The Arx Read Online Free PDF

help.”
    “There’s nothing you could have done. If anyone’s to blame it’s the police, for not putting a watch on her. What did they think would happen after the most precious thing in her life was taken away…?” Her voice began to break.
    “Sorry.” He looked up. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
    “Thank you for your concern.” She fished a tissue from her purse and dabbed at her eyes. “I’m glad you came back. I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot in our first meeting. I hope you understand that my only interest is in helping you. Why don’t you go on in and make an appointment with Judy. I can recommend somebody…”
    “I’m not here about that.”
    “Then what…?”
    “Would it be okay if I walk with you for a minute?”
    “I don’t feel comfortable talking to you like this, Frank. Make an appointment.”
    “Look, I know I’ve got a few problems, but I’m not crazy. I want to try to get to the bottom of what happened to Gloria. I feel like I owe her that much.”
    She glanced over his shoulder. He turned to look. A beat cop was crossing the street headed toward them.
    “Everything okay, Ms. Hanon?” the cop asked on arrival.
    Frank understood the situation. “I’m harmless,” he said to Rebecca, with what he hoped was an innocent-looking smile. “I just want to ask you a couple of questions.”
    The cop raised an eyebrow and looked at her. She hesitated.
    “Everything’s fine,” she finally said. “Thanks.”
    The cop nodded and walked away.
    She started walking and Frank joined her.
    “Have the press finally quit hanging around?” he asked.
    “It doesn’t take long for them to latch onto something new,” she answered. “Especially once the story’s been nicely wrapped up in a bow.”
    “They tell me Stocker’s planning to close the case.”
    Her face hardened. “I’ve been trying to decide how to fight that decision.”
    They walked in silence for half a block.
    Finally Rebecca spoke. “Look, Frank. I hope you won’t take offense. I appreciate you wanting to help Gloria, but you have your own issues. They should be your priority right now.”
    “Hey, investigating crime is what I did for a living for fifteen years. It’s what I am. Who knows?” he smiled. “It might even be good therapy for me.”
    Rebecca studied the pavement as she walked. Finally she stopped and faced him. “I don’t believe for a second that Gloria had anything to do with Ralphie’s death. He was her reason for living. She would never have done anything to harm him.” She turned back and continued walking.
    “I guess once a cop, always a cop,” Frank said. “When I was on the job they always said I had a nose for the truth. When I interviewed Gloria my nose told me she was innocent.”
    They turned onto Mainland Street. The west side of the block featured a raised brick sidewalk that was crowded with cafes. The boulevard bustled with the lunchtime crowd.
    They reached a sidewalk café called the Downtown Bistro .
    “Why don’t you join me?” Rebecca said.
    The sun was shining. They sat down at an empty table. Frank fished a pack of cigarettes out of his shirt pocket, saw Rebecca’s expression, and put it back. A waiter brought them both coffee and took Rebecca’s order.
    “You should eat,” Rebecca said. “I’ll even buy.”
    Frank shook his head.
    He took a sip of coffee. “One thing keeps bugging me,” he said. “Why Gloria? Why that kid in particular? Her apartment’s fifteen floors up. There’s security in the building. There must be hundreds of babies living in houses at street level or in ground floor basement suites with badly latched windows – places with a lot easier access. Why go after that particular baby?”
    “Maybe it was just a crime of opportunity. Someone in the building became fixated on Gloria and Ralphie. I saw that kind of thing when I was working in therapy. Anything can trigger it: a chance look, a way of dress, even a hairstyle.”
    “Maybe.