Silent Witness Read Free Page A

build, sandy hair, fair complexion.”
    â€œAbout how old?”
    â€œI’d say early twenties.”
    â€œThanks. Would you happen to know what kind of vehicle she drives?”
    She smiled. “I can help you with that one. It’s an older, red, subcompact, a Honda, I think, but let me check her lease application.” It turned out to be a 98 Honda Civic with Nevada plates. On her way back to the apartment, Kate checked the parking lot. No sign of the car.
    McConnell didn’t like the feel of any of this. Could Robin Joiner have suffered the same fate as Arnold Ginsberg? The note left in her apartment gave Kate hope that the intruders hadn’t found Joiner, at least not yet. But where could she be? It had Walter Bradshaw’s name written all over it, yet he was sitting in a cell at the Utah State Prison.
    Kate reached for her cell phone and made two calls. The first brought a crime scene unit to Robin Joiner’s apartment. The second call went to the home of Sam Kincaid.

Chapter Three
    It was nearly eleven o’clock when I heard the phone ring. I couldn’t get it, but I knew Aunt June would. It was the third consecutive night that I hadn’t been able to get my nine-year-old daughter, Sara, settled down in bed. Since the traumatic events surrounding members of the Commission five months earlier, things in our home had not been the same. The incident traumatized Sara beyond anything I could have imagined. Most nights she wanted to sleep with either me or Aunt June. Putting her to bed alone required leaving the bedroom light on and was usually accompanied by stalling and lots of tears. I had her back in weekly counseling sessions with a child psychologist.
    Aunt June handed me the phone. “It’s Kate.”
    â€œWe missed you tonight. Is everything okay?”
    She sighed. “Sorry I couldn’t make it. Homicides never seem to happen at convenient times anymore.”
    â€œAin’t that the truth. Is there anything I can help you with?”
    â€œBe careful what you wish for, but, as a matter of fact, there is. I’ve got a disturbing murder, maybe two, and I think they might be connected to Walter Bradshaw.”
    â€œHmm. In what way?”
    â€œI don’t know whether you remember the witnesses from the armored car robbery and murder—there were two. Tonight we found one of them murdered. We can’t find the other one, and it looks like her apartment has been tossed.”
    â€œThat’s not good, but I can’t say I’m surprised. With the other family members still at large, and the old man in prison, it stands to reason that they might try something.”
    â€œThat’s exactly what I’ve been thinking. Maybe we should have anticipated that something like this might happen and taken steps to protect those witnesses.”
    â€œDon’t be so hard on yourself, Kate. Nobody could have predicted this. Let’s just hope the second witness is still alive and you can find her before they do.”
    Kate paused. “You mean I better hope the second witness is still alive and WE can find her before they do.”
    â€œNow I get it. You’ll have to pardon me. I can be a little slow on the uptake sometimes.”
    â€œI’ve noticed.”
    I laughed. “Don’t be a smart ass, particularly when you’ve got your hand out asking for help.”
    Her turn to laugh. “Good point. Walter’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for the day after tomorrow.”
    â€œI’m aware of that. We’ve been asked to lean on every snitch in the joint to see if anybody has heard any scuttlebutt about the whereabouts or intentions of the rest of the Bradshaw clan. Prisoner transportation and courtroom security are top priorities right now.”
    â€œLearn anything from your snitches?”
    â€œLot’s of rumors, but so far, nothing reliable. The most consistent story we’re hearing is that the