Crime Always Pays Read Free Page A

probably means you didn't, uh, hear anything that might, y'know …'
              Doyle shook her head.
              'And I'm guessing you didn't smell anything. How's your sixth sense, that female intuition?'
              'That went on the fritz the first night I slept with you.'
              'That happens a lot.'
              Doyle felt bad stringing him along. Ted was one of the few good guys, solid. None of the smarmy crap about Doyle being some kind of affirmative action experiment, let's make a college girl detective, see how badly she and her shiny degree in psychology can fuck it all up …
              Except Doyle, okay, it had taken a while, but she'd fucked up. Nine years of clean nose and regular collars, slow promotion, all screwed in ten minutes flat. Christ, Rossi'd even taken the keys to her cuffs, they'd had to saw them off at the hospital. The boys in the bullpen were going to love that, a Pamplona charge to see who'd get to drop the juicy dime first.
              Ted riffled through the report once more, cleared his throat. 'So we have Frank Dolan,' he said, 'a plastic surgeon. Except he's running a kidnap scam, juicing insurance companies. What's wrong with this picture?'
              'The guy's under investigation, some surgery went wrong. So he's branching out.'
              'Okay. But he sets up his  wife  to be snatched?'
              'They were separated. She'll be his ex-wife by Friday.'
              'Right. So Frank has this guy Ray kidnap his ex-wife-to-be. Then, he's already insured her against kidnap for half a mill, he stings Trust Direct. Except then this Ray guy comes to you looking to double-cross Frank, hang him out to dry.'
              'That's about the height of it, yeah.'
              'So how come you know this Ray?'
              Doyle'd been waiting for it. 'He made himself known.'
              'Just dropped into your lap.'
              'Not literally, if that's what you're asking.'
              'I'm not. What's Ray gain by blowing the whistle?'
              'He was looking to get out, go straight. Reckoned he'd pull a couple of years, he was just the sidekick.'
              'You believe him?'
              'I did, yeah.'
              'And now?'
              'I don't know.'
              'Okay. So this Karen, who's she?'
              'She's with Ray.'
              'But she's the ex-wife's friend too.'
              'That's right.'
              'And she's also Frank's secretary.'
              'Yep.'
              'So this Ray, he's grifting everyone.'
              'Maybe. I don't know. He took a bullet up at the lake when it looked like Madge was in trouble.'
              Ted glanced down at the report. 'Taking one from this guy Rossi, right?' Doyle nodded. 'Where's he come in?'
              'Karen's ex. Three-time loser, he's only out a week after a five-year jolt.'
              'Not exactly rehabilitated, is he?'
              'The way he told it, he just wanted his shit back from Karen. His Ducati bike, his .44. Except she wouldn't play ball.'
              'And now he's gone with the two hundred thou. Leaving you cuffed to Frank.'
              'I was the one cuffed myself to Frank, Ted. As per your orders. Rossi just took the key.'
              'And you've no idea where Ray and Karen are gone?'
              'Nope.'
              'But they took the ex-wife with them.'
              'Yep.'
              'Leaving you to take the rap.'
              'Looks like it.'
              Ted sucked on his teeth. 'Trust Direct are screaming blue murder,' he said.
              'Don't, Ted. I'll cry.'
              'You hear what I'm saying, though. They'll be up our crevices on the investigation.