Vengeance Road Read Online Free PDF

at a cop for it?”
    Silence hissed in his ear.
    â€œWhy ask me?” the caller asked.
    â€œI figured you might know something. I’m poking around everywhere.”
    Another stretch of silence passed.
    â€œListen,” Gannon said, “I need to confirm what I’ve learned. I think the suspect’s initial’s are K.S. and I need to clarify some details.”
    After considering the situation, the caller said, “Jack, you have to guarantee that you will protect the source of this information.”
    â€œYou have my word.”
    â€œYou don’t give my name to anyone.”
    â€œThat’s right.”
    â€œIt’s true. Your information is solid.”
    He stared at nothing. His breathing quickened.
    â€œAnd this is from inside the investigation?” Gannon asked.
    â€œAbsolutely. I was at a case meeting today.”
    â€œWho’s the cop?”
    â€œA detective with the Ascension Park Police Department.”
    â€œGot a name for me?”
    â€œKarl Styebeck.”
    Gannon thumbed the cap off of his pen, found a fresh page in his notebook and started writing, oblivious to the newsroom activity.
    Styebeck.
    â€œI’ve heard his name before,” Gannon said.
    â€œCheck your archives, he’s some kind of hero.”
    â€œYou’re absolutely sure we can go with this in the paper?”
    â€œDead certain.”
    â€œThank you.”
    Pen clamped between his teeth, Gannon launched into a search of the Sentinel’ s news databases, the archives of every community newspaper in the region, the Web site of the Ascension Park Police Department and various community sites online.
    Soon, he had enough from community papers for a short biography.
    Karl Styebeck was a decorated twelve-year veteran whocoached children’s sports teams, volunteered for charity runs and gave stranger-awareness talks in Ascension Park schools. On Sundays, he went to church with his wife, Alice, and their son, Taylor. Occasionally, he sang in the choir.
    This guy’s a saint.
    Several years back Styebeck was off duty, returning from a Bills game, when he came upon a house fire. He’d rushed into the burning building and rescued four children. They’d been left alone by their parents who’d gone to a casino at the Falls. For his bravery, Styebeck was awarded a Chief’s Citation.
    Now he’s suspected of murdering a nursing student.
    Gannon had to confirm his information with the state police.
    He called Clarence Barracks and asked them to convey an urgent message to Michael Brent, the lead investigator.
    â€œWhat does this concern?” the duty trooper asked.
    â€œInformation about the Hogan homicide.”
    â€œI’ll pass your message to him.”
    Five minutes later, Gannon’s line rang.
    â€œThis is Mike Brent, New York State Police.”
    â€œThanks for getting back to me. Sir, I’m seeking your reaction for a story we’re preparing for tomorrow’s Sentinel that will report that Detective Karl Styebeck, of the Ascension Park Police Department, is the suspect in the murder of Bernice Hogan.”
    Brent let several moments of icy silence pass.
    â€œI cannot confirm your information,” Brent said.
    â€œIs my information wrong?”
    Silence.
    â€œI would hold off writing anything like that and save yourself a lot of grief.”
    â€œWhat? I’m sorry, I don’t understand.”
    â€œI can’t confirm your information.”
    â€œBut you don’t deny it?”
    â€œI think we’re done here.”
    â€œSir, you have not denied the information that Styebeck is a suspect.”
    Brent hung up.
    Gannon circled the few notes he’d taken from Brent and weighed matters. Brent wouldn’t have warned him to hold off if his information was wrong. Because if it was wrong Brent wouldn’t have cared, which told Gannon that his information had to be dead on the money.
    No way was he