Dead Right

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Book: Dead Right by Brenda Novak Read Free Book Online
Authors: Brenda Novak
Tags: Fiction, Mystery
collected these?”
    Mike had long been Madeline’s suspect of choice. A week before her father went missing, the reverend had caught nineteen-year-old Mike smoking pot in the bathroom of the church and turned him in to the authorities. Mike had spouted off a few threats but the circumstantial evidence pointing his way had never been solid enough for police to press charges. Now Mike was in prison for manufacturing crystal meth in his basement, and Madeline was still harassing him with regular letters.
    Grace drew enough breath to speak. Before she could say anything, however, Chief Pontiff interrupted. “We can ask him. He gets home in a few days.”
    â€œA few days?” Irene echoed. “But he still has two years.”
    â€œNot anymore. He’s been granted parole.”
    Grace felt almost sorry for Mike. He had his problems, but he wasn’t a murderer. After a stint in prison, he’d be coming home to another maelstrom of questions about Barker.
    She glanced at Clay, wondering if he was thinking about Mike, too, but saw him staring over their mother’s head at the things on the table. From the veins standing out in his neck, she knew that what he saw bothered him as much as she’d expected. Hooking her arm throughhis, she rubbed her cheek against his shoulder to tell him that the past was behind them, that they couldn’t allow this discovery to ruin the happiness they’d both found.
    â€œHow’s Allie?” she asked to remind him of everything they had to protect.
    He blinked, then let go of Irene, who was digging through her purse for a tissue.
    Grace sensed him struggling to contain his emotions, but it was only when Madeline edged closer that he managed an answer. “Fine. Allie’s…” His chest rose as he drew a deep breath. “Allie,” he finished simply, using her name as the talisman Grace had intended it to be.
    â€œAre you okay?” Madeline asked.
    â€œI’m fine.” He stretched his neck. “But whoever put that stuff in the trunk is one sick bastard,” he said and stalked out.
    Relieved, Grace watched him go. He’d been careful to say is one sick bastard. Not was. They’d handled this meeting as well as she could’ve hoped. With any luck, this discovery would fade into the background and they’d be able to return to their lives.
    As Madeline thanked Chief Pontiff for his efforts, Grace nudged Kennedy, indicating that they should go, too. She didn’t want to be in the same room with those panties, or with the other objects, either. The person she’d been was not the person she was now. “Grinding Gracie” was the one who’d been raped, repeatedly, by her stepfather, but Grinding Gracie was dead and gone. Grace wouldn’t be her anymore, she’d reject her pain, her inadequacies, her needs.
    But halfway to the door she heard Madeline say something that made her freeze.
    â€œHow long will it take?”
    â€œDepends on the lab. Could take a few weeks. Could take months. Without a suspect, we don’t have a legitimate reason to ask them to rush.”
    Graced turned back. “You’re going to try and get a DNA sample?”
    He nodded.
    â€œFrom what?”
    â€œEverything.”
    â€œBut it’s been nearly twenty years! Any DNA will be too degraded.”
    â€œNot necessarily. This stuff was sealed up tight.”
    She felt the pressure of Kennedy’s hand, warning her to be careful. She was sounding panicky, but she couldn’t help it. “But what good will getting a profile do?”
    Pontiff’s eyebrows rose. “What good will it do?”
    â€œIt’s only helpful if you have something to match it against,” she said, “and you don’t even have a victim.”
    Wearing the same rubber gloves he’d used while laying out these objects, he started putting everything back into a brown paper sack. “True, but like I

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