The Palm Beach Murders by James Patterson (the read aloud family .TXT) 📕

a German shepherd, for instance, contains 200 million receptor cells, while human beings have barely a tenth of that?”

“Lady, I don’t know why the hell you’re telling me this.”

“There’s also ground-penetrating radar, and chemical analyses of soil and air samples. There’s even this cutting-edge method involving tubes and air pockets that can detect a corpse under a concrete slab. Isn’t that incredible?”

Halsey stood up to leave. “I don’t have to listen to this.”

I grabbed his wrist and squeezed. He winced at the sudden pain radiating up his arm.

“Ow!”

“What I’m saying is that it’s only a matter of a day, maybe even a few hours, before they find Paige Ryerson’s body.”

“So what? I told you, that has nothing to do with me.”

“I’m also hearing that there is concrete evidence linking you to her death.”

“Evidence? Of what?”

My eyes bored into his. “I want you to think about this carefully, Jamie, and answer me honestly. Your freedom may depend on it. Are you sure there’s nothing that would link you to this girl?”

Halsey’s eyes went up and to the right. Which—as you know, Matt—is a surefire tell that he’s accessing visual memories. Something he saw.

“Yeah,” he said. “I’m sure. Now let me go.”

I released my grip on his wrist. As Halsey rubbed it, some of the arrogance returned to his face. He was thinking he was back in charge again. A brat like him couldn’t stand the idea of being bossed around by a “chick” like me.

“When I tell my father what just happened, he’s going to go nuclear on you.”

I smiled. “Who do you think sent me, dumbass?”

Halsey’s jaw popped open. I just blew his mind. “Wh-what?”

“Listen to me, Jamie. For your own good. I know that what happened was probably an accident, and it would be very smart if you told the truth now. Things will go a lot easier on you. If you don’t, and they pull that poor girl’s body out of the sand…well, there’s nothing even I can do for you. And let me tell you, if they sent me, it means your daddy pulled strings at the highest of levels.”

Matt, the look on his face at that very moment is what convinced me. This little brat did it. Or at the very least, knows what happened to Paige.

Chapter 13

KATE (continued)

After leaving Halsey quivering in his Armani boxer briefs, I went looking for his head employee—Captain Jacob Kurtz. Maybe he’d spill a detail or two that would cement the case against his employer.

Didn’t take long to track him down. I selected the most ridiculous bar in the vicinity and listened for the sound of a man bragging. I elbowed my way through a force field of drunk women until I finally reached the bar, where Kurtz was sipping fruit juice and rum cocktails and holding court.

What is it about women and certain uniforms, Quinn? Put somebody from our old army unit in that same bar and I guarantee you he’d be drinking alone, unless there were other soldiers present.

But Kurtz? I had to fight to get anywhere near him. Yet all I saw was some overtanned blowhard in a yacht captain’s uniform—complete with his white cap tilted to one side, like he was going to be performing with Toni Tennille later that evening.

He noticed me right away, though. At first I thought it was because he sensed I wasn’t like the other women looking for a little vacation fling.

“You, young lady, embarrassed the hell out of my crew,” he said. “I think we ran out of ice tending to their bumps and bruises.”

“Where were you, Mr. Kurtz?” I asked. “Kind of wish you’d been part of the action.”

“Belowdecks. I’m a lover, not a fighter. A seafarer, not a war-wager.”

Oh, boy. I decided to get to the point or we could be here all night.

“But are you a killer, Mr. Kurtz?”

The captain smiled. Genuine amusement lighting up his eyes. “Oh, I like you. I had no idea government agents could be so much fun. Come, let’s go somewhere a little more private.”

As Kurtz led me to a half-circle booth in the corner of the bar, I thought about the half-dozen ways I could incapacitate him if he tried anything. Kurtz offered me a drink. I got to the point.

“I’m here to give you a heads-up. Paige Ryerson’s body is only a few hours away from being discovered. If you want to jump off your boss’s sinking ship, now’s the time to do it.”

“But the yacht is completely fine, Miss…? Or is that Mrs.? I’ll be honest, it doesn’t matter to me either way. Marriage is just a piece of paper.”

“If that body comes up, and it has your forensics anywhere near it, it’ll be too late to help you.”

Kurtz smiled. “I can think of some ways you can help me, Kate. Some very creative ways.”

“So you know my name. Your boss called you.”

The flirtation drained from his face quickly, as if I was suddenly boring him. “Yeah, I know all about your supposed string-pulling on behalf of the kid’s old man. Junior may have believed you, but you can’t kid a world-class kidder, kiddo.”

As I slid closer to Kurtz in the booth he flinched slightly. He probably thought he covered it up quick enough, but I saw it. Perhaps he was worried I was about to dish out some of the same punishment his crew had received.

Instead, I touched Kurtz’s face lightly and looked up into his eyes. Taking a page right out of the Jana Rose playbook.

“How did it feel to dance with someone one minute,” I said softly, “then help bury her dead body the next?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Kurtz said, refusing to break eye contact. “From what I heard around the island before we left, the girl is still alive.”

Chapter 14

OTTO (THE CON ARTIST)

The first thing Otto does when he lands at Providenciales International Airport is look for a place to eat.

The in-flight meal was garbage. So he stops at a place called Gilley’s Cafe