The Shadow Hunter Read Online Free PDF Page B

amscrayed.”
    “Any close calls?”
    “The police got there a little faster than I expected. I had to get out through a rear door. Otherwise, no sweat.” She smiled.
    “Just another day at the office.”
    “What was the date on the suicide note?”
    “Wednesday, March twenty-third.”
    “Tomorrow.”
    “Right.”
    “You stopped him just in time.”
    “Looks that way”
    “You saved a lot of lives, Abby.”
    “Yeah. Maybe if I save enough of them, I can make up for the one I didn’t save.” She sighed.
    “So what’s the story, Paul? Tell me all about Mr. Raymond Hickle.”
    “He’s thirty-four, Caucasian, never married. Lives alone, no pets, low income. Works in Zack’s Donut Shack at Pico and Fairfax.”
    “Behind the counter or in the kitchen?”
    “Little of both, but mostly behind the counter.”
    “Acceptable social skills, then.”
    “Within limits, yes. He doesn’t go around muttering to himself or flashing kids in playgrounds.”
    “Too bad. If he did, we could get him off the street.”
    “It won’t be that easy. As a matter of fact, he’s highly recommended by his previous employers—at least the ones we could track down. There have been quite a few. Those we talked to say Ray Hickle’s the best employee they ever had.”
    “Then wh/d they let him go?”
    “He quit. Invariably it was his decision.”
    “Why?”
    “Because they offered him a promotion. That seems to be the trigger.”
    “What kind of promotion?”
    “To a supervisory position. The guy is afraid of responsibility, apparently.”
    Abby shook her head.
    “No, I don’t think so. Tell me about the other jobs he’s held.”
    “Strictly entrylevel positions. Carwash attendant, movie theater ticket taker, dishwasher at a coffee shop, clerk in a photo store, janitor in an office high-rise.”
    “Common denominator—not much thinking required.
    You learn the basics, then go through the motions.
    If you’re elevated to supervisor, you have to start thinking.”
    “I don’t believe this guy’s dumb.”
    “Didn’t say he was. I’m saying he wants to leave his mind free to think about something other than his job.
    Something like Kris Barwood, la’s number-one news anchor… and Hickle’s one true love.”
    “And the one client TPS absolutely cannot afford to lose.”
    “Really? Why?”
    “Because right now she’s the only media person we’ve got on our side.
    Channel Eight hasn’t joined the feeding frenzy. She won’t let them.
    She keeps saying the firm has gotten a bum rap. She’s said it publicly. If she ditches us, we’re cooked.”
    Abby caught on.
    “On the other hand/ if TPS resolves the situation without incident, and Channel Eight plays it up big…”
    “It would go a long way toward rebuilding our client list. Yes.” He frowned, as if embarrassed to have been drawn out on this subject.
    “So give me more details, get me up to speed.”
    “Hickle started sending Kris personal letters about five months ago.
    Our screening process intercepted them. At first they raised no alarm.
    They were fan letters, nothing special.”
    “Signed?”
    “Yes. He’s always signed his name. Even included a snapshot of himself, like something you’d submit to a dating service. He’s never tried to hide who he is.”
    “Which doesn’t make him any less dangerous.” Abby knew that people who stalked celebrities rarely concerned themselves with anonymity. On the contrary, they wanted their famous target to know exactly who they were. And if the time came for a violent attack, they wanted the whole world to know.
    “He kept requesting a photo,” Travis said, “so we allowed KPTI to send him a color glossy of Kris with a fake autograph, but no inscription.
    We didn’t want to encourage him with anything he might interpret as a personal response.”
    “Okay.” All standard, so far.
    “Unfortunately, he didn’t go away, as we hoped. Instead, he started writing longer, more in-depth letters, the kind of