The Good Daughter Read Online Free PDF

days later, I found myself in another foster home. The father was right. No one listened.”
    “What happened to that boy?”
    “How would I know?”
    “You didn’t check? Later, when you were grown?”
    He felt the same frustration that had choked him first as a kid, then as a cop who’d been ten years too late to save Peter. Staring out her window, he swallowed hard. “Peter killed himself when he was fifteen.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    He thought she probably meant it. “It doesn’t help.” He turned to face her. “Being sorry, I mean. I’ve been sorry for twenty-four years and Peter’s still dead.”
    “So you’ve been trying to make up for it ever since.”
    He ground his teeth. “I’m no knight in shining armor.”
    “Some people would say you are.”
    “Not Newcombe.”
    “Tell me what happened between you.”
    No point in discussing it. She could read the file. Newcombe was a thorn in his side and would be until he got the better of Vince, which wasn’t going to happen.
    And he had to find Tino. “It doesn’t matter. Are we through yet?”
    She blinked. “Why?”
    “I’ve got work to do.”
    “You’re on restricted duty.”
    He shrugged one shoulder. “People to see, places to be.”
    “But what’s the rush?”
    He glanced at her. He wasn’t going to tell her about Tino. Newcombe would have a field day knowing he would be meeting with an ex-con buddy. But he needed her goodwill to get back on the job. With a sigh, he forced himself to settle into the chair.
    “You were going to tell me about you and Don,” she prompted.
    Vince shot her an amused grin. “You’re damn persistent, aren’t you?”
    Her generous lips curved. “Be warned, Detective. You might as well give up all your secrets now and save yourself some trouble.”
    Vince found himself caught in that teasing smile,despite how much he wanted out of here— now. “Not much to tell. He had an agenda. I made him look bad. He won’t ever forget it.”
    “He investigated you?”
    Vince nodded. “He was convinced I was taking kickbacks from a couple of pimps to leave their girls alone.”
    “Why would he think that?”
    “Because he was new to the job and didn’t check his facts well enough. He was ambitious and too eager. Hell, he watched Serpico too many times, for all I know. Bottom line is, he screwed up and lost his first big chance for glory. He knows it and I know it. Most of the department does, too. He may have done everything right since then, but he’ll never be able to put that failure completely behind him as long as I’m around to remind him.”
    “He’s done a thorough, careful job when I’ve worked with him.”
    Vince shrugged. “You can believe whatever you want.”
    She seemed troubled. “I can’t imagine—”
    “Your prerogative.” Frustrated and oddly disappointed, he stood up, towering over her. “Doc, I really gotta go.”
    “We’re not through, Detective. You can walk away now, but you’ll just have to come back. Please make an appointment with Wanda for tomorrow.”
    He didn’t have time for this. He planted his palms flat on her blotter, leaning much too close. “Can’t waitto see me, Doc? How about instead I buy you a beer? That way we can really get to know each other.”
    Visibly steeling herself, she held his gaze. “I don’t date clients, Detective.”
    Smiling, he pushed away from her desk. “Well now, that’s good news, isn’t it?” He walked toward the door, pausing before he opened it. “You just go ahead and write your report, then I won’t have to be your client.”
    “Detective.” Her tone commanded him to look at her.
    When he did, he saw exasperation—and resolve. “I take pride in my work, just as you do, and we’re not done. We can make this hard, or we can make this easy. It’s your call.” She followed him to the door.
    He thought about the statement he still had to organize, about searching for Tino, about how he had to get Newcombe off his back.