Life in Death Read Online Free PDF Page B

Einstein say anyway?”
    “There are no coincidences.”
    “I guess Einstein wasn’t a total fuck-up, but whoever did those things to that little girl sure the hell is.”

CHAPTER 7
    "Where is she?" Luke Dolo, Patience’s father, pounded a fist on the table. His face had contorted into an ugly mask. His smooth, dark skin had a reddish tinge to it, either from alcohol, anger or both.
    For the first time ever, Kari thought about alerting security. She weighed her options. Paul, their pale, bald, overweight and in poor health guard who wheezed when he talked, versus the overly muscular Luke Dolo. No contest between the two of them. Jack would be a more even match for the irate father.
    “Mr. Dolo, please calm down. As I said before, you need to speak to the police.” She slid Detective Nicolet’s card over to him.
    He stared at it, eyes dull.
    “Just tell me what happened to her?” The veins in his neck bulged and pulsed.
    She didn’t respond. She couldn’t respond. It wasn’t her place to tell him his daughter was dead.
    He leaped across the table, hands closing around Kari’s throat like a vise. She struggled against his strength and they tumbled to the ground. He landed on top of her. The weight of his body coupled with the fall knocked the breath out of her, but she continued to struggle. She scratched and clawed at him to get free. His fetid breath nauseated her as she fought to take a gulp of air. Soon dots danced in front of her eyes and she felt dizzy. She would not die this way. Then he was off her. She rolled to her side and gasped for breath.
    Detective Cobb had Luke on his stomach with his knee pressed into his back as he handcuffed him. “Looks like I showed up just in time.”
    She never thought she’d be glad to see Detective Cobb again. Little did she know.
    "I can't breathe," Luke said as he gasped for air.
    "Ask me if I give a damn." Detective Cobb looked at her. “Are you okay?”
    She nodded, her head still fuzzy. Kari stood on shaky legs and massaged her bruised throat.
    “Who do we have here, Ms. Marchant?” Detective Cobb asked.
    “This is Patience’s father, Luke Dolo.”
    Detective Cobb pulled Luke to his feet.
    “Cunt. Why won’t you tell me where my daughter is?” Luke lunged at her again.
    Detective Cobb yanked him back. “That’s enough.”
    He started to escort Luke out of the room.
    “Just a minute, Detective,” she said. She walked over and slapped Luke across the face. “How dare you.”
    Detective Cobb laughed.
    Luke lunged at her. Cobb snatched him back.
    “You deserved that,” Cobb said.
    “Is Detective Nicolet with you?” she asked.
    “Yeah, he’s around here somewhere.”
    She definitely wanted to see him again.
    ***
    When Detective Nicolet entered the conference room, Kari felt butterflies waken in her stomach. She chided herself for her silliness.
    “Looks like I missed the excitement,” he said as he took a seat next to her. “Let me see the damage.”
    He moved closer and palpated her neck. His fingers were warm and gentle, the scent of him a comfort to her. “You should have someone look at that,” he said and leaned back in his chair. His eyes were soft on hers.
    “I’ll be okay.”
    “I need to get a statement from you. Why did Mr. Dolo come to see you?”
    “He demanded to know the whereabouts of his daughter. He hadn’t heard from her and was worried. The way he talked and walked, he was obviously drunk. I should have made him leave… ” She glanced down and wrung her hands in her lap.
    “You’re not to blame for what happened.”
    “No, but I’m a little confused. Why haven’t you notified him about his daughter’s death?”
    “We couldn't reach him.”
    “Oh…”
    “Do you want to press charges?”
    “No.”
    He had a puzzled look on his face. “Why not?”
    Sure, the man tried to strangle her, but his daughter may be dead—or in his mind, gone. She wasn’t sure she’d have acted differently in his place.
    “It