Stormrage Read Online Free PDF

stuffed toy.
    "So what did you find that connects all of this to Shevlin?" Raven asked.
    Levac opened his notepad and began flipping through the crinkled pages.
    "The woman's name was Christina Shevlin," he said. "She was Zack's little sister. Her birthday was last night. Shevlin ordered the flowers and had them delivered before noon yesterday, Christina ordered the Chinese at 7:00pm last night.
    "So we can place her death after t hat," Aspen interjected. "It's hard to get an accurate time of death though. The water was still warm so her liver temp is going to be off."
    "After seven is at least something to go on. Run a calculation on how fast the water should have lost heat, that should give us a better T.O.D.," Raven said. "Anything else?"
    Aspen nodded and opened her own notebook, which had a pentacle on the front.
    "I found hair that matched Shevlin's perfectly. The doc will want me to run it through the stereo microscope, but I am certain it was him sleeping in the guest room. And I found something else."
    "What?' Raven asked, looking down at the diminutive technician.
    "You're not going to like it, Ray," she said.
    Raven lowered her sunglasses again and glared at the smaller woman, her eyes flaring green. "Spit it out, kid!"
    "I didn't find any Thirs t in Christina's body," Aspen said without taking a breath.
    Raven blinked in surprise and raised her sunglasses. "None? None at all? But she shows all the signs of an overdose!"
    "I know!" Aspen said, backing away slightly from the angry detective. "But she tested clean. Whatever killed her, it wasn't Thirst addiction. I will run another test when I get back to the lab, but I would bet anything she was clean as a whistle. Not even caffeine in her system."
    Raven shook her head and glared at the house from behind her sunglasses. It was supposed to provide answers, not more puzzles.
    "Aspen, rerun the tests and have Shevlin double checked as well," she said. "I want to be absolutely certain there is no Thirst in his system before I go opening old wounds."
    "You got it boss," Aspen replied.
    "What's our move, Ray?" Levac asked, stuffing his notebook back into his pocket.
    "I need a hotdog," Raven replied, walking toward the driver's door. "You coming?"
    Levac laughed and climbed into the Shelby. Raven started the engine and pulled away from the curb. As they drove, Levac leaned closer to his partner.
    "You going to tell me what is eating at you?" he asked.
    "Part of me really wants this to be Thirst related. Those dealers and I have unfinished business," Raven replied. "That shit put a thirteen year old girl in the psych ward, stuck in a nightmare with no way out. There is nothing I or anyone can do for her, but put a bullet in her brainpan."
    " You knew the girl, didn't you?" Levac asked in gentle tones.
    Raven nodded and accelerated around a slow-moving delivery truck, narrowly missing an oncoming taxi.
    "She was my adopted little sister from the Big Sisters program," she said. "Her name was…is…Nicole. She's the reason I beat a dealer to death."
    "I'm sorry , Raven," Levac said. "I didn't know."
    "You couldn't hav e. Hold tight, lunch is on me," Raven said with a soft smile.
    The afternoon was turning dark and Raven had turned the Shelby's lights on against the growing afternoon gloom as she guided the car through the growing traffic. Though it was still early, it was almost full dark when Raven pulled the muscle-car into the parking lot of Wonderdawgs. She backed the car into her usual spot facing the main street and climbed out, shrugging into a leather long-coat against the increasing chill.
    "You want the usual?" she asked Levac before she closed the door.
    "Yep. I'm going to check in with Frost and let him know what we've got."
    "See i f Zhu has anything for us, too," Raven said. "I will be right back."
    Raven closed the door and crossed the lot, shivering in her coat. She barely noticed the white minivan parked to the side of the restaurant or the muscle bound man