Vanish Read Online Free PDF Page A

visit.”
    “At approximately two thirty P.M., we—my partner, Detective Barry Frost, and I—arrived at
    that address to interview a tenant in apartment two-B.”
    “In regards to what?”
    “It was in regards to a homicide investigation. The subject in two-B was an acquaintance of the
    victim.”
    “So he—or she—was not a suspect in that particular case?”
    “No, sir. We did not consider her to be a suspect.”
    “And what happened then?”
    “We had just knocked on the door to two-B when we heard a woman screaming. It came from
    the apartment across the hall. In two-E.”
    “Could you describe the screams?”
    “I guess I would characterize them as screams of severe distress. Fear. And we heard several
    loud bangs, as though furniture was being overturned. Or someone was being slammed against
    the floor.”
    “Objection!” The defense attorney, a tall blond woman, rose to her feet. “Pure speculation. She
    wasn’t in the apartment to see that.”
    “Sustained,” the judge said. “Detective Rizzoli, please refrain from guessing about events you
    couldn’t possibly see.”
    Even if it wasn’t just a frigging guess? Because that’s exactly what was happening. Billy
    Wayne Rollo was slamming his girlfriend’s head against the floor.
    Jane swallowed her irritation and amended her statement. “We heard a loud banging in the
    apartment.”
    “And what did you do then?”
    “Detective Frost and I immediately knocked on the door to two-E.”
    “Did you identify yourselves as police officers?”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “And what happened—”
    “That’s a fucking lie,” said the defendant. “They never said they were cops!”
    Everyone looked at Billy Wayne Rollo; he was looking only at Jane.
    “You will remain silent, Mr. Rollo,” the judge ordered.
    “But she’s a liar.”
    “Counsel, either control your client or he will be ejected from this courtroom.”
    “Shhh, Billy,” the defense attorney murmured. “This is not helping.”
    “All right,” the judge said. “Mr. Spurlock, you may continue.”
    The assistant DA nodded and turned back to Jane. “What happened after you knocked on the
    door to two-E?”
    “There was no answer. But we could still hear the screaming. The banging. We made the joint
    decision that a life was in danger, and that we needed to enter the apartment with or without
    consent.”
    “And did you enter?”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “They kicked my fucking door down!” said Rollo.
    “Silence, Mr. Rollo!” the judge snapped, and the defendant slouched back in his chair, his gaze
    burning on Jane.
    Stare at me all you want, jerk. You think you scare me?
    “Detective Rizzoli,” said Spurlock, “what did you see inside that apartment?”
    Jane turned her attention back to the assistant DA. “We saw a man and a woman. The woman
    was lying on her back. Her face was severely bruised, and her lip was bleeding. The man was
    crouched over her. He had both his hands around her neck.”
    “Is that man now sitting in this courtroom?”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “Please point him out.”
    She pointed to Billy Wayne Rollo.
    “What happened then?”
    “Detective Frost and I pulled Mr. Rollo off the woman. She was still conscious. Mr. Rollo
    resisted us, and in the scuffle, Detective Frost received a heavy blow to the abdomen. Mr.
    Rollo then fled the apartment. I gave chase and followed him into the stairwell. There I was
    able to apprehend him.”
    “By yourself?”
    “Yes, sir.” She paused. Added, without any attempt at humor: “After he fell down the stairs.
    He appeared to be quite intoxicated.”
    “She fucking pushed me!” said Rollo.
    The judge slammed down his gavel. “I have heard enough out of you! Bailiff, please remove
    the defendant.”
    “Your honor.” The defense attorney rose. “I will keep him under control.”
    “You haven’t done a very good job of it so far, Ms. Quinlan.”
    “He’ll be quiet now.” She looked at her client. “ Won’t