The Summerland Read Online Free PDF

five years.
    Ashton shifted in his chair, the oil-hungry springs squealing in protest. “Before you ask, I don’t know why I think that, I just do. To top it off, we have about a dozen different networks here wanting to know what’s up with the “Yosemite” murders, even though there’s no evidence this took place in the Park. And now I have you, who no doubt wants to come in and take over this investigation for the betterment of mankind and to save the local populace from the bumbling attempts of the Sheriff’s Department. Sound good so far?”
    Drebin grinned. “OK, now that we’re up to speed, let’s move forward. May I?” he asked, gesturing toward the duffel bag on the floor.
    Ashton hesitated, then snorted, “What the hell. It’s gotta be related. Nobody who carries that much cash can be clean.” He hefted the duffel bag onto the desk. Drebin slowly unzipped the bag and whistled, long and low, over it’s contents. The Sheriff bit back an ironic smile, remembering his same reaction to seeing that amount of green.
    “ Okay, I’ll bite. How is this related to your dead girls?” Drebin casually reached into a pile on the desk, removing a latex glove and snapped it on. Idly running a hand over a bound stack of twenty-dollar bills. He looked up sharply as Ashton paused, a little testy at the man’s deliberative response.
    “ Well,” he began slowly, “It started out with an abandoned car in a rest area with that bag in the front seat and a cell phone in the pocket. Our local tow truck driver takes it home to supplement his income, then gets a nasty call from the ‘victim’ of the theft. He freaked out and brought the thing to me.” Bill shook his shaggy brown head. “I dunno what the hell to think. I took a look at the car, nothing out of the ordinary, except it’s registered to an Air Force officer stationed in L.A. who reported it stolen yesterday. She’s on her way here ‘cause the cell phone is her sister’s. This lady sounded pissed and scared, so I’m not sure where that’s going.
    “ I don’t like the fact that a woman has disappeared and left a whole shitload of money in the front seat of a convertible, for God’s sake.” As his speech progressed, Ashton’s voice became less careful, rougher, more emotional. “I especially don’t like the fact that this is all happening the day after I find five dead girls on the side of a fucking mountain. It’s too much of a coincidence. This is my home, Agent Drebin, and I didn’t think it could happen here. We all had blinders on.”
    Drebin shook his head emphatically, denying Ashton’s guilt. “I’m here to tell you it can happen anywhere, anytime. I’m not sure how this bag ties in, or even if it does, but let’s keep an open mind, okay? As for the rest,” he paused and looked the Sheriff straight in the eye. “Are we agreed that this is your case for the time being, and I’m just here to assist?” At Ashton’s nod he continued.
    “ I’ll need to see pictures and the actual crime scene to get a feel for the mind behind this. I’ll also need background on each of the victims, if you have it.” He took one look at Ashton’s face and shrugged. “No IDs huh? Well, we’ll just work with what we’ve got. You said that they were shot execution style?” The Sheriff nodded, but there was something about the way he did it that caught Drebin’s eye. “What? Don’t waffle on me. Give me all you’ve got.”
    “ OK, but this is the part that we keep close to the vest, okay? We found green silk fibers around and on Jane Doe Five, and it looks like each of the bodies were placed in a pattern of some kind. Some of them were so scattered it was hard to tell, but once the crime lab guys knew what they were looking for they found it easily enough. Combine the fact that the scenes were so neat, other than the effects of time, with the single gunshot to the head and it seems much more like an A-type personality. He’s too neat. At