Dead Ends Read Online Free PDF Page A

trouble with winos sleeping under the trees in their backyard at night. Maybe he heard something and went out thinking he was rousting a wino and caught these guys instead.”
    â€œI’d say they caught him,” replied Jack. “Nothing left of his face. Whoever did him must have a hell of a temper.”
    â€œThe perp had to be doused in blood,” commented Connie. “I’m not the blood-splatter expert, but if you noticed the splashes up the back of the house, I bet he was whacked at least half a dozen times.” She gestured to a cement construction brick lying in a puddle of bleach nearby and added, “It was nice of them to leave the murder weapon behind.”
    â€œWasn’t so nice that they poured bleach over it afterward,” noted Jack. “Anything in here to give us a clue who they were?”
    â€œNot that I could see, but take a look and be my guest,” replied Connie.
    â€œA quick look,” replied Jack. “We shouldn’t be poking around in here without wearing hazmat suits. Let’s make this quick and get out.”
    Jack saw a clean, square patch on the outside of a door leading to a separate room. Connie saw what he was looking at and said, “I told you they cleaned it out. Looks like they must have had a list or a picture or something on the door.”
    Inside the room were several wooden benches and shelves, all with chemical stains and circular burn marks where bottles had dripped. Jack saw where acidic fumes had blackened some of the walls and ceiling. High on one wall a small exhaust fan had been left with its frame screwed into the wall. The fan was blackened with a dark film of dirt and covered a fist-sized circular hole leading to the outside. Toxic fumes had burned the rhododendrons outside.
    â€œI was right,” said Jack. “This was their kitchen.”
    â€œKitchen?” replied Connie.
    â€œNot for making pasta,” replied Jack, slowly gazing around the room. A small eyehole screw mounted in the corner of the room close to the ceiling caught his attention. His gaze followed the same height to a similar screw stuck in the wall above the door jamb. “You see that?” asked Jack.
    â€œCouple of screws?” asked Connie.
    Jack examined the top of the door and pointed to several small holes in the wood. “They had a switch mounted here,” he said.
    â€œWhat are you talking about?”
    â€œTrip wire,” replied Jack. This place was booby-trapped. Pretty common with labs. Nasty surprise for anyone wanting to rip the place off.”
    â€œWhat about cops?” replied Connie angrily. “I’d have walked right into it.”
    â€œDon’t think they care about cops, either … or nosy neighbours, for that matter. Some of these idiots don’t realize they would get more time in jail for setting a booby trap than they do for the lab itself. Lucky for you they decided to take their stuff with them. Let’s get out of here. The fumes are really carcinogenic.”
    â€œWhat’s the proper procedure now?” asked Connie.
    â€œDrug Section has specially trained members to dismantle clandestine labs under the direction of a chemist. This has already been dismantled so I would call in a Health Inspector who will cordon off the building. The place may only need a really good cleaning or it could require renovations. As far as Forensics go, see what the Health Inspector says, but you may need to tell them to wear hazmat suits, as well.”
    â€œWhat about the idiots making it? Don’t the bad guys —”
    â€œSome take precautions or wear masks, but that is a far cry from the proper protection of a hazmat suit. If they stay at it, they end up with brains the size of walnuts or blow themselves up before they die of cancer.”
    Connie nodded, but stopped to stare at Father Brown’s body. A ray of sunlight broke through the clouds and glistened off the crucifix