Flashpoint Read Free Page B

Twenty-six just arrived in their action Pinto, and there’s never just one ant at the picnic. Keep them in the waiting room. I don’t want anybody sneaking into the ER. Tracy and her bunch are okay, but watch the cameraman from Twenty-six. See that guy over there in the suit? Norris Weber, hospital security. Used to be one of us, retired. Coordinate with him. Victim’s brother is in the consultation room—I don’t want him bothered. Got all that?”
    â€œYes ma’am.”
    â€œThank God for you.”
    Sonora headed back toward the ER to double-check with Gracie. It would be unkind to break the bad news to Keaton Daniels if his brother had been revived.
    The door to the consultation room was shut. Sonora paused to put a fresh tape in her recorder, then pushed the door open gently.
    Keaton Daniels sat on the edge of the easy chair. He’d put the raincoat back on, though it was hot in the tiny room.
    â€œMr. Daniels?”
    â€œYes?” His look managed to be both wary and stunned.
    â€œSorry, didn’t mean to leave you quite so long.”
    â€œHow’s Mark? Any chance of me getting to see him?”
    The vinyl love seat made squeaking noises as Sonora sat down. Her knees touched Daniels’s, and she moved to one side. She checked his left hand. Wedding band.
    â€œIs there someone I can Call to be with you? Your wife?”
    Keaton Daniels looked away suddenly, his eyes on the floor. “No, thank you.”
    â€œA friend maybe?”
    Keaton looked at her. “My wife and I are separated. I can call a friend later.”
    Sonora nodded and leaned toward him.
    â€œAre you a detective?” he asked suddenly.
    â€œYes.”
    â€œI thought my brother was in a car accident. You—when you introduced yourself, you said specialist.”
    â€œSpecialist is the current jargon—a union thing. I’m a homicide detective, Mr. Daniels. They call me for any suspicious dea—circumstances.”
    He swallowed. “Suspicious—”
    â€œI’m very sorry to have to tell you that your brother Mark is dead.”
    He had known it was coming, but still he was stunned. His shoulders sagged, and he cleared his throat. He fought it, but the tears would come. Sonora knew it. He knew it.
    â€œTell me.” The words were an effort. He caught his lip between his teeth. “Tell me what happened.”
    â€œWe’re still trying to piece it together. The police and the fire department were dispatched to a burning vehicle. Your brother was inside. We think the fire was deliberately set.”
    Keaton Daniels looked at her. A peculiar, puzzled look. The tears came, coursing down his rough, unshaven cheeks, his eyes going puffy and red.
    Sonora touched his hand. “Would you like some time? Can I call that friend?”
    He shook his head slowly, and Sonora was reminded of Mark Daniels’s white sluglike head trailing fluid across the sheet. She wondered what he’d looked like before—if he’d been handsome, like his brother.
    â€œI need to ask you a few quick questions, the sooner the better. But if you need—”
    â€œGo ahead.”
    â€œYou’re sure?”
    â€œGo ahead.”
    A moment passed. Sonora fiddled with the recorder.
    â€œMr. Daniels, did you talk to Mark today? See him today?”
    He clutched the knees of his pants. “Yes. He’s up visiting. We had supper. Then he dropped me off, and went back out.”
    â€œAny idea where he went?”
    â€œA place called Cujo’s. Cujo’s Café-Bar.”
    â€œUp in the Mount Adams area?”
    â€œYes.”
    Sonora nodded. “I know it. You didn’t go with him?”
    â€œI had to get some things put together for work. A lot of cutting and pasting stuff. Not hard, but time-consuming. I offered to let Mark help me with it but he was … bored. And I was going to go to bed early anyway. I teach. I’m a teacher. So we