Satan’s Lambs Read Online Free PDF Page A

Eloise is uneasy. I’m just keeping an eye out.”
    Mendez touched his mustache and frowned. Lena tapped her foot. Words never seemed to hurry or prod this man. She fingered the hem of her jacket, then looked up. “Help me or don’t, Mendez. I was up most the night, and I’m tired.”
    â€œOkay.” He picked up a folder from a neat stack on the right-hand corner of his desk.
    â€œYou got it right there? What’s your interest, Mendez?”
    â€œHayes is out. Valetta’s on his way. That’s my interest.” He studied her for a long moment. “The robbery money wasn’t recovered.”
    â€œI thought it was.”
    â€œNot all of it.” Mendez picked up his pen, tapping it lightly on the metal desk top. “Lena. How much do you know about Archie Valetta?”
    She shrugged.
    â€œHe used to ride with the Grits,” Mendez said. “You know them?”
    â€œSouthern fried motorcycle gang.”
    â€œVery low profile, and fairly new, but they’ve dug in all across the South—Kentucky, Tennessee, the Carolinas. They’re moving very cautiously now, in Florida and Texas.”
    â€œYou said used to ride?”
    â€œKicked out, we don’t know why. We got a hint from an informant that it was some kind of blackmail scam—but we don’t really know any details. Don’t know why they didn’t kill him, either. Happened before he hooked up with Hayes. This isn’t your usual perp, Lena. Valetta plays rough and dirty. He’s a hardcore case, and an opportunist like everybody else these days. If something dirty comes up, he’ll go for it.” He leaned back in his chair and narrowed his eyes. “Did you ever stop to think that Eloise Valetta may be using you? That she may not be leveling with you?”
    â€œAbout the medical clinic?”
    He frowned. “The little boy looks a bit like your nephew. Don’t let that cloud your judgment. Don’t get sentimental about the Valettas.”
    â€œAre you telling me to turn my back on the kid, Mendez?”
    Mendez sighed and handed her the file. “You have a way of putting things. Come to me, Lena, when it gets to be police business.”

5
    Maynard was curled up peacefully in the rocking chair.
    Lena took a breath. She hadn’t realized she was worried till she saw the cat, safe and sound and asleep.
    Hayes had a definite track record with animals.
    There were two messages on the answering machine. Lena hit the Play button and picked up the cat. Maynard purred and Lena scratched him behind the ears. The machine whirred as the tape rewound.
    â€œMs. Padget? This is Elwin Newcomb, from Paris Road Cemetery? Need you to give me a call, if you will. Extension 232. Um, thanks.”
    Lena pulled Maynard’s tail. The cat miaowed.
    The answering machine beeped, and a piano played. “‘We’re poor little lambs, who’ve lost our way.…’” Lena frowned and sat down, and the familiar words poured from the tape.
    We’re little black sheep who’ve gone astray.…
    Gentlemen rankers out on the spree,
    Damned from here to Eternity,
    God ha’ mercy on such as we.…
    Maynard squirmed out of Lena’s arms, hind claws catching her left wrist and leaving a livid, bleeding scratch. Lena did not notice.
    She saw Whitney, as clearly as if she’d been on the couch beside her, standing on the darkened stage, hair soft and silky on her shoulders. Lena had sat in the audience, fists clenched, nervous.
    Whitney had hated auditions. She’d thrown up twice the night before. The play she’d been auditioning for was a musical; Lena could not remember what. Whitney had wanted to do something different, had wanted to stand out from the rows of pretty girls doing a number from South Pacific . She was going to put Kipling to music, and she’d sung a medley of Kipling ballads, starting with the little lost lambs. Lena had