Dead Drop by Jack Patterson (reading cloud ebooks txt) 📕

“What do you want?” Kittrell groused as he answered his phone.

“I need to talk to you about something.”

“Look, now isn’t a good time, Cal. In fact, you might want to get down here to re-write the story one of your reporters already reported on this morning.”

“That’s not what I need to talk about.”

Kittrell ignored him and kept talking. “We got him. Officially booked Jonathan Umbert for murder charges.”

“Jonathan Umbert?”

“Don’t act so surprised, Cal. You knew this for a while now and couldn’t wait to tell someone, anyone. So, you blabbed it to your loudmouth pal, Eddie Ramsey. At least you’ll be the one on the humbling end of this story. Everybody will be singing the praises of Ramsey while you shrink into the corner like a wallflower.”

“Wait. You’re arresting Jonathan Umbert?”

“Do I sound like I’m stuttering? Feigning disbelief is just so—so … not you.”

“Didn’t you keep Umbert in custody all night?”

“All night. And he’ll never get anything but three squares and a cot for the rest of his life now.”

“You’ve got the wrong guy,” Cal said forcefully. “Stop with your endless rant and listen to me.” Cal took a deep breath. “I know you’re still upset, but I want to assure you that I didn’t tell Ramsey—or even anyone who did. He’s got another source, a source from your own department. However, I’m not here to bicker over that, and it never was the purpose of my call.”

“Well, why did you call me?”

“Someone broke into my home this morning and left me a message in spray paint telling me to mind my own business.”

“Can I sign my name to that sage piece of advice?”

“Enough with the wise cracks, Kittrell. This is serious. And if you think Umbert is your guy, I think you’re mistaken.”

“So, you were also mistaken yesterday?”

“Yes,” Cal said, his voice rising several octaves before descending again. “I’m not afraid to admit when I’m wrong, and while I think Umbert may appear to be a likely suspect, maybe even a sketchy agent, I don’t think he killed Sid Westin—even though he had a motive and means to accomplish it.”

“What makes you so sure it wasn’t him?”

“Well, for one, my house just got tossed while I was at breakfast this morning. And Umbert certainly had no hand in that.”

“You don’t think he could’ve orchestrated this from prison to plant doubt in your mind?”

Cal shrugged. “Perhaps, but this felt personal, not like some thief playing mind games with me. I’d say it’s far more likely that he didn’t have anything to do with that.”

“Look, I think you’re crazy and paranoid right now. But just for your peace of mind, I’ll send one of our guys out there to camp outside your house with a nice view of everything from the street. He’ll be able to protect you from the dangerous spray painters.”

“This isn’t a joking matter, Kittrell.”

“I’m only telling you this because I promised, but you need to get down here quickly if you want to scoop Seattle with this story. You wouldn’t want Ramsey stealing your thunder two days in a row.”

By this point, Cal was seething. He hung up and started to search his house for more clues. There had to be something somewhere that let him know what else was really going on.

CHAPTER 36

REBECCA WESTIN SCOOTED next to Mason on his bed, bracing for the painful news she had to deliver. She rubbed his back, gently awakening him. When he rolled over, he opened his eyes for a moment before shutting them again. Then a grin spread across his face.

“So, Mum, can I go swimming with the dolphins today?” he asked, eyes still shut.

Rebecca exhaled and cringed while she decided how to let him down without crushing him.

“Not today, Mason,” she said. “In fact, we’re going to go back home.”

He opened his eyes, which turned sad. His smile gave way to a frown. “So soon? I thought you said I could swim with the dolphins today, and now we’re going home? I don’t understand.”

“You know how I’ve talked with you about being content?”

He nodded.

“Well, this is a chance for you to practice this. We don’t always get what we want in life.”

Mason rolled over and burrowed under the covers. “You do.”

“Now, Mason, that’s not true. I certainly didn’t want your father to die.”

“You always get your way.”

“Look, I’m not going to argue with you about this, but I do need you to get up and get dressed so we can get to the airport. I’ve got something important to do.”

“I thought you said taking me here was important, and it was important for us to get away from everything and have some time together.”

“That’s important too, but we need to go back to Seattle because I need to do the right thing. And the right thing isn’t running away.”

Mason pulled the covers down and sat up. “What did you do?”

She started to rub her hand up and down his back again. “I did some things that I’m not proud of, and now it’s time to own up to what I did.”

“What do you mean?”

“You remember that time I found out you took Elizabeth Stancil’s Wonder Woman action figure?”

He nodded.

“And what did I make you do?”

“Take it back and apologize.”

“Well, that’s kind of what I’m going to have to do. Now get up so we can get on.”

***

MONDAY EVENING, REBECCA WALKED into the Seattle PD precinct downtown and demanded to speak to Detective Kittrell. She was led back to his desk where he met her with a shocked looked on his face.

“Surprised to see me, Detective?” she said, offering her hand.

He shook it and gestured for her to have a seat. “I heard that you were out of the country. What brings you back?”

“I heard you’ve charged Jonathan Umbert with murder, and I came to clear his name.”

Kittrell knit his brow and cocked his head to one side. “And how are you going to do that?”

“By giving him an