Forty Thieves Read Online Free PDF

investigators now?” asked Ronnie.
    “That’s interesting,” said Hemphill. “Professor Millikan, the man who recommended you, asked the same thing.”
    “And what did you tell him?”
    “That I think they’re not entirely sure themselves. They feel it would be wrong to let the murder of one of our people go unsolved. Since he asked, I’ve thought more about it. I think that people don’t want to believe that events are random, that a person is born and raised to adulthood, then educated at great expense and effort, only to die for no reason. And I think that people who are highly educated and successful are probably more susceptible to this fear than the rest of us.” He smiled. “That’s not the kind of answer you’re looking for, but it’s true. People like the board members don’t want to think that their lives are vulnerable to a chance encounter with some lunatic or petty thief, or that their own high place in the world might be due to luck. They want the answers to make sense—a certain kind of sense that they’ll find palatable.”
    Ronnie said, “We’re capable of doing a competent homicide investigation, even on a cold case. But we can’t guarantee you or them that a murder will make sense. Most of them don’t accomplish anything that couldn’t have been done in an easier way.”
    “I imagine so,” said Hemphill. “What the board would like is everything—the identity of the murderer, his methods, motives, and proof of his guilt. But what they’ll take is whatever it’s possible for you to find out.”
    Sid said, “We also like to make clear that the services we offer have limits. If we find the killer, we won’t administer some kind of justice. I hope you can find a tactful way to let the board know that.”
    “That should be assumed,” said Hemphill.
    “You’d be surprised at how seldom it is,” Ronnie said. “We collect and provide information only. If it’s information the police should know, we give it to them too.”
    “The board will want me to discuss the fee for your services.”
    Sid took a set of folded papers out of the inner pocket of his jacket and handed it across the table to Hemphill. “Here’s the standard contract. We charge a daily fee seven days a week, plus itemized expenses. We work one case at a time. If we need to travel or hire outside experts, there will be additional charges.”
    “I’ll take this to the board,” said Hemphill. “But I’m sure they’ll agree. Once they decide to act, they’re pretty impatient. I’ll let you know very soon.”
    Ronnie gave an indulgent, motherly smile. “No rush. We’ll use the time to decide whether we want to work for them.”

3
    Sid and Ronnie Abel liked to shoot at a small range in an industrial area down near the airport. It wasn’t usually very crowded, and there was plenty of parking on the street because it was the sort of the neighborhood where it wasn’t a good idea to leave a car parked after dark. Ronnie parked the car while Sid pocketed his phone.
    Ronnie said, “What have you found out about them?”
    “Not a lot,” Sid said. “The company is about forty years old, which seems good.”
    “Right,” she said. “If they haven’t been caught at illegal or morally repulsive acts in that time, then there’s some chance they might not be doing any.”
    “They also haven’t gone bankrupt, so their checks probably won’t bounce,” said Sid.
    “That’s a nice change.”
    Ronnie led the way into the building. They stopped at the counter in the anteroom to pay the tall, spectacled young man with long, curly black hair for admission and two boxes of ammunition and give him their identification. They placed their Glock 17 pistols on the tray inside the small door sothe range master could examine them and give them back once they were inside. When they reached the steel entrance door Ronnie leaned into it to open it with her shoulder. “Anything else?”
    “That last call was Winters over