Last Known Victim Read Online Free PDF

uch later, Patti sat at her desk. The department around her was mostly silent. Unless neck-deep in an investigation, NOPD detectives worked eight to five, so most of ISD had left for the day. The detectives all carried cell phones or pagers and understood that they were essentially on call 24/7.
    She had no intention of packing up for the night—or the weekend. Finally she had a lead in Sammy’s murder.
    The two years that had passed hadn’t dimmed her grief. People kept telling her “It’ll get better” and “You’ll move on.”
    But she knew better. Until she got justice for Sammy, she couldn’t begin to let go.
    Of her grief. Or her anger.
    Her marriage and the NOPD had been her whole life. She felt as if she’d lost both. The department had let her down. Sammy had devoted his life to the NOPD. But when he’d been killed in the line of duty, their attempts at justice had been laughable. Their focus had been on the hurricane and their own future. The case had been closed. They’d moved on.
    She hadn’t moved on. And she wouldn’t.
    Now she had something.
    Though, she had to admit she was having trouble wrapping her head around this. Sammy’s badge found in a shallow grave in City Park, along with the skeletal remains of a young woman?
    A young woman whose right hand had been severed.
    She’d requested all the Handyman files. They contained damn little, considering this bastard had killed at least six women.
    And a cop, she thought. Her husband.
    She had promised herself she would bring his killer to justice. Until today, that promise had seemed damn near impossible to keep.
    She needed that victim IDed. She needed something, some bit of evidence to link an individual to the case. She wouldn’t rest until she found it.
    â€œAunt Patti?”
    Spencer stood in her office doorway; she motioned him in, forcing a relaxed smile. “Ready for the weekend?” she asked him.
    â€œAlways.” He crossed the room and sat in the chair opposite her desk. Although he smiled, she saw his concern. “Big day.”
    â€œVery.”
    â€œYou’re okay?”
    â€œAbsolutely.”
    â€œHave you eaten?”
    She smiled at that. “I will. I promise.”
    He frowned and moved his gaze over her desk.
    â€œThe Handyman files? Until we hear back from the coroner’s offi—”
    â€œI know. But I want to go over it all myself. Make certain nothing is missed.”
    â€œTony and I are on this. Nothing’s going to be missed.”
    â€œThis is about me, not about you. Or my confidence in you.”
    He sat silently a moment, then leaned forward. “It’s not going to get solved tonight. Nothing will be served by you staying here all night.”
    â€œIt’s what—” She glanced at her wall clock. “Just after seven. Hardly cause for concern.”
    â€œI’m worried about you, that’s all.”
    â€œA waste of energy, I promise. Go home. Take Stacy out for dinner. Someplace nice.” She wagged a finger at him. “That’s not only your captain’s orders, it’s your godmother’s as well.”
    That made him smile. He came around the desk, bent and kissed her cheek. “I’ll do that.”
    He crossed to the door, stopped and looked back at her. “You’ll be leaving behind me, right?”
    â€œAbsolutely.”
    Her smiled faded as he walked out the door.
    God forgive her. It’d been a small lie. One meant to reassure.
    She intended to sit here until she knew everything in these files by heart.

7
    Friday, April 20, 2007
7:55 p.m.
    S pencer let himself into his Riverbend cottage. He’d bought his Camaro from John Jr.—older brother number one—when John had gotten married, and this house from Quentin—older brother number two—when he’d gotten hitched. Since he was brother number three in the Malone lineup, he supposed it was