FATAL FORTY-EIGHT: A Kate Huntington Mystery (The Kate Huntington Mysteries Book 7) Read Online Free PDF Page B

and he’s trying to keep a low profile. Charles only remembered him because of the scene in that restaurant. How much ground has been covered so far?”
    Skip ran his fingers through his hair. “Between us and the police officers Judith assigned, we’ve covered a five-block radius from Sally’s building. She’s with another group over at the trauma center’s building, and she has detectives interviewing the staff of that restaurant.”
    “Police going out any further than five blocks here?” Mac asked.
    “Yeah, Judith said they’re going to do ten blocks.”
    Rose grimaced. “That’s a lot of canvassing.”
    “Let’s go out to the tenth block and work our way in,” Skip said. “Meet the cops in the middle somewhere. Rose, how about calling SA Wallace and telling her that’s what we’re going to do?”
    Rose took out her cell phone and punched in a number. “Rose Hernandez calling, ma’am, to report on our progress…Yes, ma’am, I realize you need to keep this line open. I’m calling with an update.” She quickly rattled off the addresses of the buildings that they had already canvassed. “Nothing useful to report, unfortunately…Ma’am, under the circumstances, I don’t think you can afford to do that. Time is of the essence if we’re going to save Ms. Ford’s life.”
    Rose was gritting her teeth. “Ma’am, I was also calling to tell you that we are going out to the tenth block and work our way back toward your people. That will lessen the chances that we will duplicate efforts…No ma’am, we will not miss anybody.” She held the phone away from her ear and savagely punched the end button.
    Skip couldn’t help but grin a little. He didn’t often see his partner rattled. But she did not suffer fools gladly.
    “So it isn’t just men she dislikes, but ‘civilians’ in general.” He made quote signs in the air.
    “Harumph,” was Mac’s commentary on the subject. He wasn’t an ex-cop like the rest of them, but he’d been a Green Beret for a decade. He no doubt considered being called a civilian an insult.
    “May I suggest,” Rose said, “that we deal with Judith as much as possible from now on.”
    They walked out to York Road, the main thoroughfare through Towson, and turned the corner. Manny Ortiz was walking toward them.
    Skip frowned in the direction of the bodyguard who had recently been promoted to detective. The man wasn’t particularly tall but he was built like a brick wall.
    “What’s the matter, boss?” Manny asked.
    Skip didn’t mind volunteering his own time but he wasn’t sure how he felt about paying any of their operatives to do what was really the police department’s job. Without answering Manny, he turned toward Rose.
    She responded to his question before he could ask it. “He volunteered.”
    “Ain’t got nothing better to do today,” Manny said with a small shrug.
    Skip shook the operative’s hand. He knew Manny had a soft spot for Kate, whom he had guarded on more than one occasion when the bad guys were threatening to win the perpetual battle between good and evil. “Thanks,” he said, “from me and Kate.”
    Rose filled Manny in as they walked five blocks south on York Road. Then they split up to cover the buildings on that cross street.
    Two blocks later, Skip hit pay dirt. He entered a new building and rang the bell of apartment 1A. After a moment, he heard shuffling sounds.
    The door cracked open and a pale blue eye looked out at the center of his chest, then moved up to his face. It was surrounded by blonde lashes so light they were practically transparent.
    “Sorry to bother you.” He wasn’t sure whether to say ma’am or sir. The eye was genderless. “I’m helping the police. We’re trying to locate this man.” He held up his copy of the artist’s sketch. “Have you seen him around here?”
    The blue eye went wide, then the door slammed in his face.
    Before he could begin to decide what to do next, a chain rattled and the door