Thicker Than Water Read Online Free PDF

paperwork for a freaking month if she hears about this.”
    Julie was pawing through the open bag as the cop shoved her out into the hallway. He caught sight of Sean. “You with her?”
    â€œI’m just waiting for a statement.” Sean held up both hands, backing off.
    â€œStay out here.” The cop glanced at the camera bag. “And no photos.”
    â€œYes, sir.”
    Julie was still digging through the purse. “Hey, hey, wait a minute. Where are my keys?”
    Both cops turned. They did not look amused. Probably had visions of that paperwork mountain and an unpleasant session with their superiors dancing in their heads, Sean thought. He knew Lieutenant Jackson, and they were right. She would have them buried in paperwork for this.
    Jones went through the items in the purse, taking them out one by one. A cell phone, a pack of gum, a business card case, an earring. “I can’t find my keys,” she said again.
    â€œJesus, lady, are you saying you lost ‘em in here?”
    She searched all of her pockets. Made a big production about it, Sean thought. “I had them. And now I don’t. That’s all I know.”
    One cop closed his eyes, sighing and shaking his head.
    The other one was talking fast. “What do they look like?”
    â€œThe key ring is silver, in the shape of my initials. J. J. It’s got several keys on it. House, office, garage, file cabinet, my car, my daughter’s Jeep.”
    As she kept talking, the other cop got back on the floor, looking underneath the chairs, shaking his head in disgust when he found nothing.
    The other one said, “Look, if we find your keys, we’ll get ‘em to you, okay? That’s the best we can do for you, lady, and lemme tell you right now, if you breathe a word to anyone about this, I’ll see to it you never get any kind of cooperation from our department again. No tips, no exclusives, no press releases, and we’ll keep you so far away from crime scenes from now on that you’ll have watch someone else’s news show to get the details.” He glanced at Sean. “That goes for both of you. Understand?”
    â€œYes. Yes, of course I do,” Julie said quickly. “Thank you, Officer. I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m so sorry.” She yanked the card case from her purse again, took out a card and handed it to him. “When you find the keys, just call me, all right?”
    He muttered something unintelligible.
    The other cop came forward. “Look, go wait in the lobby. Homicide and Forensics are on the way. I want you two out of here.”
    â€œCan’t we at least get a statement?” Sean asked. And hecouldn’t figure out why she hadn’t asked it first. Was she that rusty when it came to actual reporting? The elevator pinged and opened, and several plainclothes cops got out, including the one Sean thought of as the sexiest cop on the force—and maybe also the scariest—blond-haired, blue-eyed Lieutenant Cassandra Jackson.
    â€œYou want a statement?” she asked, honing in on the conversation as she strode toward the room. “Here’s your statement. ‘An unidentified man was found dead in the Armory Hotel. Police suspect foul play and an investigation is underway.’”
    Sean had started to write, then lifted his head. “That’s it? ”
    â€œThat’s it.”
    â€œOh, come on, Jax. It’s Senator Blackwood’s lowlife brother, and his throat’s been cut!”
    â€œThat’s Lieutenant Jackson to you.” She took his camera bag from his hand, took out the camera and easily popped open the back. A second later his film was hanging from her hands like crepe paper. She stuffed it into the deep pockets of her olive drab trench coat. “Cause of death will be determined at the autopsy. The identity is unofficial until next of kin are notified and come in to verify