Amanda's Blue Marine Read Free Page A

we prosecute I’m either invisible to the defendant or my role is very low profile. That’s why I don’t understand this whole thing.”
    “Don’t expect it to make sense,” Kelly said, echoing Manning. “Who knows what’s going through this guy’s head? Somebody who does this is crazy right out of the gate, we just have to assume that and work from there. "
    "You make him sound delightful," Mandy said wearily.
    Kelly leaned back in his chair and surveyed her. "He ain't Mahatma Gandhi, that's for sure."
    Mandy couldn't conceal her concern. Kelly got up from his chair and came around to lean against his desk a few feet away from her. He bent forward in a pose that she would learn was characteristic of him, closed fists on hips, expression alert and watchful.
    "Don't worry, we'll get him. We can lock him up for threats and intimidation and any number of other things, keep him in the can until your buddies in the D.A.'s office put him away again."
    "You have to find him first," she said worriedly.
    "We'll find him. I think this guy just got out of jail and that's why the notes started up suddenly and have continued. He was in the clink before that so we're doing a cross reference for anybody you prosecuted who was released recently. That’s where we’ll begin, anyway. If that doesn’t yield results we’ll widen the search until we locate him.”
    "And then?"
    "And then when we watch him until he makes a mistake."
    "I know you can't just arrest him. He has rights. How do you know he'll make a mistake?"
    "Somebody dumb enough to do this is usually easy to catch. The smart criminals are all out committing crimes successfully. Jails are full of stupid people and this guy seems like a real brain surgeon. There’s the occasional off kilter sharp article who’s just so flaked out he doesn’t care if he gets caught as long as does the damage, but that’s unusual. We’ll get him.”
    "What happens to me in the meantime?"
    "I watch you," he said evenly, his light eyes unreadable. "And we put tails on the likely candidates once we get the warrants."
    "What do you mean?"
    "I make sure you get to and from work all right, since your job seems to be the focus of his delusions.”
    “I don’t go to the office that often. I do a lot of research at home.”
    He nodded. “A blind squad car with officers in plain clothes will shadow you every day. You check in with me about where you're going and what you're doing."
    "You'll be around all the time?" she asked anxiously.
    "Another officer will fill in for me when I'm off," he said evenly. "And we'll provide protection when you need it."
    "We?" she said doubtfully. "When I need it?"
    "My boss, Lt. Manning, makes those decisions," he said.
    Mandy thought about that in silence. To appease her father Ted Manning would probably tie her to a tree and then guard the tree. Continuously.
    Kelly was watching her expression closely. "This guy is a bully and all bullies are cowards. He just wants to frighten you."
    "I'm frightened," Mandy said.
    "Don't be. We'll get him."
    Mandy felt absurdly comforted. She didn't know Kelly at all but the confidence he exuded was catching. She could see why Manning had selected him for the assignment.
    "I think you've given me enough to go on for today," Kelly said. "I'll get together a list of the convictions you've been involved in and we'll be able to work from there to narrow down the possibilities."
    "Do you think it could be somebody else?"
    "It could be, but we have to start somewhere and it's best to begin with the most likely prospects first. Can you come back here tomorrow to go over the list with me?"
    "Tomorrow?" Mandy said, thinking about the case she was supposed to provide backup for the next day in court.
    "Is that a problem?"
    Mandy shook her head. "I'll get somebody to cover for me. When should I be here?"
    "9 AM if that's okay. Manning is making your case a priority, so that's my directive too."
    "Will you be able to have the list ready