Dead Man's Hand Read Free Page B

you ’ re not changing my mind. ”
    “ What about Sammie? ”
    “ He ’ s coming with me. ”
    A gloomy silence ensued. He hoped the silence would tempt her to say more , but she didn ’ t . His throat was dry, as if he ’ d just drunk a glass of desert sand. U nsure of his next move , h e knew w hat he should do, but d idn ’ t hav e the words .
    Betty ’ s anger was warranted , but he was caught off guard nonethe less. She was right. This was overdue.
    He to ok her hand. “ Please, Betty. Just stay. I ’ ll make it right. ” His voice lacked conviction and he knew it .
    The horn honked again.
    Betty sighed. “ Just go . I know that ’ s where you ’ d rather be anyway. ”
     
    He moved in a trance -like state .
    “ What the hell took so long? ” his long- time partner asked as Dale slid into the passenger seat. “ Did Betty want to have one of her talks again? ”
    Dale still didn ’ t say anything. Grief consumed him. He felt the bulge in his inside breast pocket, where Betty ’ s note was lo dged .
    “ What the hell ’ s wrong with you? ”
    “ Just drive, Jimmy. ”
    His partner pulled the car out of the driveway.
    “ W hat do we have? ” Dale asked , still dazed .
    “ David called it in—a possible match to the Black Orchid case. The boys have him in a silver - and - black ‘ 69 Camaro on Highway 15. ”
    Dale felt the adrenaline start pumping. A high-speed chase. Just what I need.
    The Black Orchid c ase involved six pr ostitutes killed within a three- week span. The killer had brutalized and sexually assaulted his victims . A s of now, the only real lead was a local tattoo parlor owner.
    Dale unholstered his weapon and checked the clip.
    “ How do you like your new Kimber Custom Stainless? ” Jimmy asked.
    “ I love it. Bette r than that old revolver you still carry . ”
    Jimmy smiled. “ Smith & Wesson, baby. But that ’ s my alternate duty weapon. I have a semi-automatic for my primary handgun, just like the department says we have to. But the S&W is the gun I chose as a recruit over thirty years ago . I trust that gun with my life, literally. It hasn ’ t let me down yet. ”
    “ That ’ s true of everything until the first time it lets you down. ” Dale thought of the talk he ’ d just had with Betty. “ This isn ’ t the Wild West, Jimmy. I know they allow us to choose our own firearm, as long as they ’ re standard factory production, but you need to upgrade, man. An allowance is issued each year to replace our equipment. ”
    “ Hey, it ’ s been approved by the Firearms Training and Tactical Unit and qualified quarterly . ”
    Dale laughed at his old-school partner.
    “ There they are, ” Jimmy said, pointing to a row of bla ck and whites following a Camaro. “ Hang on. ”
    With the red - and - blue dome lights rotating on top of the cruiser, he pressed the gas pedal to the floor and they edged to the front of the pack, avoiding the dense morning traffic. Dale saw that the s heriff and FBI had vehicles in the chase too.
    Without warning the Camaro veered off the Las Vegas freeway, taking West Flamingo Avenue and heading toward Spring Valley.
    Jimmy cursed. “ Where ’ s he going? ”
    “ Turn here. We can cut him off at Palms Casino. ”
    They took a sharp left and sped down Hotel Rio Drive, breaking off from the pack , the sound of sirens fading .
    Dale rubbed his face, trying to recall the shortcut. “ Go here . ” He pointed.
    “ Got it! ”
    Dale picked up the car radio. “ Angela, I need the 592 blocked off at South Valley Boulevard heading east. ”
    As the hotel came into view, Jimmy had the accelerator to the floor. “ Come on, you bastard, ” he muttered.
    Dale grabbed the dashboard. “ L et ’ s not play chicken with this guy. ”
    T he Camaro came to a screeching halt.
    Jimmy braked and brought the cruiser face-to-face with the Camaro. The three black and whites had parked behind it, barricading the highway.
    Dale let out a grunt. “ We got