The Equalizer Read Online Free PDF

Affairs?”
    “ No.”
    “ You’re sure that there wasn’t a conflict of any kind with an individual or within in an organization or . . .”
    “ She already answered that,” Jack snapped.
    Then in the doorway appeared a cute little girl about age five. She disappeared, and three seconds later, five children entered the kitchen. The tallest girl, who looked like her father, said, “Mom, what’s going on?”
    It was at that moment I first noticed Eleanor blinking away tears.
    “I’ll tell you shortly, Alicia. Now, please wait in the living room until our business is completed,” Eleanor said.
    “ Why? What’s happened?” Alicia persisted.
    “ Alicia, do as I say.”
    Surprisingly, all five left, but I suppose if a sheriff and a deputy are sitting in your kitchen, even the smallest child knows to comply.
    “ Kids don’t have school today?” I asked.
    “ Teacher workshop day,” she said.
    Jack pulled out the warrant. “Eleanor, we have a search warrant for your house, vehicles, and office.”
    I added, “Phone and bank records, too. The crime lab will stop by the house today. There could be items taken as evidence. You can certainly leave if it’s easier on the children.”
    She looked alarmed. “What would be here?”
    “It’s just routine, Eleanor,” Jack said. “And do you have a key to the office we might borrow?” Jack asked.
    “ There should be a set in the briefcase,” she said.
    Jack opened the case, fingered through, and brought out a set of keys.
    “ Office keys?”
    Eleanor Kohler examined them and pointed out the office front door key.
    “ We’ll return these as soon as possible,” he said jingling the keys, “and I’ll get back to you as soon as we know anything. We can stay until your folks get here,” Jack said.
    “No, I’m sure you have a lot to do,” she said.
    I said, “We’ll probably need to speak with you again, Mrs. Kohler. I’m so sorry for your loss.” I handed her my card and told her if she thought of anything else, to call me.
    Jack rapped his knuckles once on the table. “Okay then.”
    As we left the kitchen, Jack turned to Eleanor and said, “Did I see a new minivan in the driveway?”
    “ We just got it this week.”
    “Did you trade the Town Car in? ”Jack said.
    “No, it’s in the body shop. There was a small dent in the driver’s door.“
    “How did he get the dent?” I asked.
    Eleanor looked at her feet. “I’m not exactly sure,” she said.
    And you wouldn’t ask?
    She was chewing her lower lip. She just wanted us out.
    Jack said, “Eleanor, sorry about this. Ted was a good man.”
    Eleanor nodded, tears resurfacing.
    She closed the door behind us.
    When we left the house I walked over and briefly looked inside the Odyssey. The exterior was immaculate. I knew crime lab would look through it so I walked around to the sheriff’s car and noticed a few pebbles of gravel in the tires. I popped a couple out and placed them in an evidence envelope I had in my pocket.
    I still had the cruiser keys and saw that the sheriff was already sitting in the passenger seat. The man likes a chauffer. I backed out of the driveway. “Now that was the calmest reaction I’ve seen,” I said.
    “ You don’t suspect her, do you?” he asked.
    “ Most people break down. Her tires had gravel stuck in the treads. Where would she pick up gravel in town?” I said.
    “People react differently to sudden death. You can always run by the dairy to check if she was there.”
    “ I will.”
    He shook his head and said, “Let’s go back to put the briefcase into evidence and pass the warrant and the keys off to the Rouch woman. I’d hoped they’d send Jim Wilson instead of her.” He sighed.
    “ Shouldn’t we notify Mrs. Kohler of her son’s death first?”
    “ I’ll do that after you drop yourself off.”
    He didn’t want me along. I glanced up at the house and saw the youngest boy looking out a window. He couldn’t be more than six. I was determined to