The Fixer Read Online Free PDF Page B

since we started grad school.” Mike wiped his upper lip and glanced over to Bruiser. “She’s so brilliant. She can make you cry within eight bars of any piece.” He looked over to Richard who kept his gaze on something no one else could see. “But she had a wild side.”
    Mike went on to describe how Meaghan returned from Europe extolling the wonders of heroin. Said she’d tried it in Amsterdam and been flooded with creative awareness unlike any she’d ever experienced. Mike said she’d been after them for months to try it with her. Assured them that if they did it correctly there was no chance for addiction.
    “So you two artistic geniuses decided to pass a boring evening by shooting up a little horse?” DeVilla asked.
    “It wasn’t like that.” Mike went on to explain the three had been out celebrating Meaghan’s invitation to audition for the Seattle Symphony. Dinner in Pioneer Square. They had a few drinks. Walked to Seattle Center. Drank some beers and smoked a little weed. “We were all feeling pretty good.” Mike looked over to the disconnected Richard. “Meaghan pulled out her phone and made a call. Next thing we know some guy’s there. Meaghan slipped him some money and he pulls out three hits of ecstacy.” The frightened musician wiped his hands on his jeans and watched Bruiser’s reaction. The dog held his vigilant poise. “We took them.”
    “It wasn’t ecstacy that killed your friend, Mikey.” Mort leaned forward. “When did you move on to heroin?”
    Mike shook his head and turned terrified eyes to Mort. “We didn’t. I swear to God we didn’t.” He looked back over to Bruiser. “Rich and I were enjoying the ride. Meaghan and this idiot start making out. I mean hot and heavy. I told Rich maybe we should leave but Meaghan just laughs and tells us to stay. That’s when the heroin came out.” Mike’s eyes bounced between Mort and the dog. “Rich and I freaked out. Meaghan and the asshole shot up. Then just sort of lulled about and giggled. It got boring. After about twenty minutes I had to pee real bad. Rich said he’d join me. We went off to find a bathroom and decided, what the hell. We caught a cab and went home.”
    Mort had enough interrogation experience to know when he was hearing the truth. He glanced over to Jimmy and saw the Chief of Forensics felt the same way.
    “This guy who showed up,” Mort asked. “He got a name?”
    Mike trembled and dropped his eyes.
    “Satan.” Richard turned his tear-stained face toward Mort. “He introduced himself as Satan.”
     
    A few minutes past three Jimmy’s SUV was parked across the street from the waterfront home of Angelo Satanell. Mort sat shotgun and watched the front door of the faux Georgian McMansion.
    “You think Junior’s in there?” Jimmy glanced behind to see Bruiser sleeping in the back seat. “He’s got his own condo downtown.”
    Mort kept his gaze on the house. “He thinks he’s partying. Playing the street tough with the artistic types. Girl ends up overdosing on shit he provides. He panics like the piss ant he is and shoves her body behind a dumpster.” Mort looked back to his friend. “No way he goes to his place. He heads straight to Daddy and wraps himself up in all that high-priced lawyering.”
    Jim shook his head. “Angelo’s been bailing his ass out since high school. Remember when Junior broke into the church to steal the communion wine? What was he, all of fourteen?”
    Mort nodded. “Playing the street hood even then. Angelo had three lawyers down at the courthouse before we brought him in. How about the girl he beat up two years ago?”
    “First time I heard him call himself ‘Satan’. Daddy had her bought off and changing her story while she was still in the emergency room.” Jim clicked his teeth and Bruiser sprang to attention. “Let’s go, big guy. Time to talk to the devil.”
     
    The liveried maid’s eyes widened when she saw Bruiser. Her hesitancy disappeared when Jim and