Diabolical (Shaye Archer Series Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page B

“Every little step gets us one spot closer to figuring out a twenty-year horror movie. Anyway, here’s what I wanted to show you, and this is for you two only. Bernard’s already approved your working this.”
    Grayson and Jackson nodded.
    Frank pointed to a notation in one of the journals. “I matched this buyer amount and date with the transaction in the seller journal for Lydia Johnson.”
    Jackson drew in a breath. “You found the man who bought Shaye?”
    “His nickname,” Frank reminded him.
    Jackson leaned over and read the word Frank had written above the coded buyer name.
    “Diabolique,” Jackson said.
    “Several of the nicknames have been in French,” Frank said.
    “But you don’t know anything else?” Jackson asked. “Nothing else we could use to go on?”
    “Oh, there’s something else all right,” Frank said, his voice grim. “That’s why I sent for you. Take a look at this.” He pulled another journal over in front of them and pointed.
    “That’s the same name,” Grayson said. “A fifteen-year-old girl. So this buyer had at least two transactions with Clancy.”
    “This one was in June.” Frank flipped the notebook to the front cover and indicated the date in the upper right-hand corner.

4
    “ O h my God .” Jackson’s stomach rolled. “He bought her last month. Another kid is probably going through the same hell that Shaye did. We have to find her.”
    Grayson nodded, his expression a mixture of disgust and anger. Jackson looked down at the journal again.
    Diabolical.

5
    D r. Warren Thompson turned off the television and placed his reading glasses on the end table. He waited a bit before rising from the recliner, allowing his aging eyes to adjust to the dim room. The clock on the far wall began to chime midnight, and he realized he’d been asleep for two hours already. The book that had sounded so interesting in premise hadn’t turned out to be nearly as good in execution, and he’d ended up watching television before dozing off. His back and knees protested as he rose, never letting him forget the forty-two years of work and four years of residency he’d put in before finally admitting his body no longer allowed him to practice medicine the way he wanted.
    So two weeks ago, he did what he never thought he’d do. He retired.
    The first week was all right. It felt more like he was on vacation really, but as Sunday approached and he wasn’t preparing his clothes for the upcoming week, the reality of long days with nothing to do stretched in front of him. The second week was a harsh and lonely awakening. His wife, Marie, had passed away five years before. He’d thought he handled her death well, but looking back, he realized he hadn’t planned for this reality.
    He sighed and headed upstairs, turning off the living room light as he went. Marie had warned him about living only for her and the job. When it was finally clear that the cancer she’d fought so bravely was going to win, she’d made him promise that he’d take up a hobby and make some friends outside of work. Now, with the days and weeks stretching before him, and endless cycle of Netflix, books, and his recliner, he had to admit that Marie had been right.
    Even from the grave she’d managed an “I told you so.”
    Without Marie or his work, to say Warren was at loose ends would be an understatement. His children, one son and one daughter, were successful, busy people with their own lives and responsibilities and didn’t have time to coddle a bored, lonely old man. His grandchildren were starting their careers and one granddaughter was pregnant. He was going to be a great grandfather. That made him smile. Marie would have loved it, especially as it was her favorite granddaughter who was pregnant. Warren knew you weren’t supposed to have favorites. At least that’s what people said, but he also figured they were all liars. Human beings connected with each other on different levels. Why should it be any