s jaw twitched. No police officer in his right mind voluntarily labeled someone a serial killer until they had to. No one wanted that on their watch.
    You didn’t have to
. Evelyn dropped back into her chair. She’d been right. Again. Whatever they were about to step into would make the Langdon case appear like a walk in the park.
    “We aren’t officially saying or thinking anything.” Kessler scrubbed his face, then glanced between the two detectives. “Two family annihilator cases in as many weeks is suspicious. Chief Diaz wants you and O’Neil to head up the investigation and report directly to Assistant Chief Pugel and himself.”
    The captain’s secretary rapped on the door frame and stuck her head into the office. “Sorry for interrupting, sir, but he’s here.”
    “Thanks. Tell him I’ll be with him shortly.”
    Evelyn threw Ryan a guarded look. She’d never known Kessler’s assistant to interrupt him. Ever. So who the hell was important enough to do so now?
    Captain Kessler stood. The detectives mimicked his movement. Evelyn glanced over her shoulder, following the captain’s gaze. A tall handsome stranger clad in a perfectly tailored black suit leaned against her desk, animatedly speaking into his cell. She couldn’t place him. But damn, he was beautiful. The stranger caught her staring, smiled and tipped his head in her direction. Evelyn’s heart jumped.
What the hell?
She swung her attention back to Kessler, momentarily uncomfortable with her reaction.
Where did that come from?
    “CSI is already on scene, but nothing was moved,” Kessler said. “Get over there, and get fresh eyes on it. Now.”

CHAPTER FOUR
    I T DIDN ’ T SURPRISE Ryan that they’d been put on this case. Some might question the decision, given his