Precious Blood Read Online Free PDF Page B

I’ll come for you. And I’ll take you away, and make you special, too.”
    “Then I climbed up onto the sundial and pulled myself over the wall; I cut myself on the bottle glass in the concrete Precious Blood
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    on top. I went through the yard, out the gate onto Sixth, yelling the whole time, but it was cold and pouring, and there was no one on the street. No one to help . . .”
    She breathed out. Jenner could smell the alcohol on her breath; when she spoke, he realized she was starting to slur her words. “I called 911 from the pay phone on B, but then I thought, what if they send him ? So I ran to the all-night Laundromat and called my uncle’s satellite number, but couldn’t get through. Someone must have called 911 for me, because the cops came to the Laundromat pretty quick.”
    She gave a little smile. “But I was already moving by that time—they drove straight past me. I stole the raincoat from the Laundromat and ran to your building. It took forever to get through to Uncle Douggie from his apartment; he told me to call 911, but when you dial 911, they know where you’re calling from, so I wouldn’t. He couldn’t dial 911, so I gave him Andie’s home number in Boston to tell her dad.
    “He called later, and said he couldn’t reach you, but I should just go on up to your loft. And that you were one of his best friends, and you were going to help Andie’s dad, and you would help me. And I said I would, but I was scared, I guess. When I finally went up, you were gone.”
    She looked at Jenner and flushed slightly. “I didn’t mean to just, like, break in like that. I knocked, but there wasn’t any answer, and I couldn’t stay in the hall, so I went in.”
    Jenner said, “Why didn’t you say anything when I got home?”
    “I didn’t hear you come in—I think I fell asleep for a little.
    I was in your TV room. I heard you in the shower; I waited a bit until you were, like, decent.”
    Garcia said, “And the rest, we know.”
    They were all quiet for a while. Garcia had her describe the man—white, mid-thirties, average height, muscular build.
    Shortish hair, she thought. Clean-shaven. American accent, 30
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    nothing special. That was about it; she’d only seen him briefly, through the rain, a silhouette in the dark window. She didn’t recognize him, had no idea how he knew all about her.
    The detective stood, cell phone in hand. “You’re going to have to make a formal statement at the precinct. And we’re going to need you to look at mug shots.”
    She looked to Jenner, pleading. Jenner said, “Rad, do you think—”
    Rad shook his head. “Jenner, this has to be by the book.”
    Jenner steered him to the door.
    “Sure, she has to make a statement, but does it have to be now ? This thing about the shield and the police radio . . .
    Can you keep her out of it for now, at least until you know what’s going on? Maybe take her statement here?”
    Garcia gave a slow shrug. “I don’t know what to do. I feel for the kid, but we both know this piece of garbage is probably faking it, tinning his way in with a fake shield. He’s probably some kind of rent-a-cop or something, some scum-bag with a fake badge, a burglary kit, and a Radio Shack walkie-talkie. She’s a witness, she’s seen him, she’s got to help us.”
    He looked back at her, sitting at the table, watching him decide her fate; his face softened.
    He breathed out wearily. “Okay, I’ll tell you what: when I know what’s going on, I’ll get together with Silver and the bosses, and we’ll have a nice sit-down and decide what to do. I’ll get Internal Affairs on board. She can rest up here for now, but make sure she understands that sooner or later she’s coming in.”
    Rad slipped on his coat, walking toward the door. He turned. “And Jenner? She’s your responsibility now. She doesn’t leave this apartment without me knowing about it.
    Okay?”
    Jenner nodded, and let Garcia out.
    And then he