You Only Die Twice Read Online Free PDF Page B

could use a stiff drink. I’m headed home after this. You expecting somebody?”
    â€œNo.” I took out the Jack Daniel’s. “How’s this?”
    â€œPerfect. Nothing on the side.” He looked puzzled. “What’s with you, kid? Didn’t you ever learn to check who it is before you open your door in the middle-a the night? You of all people.”
    â€œYou’re right. I wasn’t thinking.”
    We sat across from each other at my kitchen table, him with his booze, me with my milk, our notebooks in front of us, the air electric. I love these moments.
    â€œI knew you’d do it.” I smiled as we raised our glasses in mutual salute. “Who is she?”
    He took a swallow, then sighed. “A Miami native, born and raised.”
    â€œWow. How come nobody identified her sooner?”
    â€œBecause the corpse we fished outa the drink that day was a dead woman.” Fondly, he contemplated the amber liquid in his glass, prolonging the moment.
    â€œSo? We knew that.” I frowned and put my pen down.
    â€œShe was a murder victim…”
    â€œEmery,” I implored impatiently.
    â€œâ€¦more than ten years ago. She was already dead.” His deliberate gaze met mine. “Ran her prints again, this time through local employment records. Came back a hit. Her prints positively identify her as Kaithlin Ann Jordan, murdered in 1991.”

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    â€œBut that’s impossible!” I gasped. “She’d only been dead a few hours. Did you notify her next of kin?”
    â€œNot yet.” His eyes glittered. “That would be the lady’s husband, and he’s sitting on death row as we speak. Been there ever since he was convicted of her murder.”
    My jaw must have dropped.
    â€œIn fact,” he said, “he lost his final appeal, and the governor signed his death warrant last month. He’s set for execution next week. Obviously that ain’t gonna happen now. All of a sudden, the man’s got himself a future.”
    I shook my head in disbelief. “Incredible! What a close call. Did you say Jordan?”
    He nodded. “High-profile case. Big headlines. Bigbucks. He’s the Miami department-store heir—you know, Jordan’s.”
    â€œOf course!” I nearly spit up my milk. “My mother worked at Jordan’s! I was just out of J-school, not at the News yet, but I remember the stories and everybody talking about it. She was killed upstate somewhere, right? They never found the body.”
    â€œNow we know why,” Rychek said. “At the time, they figured he dumped her in the Gulf Stream or buried her up in the woods where he used to hunt. From what I hear, they had more than enough to convict.”
    â€œBut he didn’t do it,” I whispered. “My God, what an injustice. He’ll be a free man.”
    â€œCorrectamundo. He didn’t kill her, but he’s damn lucky somebody did. Her murder saved his ass.”
    â€œYou’re sure it’s the same woman?”
    â€œYou kidding? Think I was happy? I had ’em recheck the prints three times. They finally gave me the fingerprint cards and I checked ’em myself.”
    â€œWhat a story!”
    â€œHelluva story,” he agreed, and rolled his eyes. Mine flew to the clock. Too late. The final had gone to press.
    â€œWho else knows?” I demanded, mind racing. “When is this gonna break? It’s too late to get the story in the paper until Sunday. I’d hate to see TV beat us.”
    He shrugged. “It’ll probably hit the fan sometime tomorrow. Couldn’t catch hold of Jordan’s lawyer right away. He’s in trial over in Tampa. Gotta touch base with him first thing in the morning. Already broke the news to the prosecutor who convicted him. Poor bastard built his reputation on winning that case. Ain’t easy to get the death penalty without a corpse, especially in a high-profile