Steve Demaree - Dekker 09 - Murder on a Blind Date Read Online Free PDF Page A

extra. Or the kidnapper did. But you're right about silos. Most of them
don't come with a fireplace. So, what's our next move?"
    "Well,
I made Lou promise to send me a picture of the dead couple and then hightail it
out of there, even if he has to make his own door on his way out."
    "Maybe
the walls are made of steel. Could be that's how the dead guy died. I assume
that the dead guy isn't anyone Lou knows."
    "I
don't think so. I know most everyone he knows, so I should know as soon as he
sends me the picture."
    "Maybe
you should call him back, have him take a few pictures of the place where he's
staying. Could be you might recognize one of the pictures on the wall, or one
of the end tables. Maybe we can have someone there in five minutes."
    "Unless
he's in Iowa ."
    "You're
right. It would take longer in Iowa . Do
you realize how many silos they have in that state?"
    I told
George he could think about that while I waited to receive a picture from Lou.
I hoped Lou was coherent enough that he would remember to take a picture of the
couple's faces. Arms and legs aren't that good in identifying someone, unless
that someone has a tattoo no one else has.
      
        

6
     
     
    I
received a picture from Lou almost as soon as I hung up from talking to George.
If the guy whose picture he sent me wasn't dead yet, then he was a good actor.
I didn't know who he was. I had no idea if he was Heather's cousin's friend's
friend, or whoever it was she told me was missing, and if the dead girl was his
blind date.
    I called
George back to let him know that I received the picture from Lou and was
sending it on to him. He said if I didn't recognize the guy then he doubted if
he would recognize him either. I reminded George that he was the one still
working for the police department and asked him to see what he could do to
identify the guy, and to see if he could identify the young lady, too.
    It was my
afternoon for phone calls. Next on my list was my friend Sam Schumann, the best
guy I knew for getting me information, and another guy who still worked for the
Hilldale Police Department.
    "This
is Sam I am, dining on green eggs and ham."
    "You
mean you eat that stuff this time of day?"
    "Cy,
what caused you to call me on a Sunday, you, the retired guy that you
are."
    "Sam,
I don't know how to tell you this, but Lou has been kidnapped."
    "So,
is the celebration at your house? What time?"
    "I'm
serious, Sam."
    "And
you thought I wasn't. So, what do you mean by kidnapped?"
    "I
realize that you've only been with the police department a little over twenty
years, but kidnapping is sort of like one or more people taking another person
without their permission."
    "So,
it's not like his girlfriend has him at her place?"
    "No,
but she'd like to."
    "Okay,
spill it."
    I filled
him in on what Lou told me.
    "Any
idea who might have done it?"
    "No,
but I have an idea of a couple of people who didn't."
    "I
can probably add two or three to that list myself."
    "But
my two people are dead."
    "I
can add some of those names, too."
    "Yeah,
but do you have any pictures of your people newly dead?"
    "You
got me there, Cy. You win. You want to enlighten me again?"
    I told Sam
I would send him a picture of the dead couple, so I could see if he could
identify them before George did.
    "And
Sam, you're our expert at the department on gadgets. Is there any way you can
check on Lou's phone and tell me where he called from?"
    "You
mean the kidnapper is sort of like the police department, let him make one
call?"
    "The
kidnapper skipped out for a little bit. Left Lou alone with the dead bodies."
    "So
they tied Lou up with his phone in his hand?"
    "They
didn't tie him, and before you ask, the reason Lou hasn't left is because he
couldn't find any doors in the place."
    "Cy,
you aren't doing your April Fool's joke early this year, are you?"
    "No,
and I don't think Lou is, either. The couple in the picture look dead. And Lou
has already eliminated himself from the suspect list."
    I