Fatal Storm Read Online Free PDF Page B

table.
    “There aren’t eighty million. Such a baby.”
Sara snapped the letter open. “Here’s one. How about the case of
the missing heirloom. A vase from the Ming Dynasty which has been
in the family for fifty years disappeared while the family was in
Europe.”
    “Inside job. Tell them to check a family
member who needed drug money.” Dagger stretched out, hands behind
his head. “Could also be one of the cleaning people.” He glanced up
at the steel crosswalk which bisected the upper floor. The windows
on the first floor extended all the way to the ceiling. Above the
crosswalk was a large skylight. Sara’s bedroom was upstairs while
Dagger’s living quarters were downstairs. Simon constantly reminded
him of the number of stairs from the first floor to Sara’s
bedroom.
    Sara tossed that letter aside and picked up
another. “Hmmmm, here’s a woman who claims her husband was
kidnapped by aliens and replaced by one of their own.”
    “We’ll get Skizzy on that one. He’ll believe
whatever the woman says.” His eyes swept to where Sara was leaning
on the wooden ledge surrounding his work area. Waist length hair in
a myriad of colors ranging from black to auburn to blonde drifted
down her arms. Plum-colored slacks hugged every curve of her body.
He dragged his thoughts to the empty suitcase in his bedroom. It
had been his plan since their last case that once he was back on
his feet he would leave. The more he stuck around, the more in
danger everyone would be. Every time he even entertained the
thought of packing his suitcase, Sara always gave him a subtle
reminder how he was no longer in danger from BettaTec. She never
tried to talk him out of packing. Matter of fact, on more than one
occasion she had offered to help. Maybe once his razor burn healed
he would pack.
    “Here’s one.” Sara straightened and turned
from the desk. “A fourteen-month cold case. Kara Jensen claims her
husband, Rick, left for a business meeting in Miami but never made
it.”
    “Him and two thousand other bored
husbands.”
    “Not really. His car was found on Fenton Road
with a flat tire.”
    “I’m sure Padre and his team of crack
detectives investigated that one thoroughly. If Padre didn’t find
anything, no one will.”
    “Well, they didn’t find anything and the wife
is desperate.” Sara shoved the sleeves up on her pink sweater as
she carried the letter to the couch. He noticed how the clothes she
wore blended with the decor. Mauve and pink flowers could be found
in the fabric of just about every piece of furniture and the area
rug. It made his eyeballs ache. Dagger’s idea of color was a
lighter shade of gray. Black and gray were about all he ever
dressed in.
    “Look.” Sara held up a picture of a blue-eyed
baby with a pink floral band in her hair. “She was only six-months
old when he left. The wife claims Rick would walk over hot coals
for Bella. Whenever he traveled he always contacted her on the web
cam to say goodnight.”
    “Yeah, cute kid. I still say hubby found a
warm body to cling to. It wouldn’t be the first time a husband
suddenly is a father and not quite liking the role. You do remember
Scott Peterson, right?”
    “Except he didn’t disappear. His pregnant
wife did.”
    “Yeah, but some men feel impending fatherhood
puts a crimp in their freedom. Jensen made it look like he met with
some ill-fate, but probably abandoned his car and hopped on a
motorcycle he stashed nearby and took off. Were his bank accounts
cleaned out?”
    Sara skimmed the rest of the letter. “Don’t
know. We’d have to ask Padre. Poor woman. Without a body she can’t
even claim the insurance money to live on.”
    “Ah, money. The root of all evil.” He swung
his legs off the table and sat up.
    “Speaking of money, we haven’t made any in
the last two months.” Sara sat down on the coffee table facing him.
“You know, the green stuff.”
    Money was the last of their worries. Dagger
had tons of it from previous