Wonderland Read Online Free PDF

him.” The wheels in her brain were turning, and despite her hangover, she was getting a little excited. She had expected things would be quiet in Seaside, but a decomposing body dumped in a public place was an interesting case, for any city. “The Wonder Wheel’s right by the midway, isn’t it?”
    Donnie nodded. “The body was in plain view.”
    “Who caught the case? Maybe I should head over. Homicide’s my specialty, assuming that’s what this is.”
    “It’s Earl’s.” The detective looked at her like she should have known that. “Because it’s Wonderland.”
    “Seriously?” Vanessa was confused. In her experience, the chief of police’s job was largely bureaucratic. She’d never heard of a police chief being a first responder to a crime scene.
    “Earl handles all the Wonderland calls personally,” Donnie said. “Things are done a specific way when it comes to the park.”
    Vanessa’s desk phone rang before she could ask him to elaborate. Thinking it might be Earl, she answered it right away. “Detective Castro,” she said, and across from her, Donnie grinned. “Oops. I mean Deputy Chief Castro.”
    “I’m looking for Carl Weiss.” The man on the other line sounded cross.
    “I’m sorry, he’s retired,” Vanessa said. “This is the new deputy chief. Is there something I can help you with, sir?”
    “Yeah, I’m calling about my son for the three dozenth time. I want to know what you’re doing to find him.”
    “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
    “It’s not my name that matters, lady, it’s my son’s name. Aiden Cole.” The man spelled it, making a point to overenunciate each syllable. Vanessa dutifully wrote it down in her black notebook. “He went missing three years ago and you guys aren’t doing jack shit. He was only eighteen, still a kid. Did you say Carl Weiss is retired? I call that idiot every month for an update, and he didn’t say anything about retiring the last time we talked.”
    Vanessa looked at Donnie and pointed to the files he’d brought with him, mouthing, “Aiden Cole?”
    “Archives,” Donnie mouthed back, shaking his head. “Basement.”
    She nodded. “Carl Weiss retired about a month ago, yes,” she said into the phone.
    “Well, hallelujah.” The man snorted in Vanessa’s ear. “He was absolutely useless, so I’ll take that as good news. I rode that man’s ass like a donkey about Aiden, calling him every month, because god knows he could never be bothered to call me. But then again, why would he? That would mean he had something new, and why would he have something new if he wasn’t working the goddamn case?”
    “I’m sorry, I don’t have the file with me right now,” Vanessa said. “I apologize, it’s my first day. Is it all right if I call you back when I’ve had a chance to look it over?”
    “Are you really going to call?”
    “I give you my word. I’m a parent, too. I have a fourteen-year-old daughter, and I can’t even imagine what you’ve been going through these last three years. I am so sorry.” There was a long silence on the other line, and after a few seconds, Vanessa was beginning to wonder if they’d been disconnected. “Sir?”
    “I’m here,” he said. “Thank you for what you just said. You actually sound like you give a shit.”
    “I do,” she said. “Now can I get your name and phone number?”
    “David Cole.” He sounded less harsh, and he gave her the numbers for his home, office, and cell. “I’m sorry I snapped at you. It’s just, my dealings with Weiss were never productive.”
    “I’m sorry to hear that, Mr. Cole,” Vanessa said. “Give me a day or two to look over the case, and then we can talk about your son more in depth. Does that work?”
    “That’s fine.” His voice faltered. “Well, thank you. I look forward to hearing from you.”
    “We’ll speak soon.” Vanessa disconnected and looked at Donnie, who’d been checking his text messages. “That was David Cole,”