The Right Call Read Online Free PDF

must’ve been finding him that way.”
    Ethan waited for Drew to respond, but he didn’t say anything. Had he heard her? Was he too bleary-eyed to respond? Or was he just not in the mood to talk?
    Vanessa set a mug of hot water and a tea bag of front of Drew and another in front of Ethan. She poured a mug for herself and sat at the table next to Ethan.
    “I was telling Vanessa that I’m going to hang out here with you for a few days.” Ethan put the tea bag in the hot water, then wrapped his hands around the mug and relished the warmth, remembering that he and Drew had very different ideas about where to set the thermostat. “I’ve already told Uncle Ralph and Aunt Gwen what I’m doing.”
    “Are they mad?”
    “Of course not. They’re worried about you, Drew. In spite of everything, you are their nephew.”
    “Try telling that to Dad.”
    Ethan lifted his gaze. “Maybe you should. God uses bad things for good. Maybe He wants you to take this opportunity to help build a bridge.”
    “Not tonight He doesn’t. You have no idea what I’ve been through.”
    “I know I don’t. It had to have been horrific.” Ethan poked the tea bag with his spoon and watched the hot water turn a deeper shade of green. The last thing he wanted to do was say the wrong thing and add to Drew’s trauma. “When you hurt, I hurt. That’s just the way it is.”
    Drew’s expression softened. He fished the tea bag out of the mug and set it on a napkin. “I don’t know why anyone would want to kill Tal. He was the life of the party. Everyone liked him.”
    “Maybe it was just random,” Vanessa said. “It was late, and he was walking by himself. Maybe some punks were out looking for trouble.”
    “Exactly,” Ethan chimed in. “He could’ve just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. You said yourself there’re a lot of unsavory-looking characters in Henry’s neighborhood. Maybe one of them followed Tal.”
    Drew blew on his tea. “Then why didn’t they steal his wallet or his iPhone? The police said his wallet had almost two hundred dollars in it.”
    “Maybe someone killed him for kicks,” Ethan said. “It was dangerous to be out walking alone in that part of town.” Shut up. You’re just making it worse.
    Drew sighed and looked out the window. “I told him that. The last thing he said to me was that if anything happened to him, I could have his Hummer. How’s that for ironic?”
    Ethan leaned forward on his elbows. “You think he knew someone was after him?”
    “Nah. He was just clowning around when he threw me the keys.”
    “Did you tell my mom that?” Vanessa said.
    “Yes, I told your mom everything.”
    Ethan took a sip of tea. “So is the Hummer yours?”
    “Doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t drive it now if you paid me.”
    “Did the police impound it?”
    Drew shrugged. “I assume they did. Tal’s dad will probably take it. I sure don’t want it.”

    “Mr. Davison, please try to calm down,” Brill said. “I understand how upset you must be about your son, but raising your voice won’t make things happen faster.”
    Win Davison glared at her. “Why aren’t you out looking for Tal’s killer instead of asking me all these questions?”
    “Sir, we’re gathering facts,” Brill said. “And I do have police officers knocking on doors in the four- and five-hundred blocks of Stoneleigh between your son’s apartment and where his cell phone was found. We also questioned his roommate at length.”
    Davison rolled his eyes. “According to Tal, his roommate always had his head in a book. I doubt a geek like that would notice a murderer if he stood in the doorway with a gun in his hand.”
    “Are you aware that Drew Langley heard your son collapse—and tried to save his life?”
    “Tried, yes—and failed.”
    Brill bit her lip. That was cold . “Drew’s attempt was heroic, Mr. Davison. I’m sure the trauma of giving mouth-to-mouth to a dying friend is a memory he’ll never