Free Fractured by Kate Watterson Page B

don’t you agree?”
    Unfortunately for him, she did.
    *   *   *
    The screen door banged repetitively in a thin January wind as they pulled up.
    It was an interesting lead, and Ellie glanced at her partner as he parked the car in front of an old house that had a buckled sidewalk with snow-encrusted dead weeds growing out of the fissures. “Now this place I can see our second victim visiting, but not our first.”
    â€œBusted-down crack house.” Santiago unsnapped his seat belt. “Besides, the professor didn’t come here, but the killer might have. I’ll be about two seconds. This guy isn’t going to talk to me according to my source, but what the hell. It’s worth a shot.”
    â€œ You’ll be about two seconds?” She opened her door. “Last I checked this was my job too. I’m going with you.”
    â€œThe fuck you are.” Santiago looked at her over the top of the car, his eyes unrelenting. “No. This is a gang neighborhood and they don’t like cops. At all. Take the keys and be ready to drive if we have to leave in a hurry. That will be much more helpful than you walking with me to the door. You are, at this moment, a liability.”
    It was true that their arrival did seem to draw quite a bit of interest from the locals. Two Hispanic men had come onto the porch of the house next door, one of them smoking a cigarette—hand-rolled, so maybe it wasn’t a legal substance, hard to tell—and neither one of them had a coat on despite the temperature, their muscular arms covered in tattoos.
    Santiago tossed her the keys, giving her little choice but to catch them. “No flirting while I’m gone. You have some admirers.”
    She could deal with his attitude 90 percent of the time since she’d gotten used to it, but not right now. “I see them. I’m going to stand right here and watch you walk up to that door. If there is any hint of trouble, I’ll call for backup and be right behind you.”
    â€œSounds good to me.”
    The scenario did make her slightly nervous, but she’d be an idiot if it didn’t. Still, Santiago had done the legwork on this and she’d back him up. Knowing the contact would probably not talk to him, he must have a reason for coming to this questionable neighborhood.
    At least she hoped he did. He had his faults, but usually stupidity wasn’t one of them.
    Someone answered the door and he leaned on the jamb, casual and conversational, but his right hand hovered near his coat and Ellie could see Jason was not as relaxed as he appeared. After a brief conversation through the screen, he turned and came down the broken steps.
    â€œOkay, drive,” he ordered as he got into the car and slammed the door. “Do it.”
    She did, pulling away from the curb quickly and gunning the motor. The shabby houses flashed past. “Did he tell you anything?”
    â€œNope.” Santiago looked unfazed. “Unless you count the advice that I should take my questions and stick them up my ass.”
    â€œSo what precisely did that visit accomplish?”
    â€œI want the dealers to know we’re looking for someone. So Ramon, who has no teeth due to meth and smelled like a wet ashtray by the way, won’t help me, fine. But someone might if he talks about it. He has friends in all the wrong places.”
    Detective Jason Santiago had worked homicide a lot longer than she had, so Ellie weighed her response. “You don’t think anyone will come forward voluntarily, do you?”
    â€œDrug dealers? Hell no.”
    â€œNot even Gurst?”
    â€œHe’s our best bet, but I doubt it.”
    She stopped at a corner and waited for the light. “Then?”
    â€œThey might hesitate to sell to whoever is buying if they seem unusual. At that point, our killer has to find a new source so he starts asking around a little. It’s like tossing a stone in