The Apostrophe Thief Read Free

Sanchez’s handwriting: Kelly called . Marian frowned. She should have phoned her friend, early, before Kelly had time to see the news. Yet she was reluctant to call even now. Marian didn’t mind lying to her police superiors, since they weren’t going to be her superiors much longer. But lying to Kelly … that was hard.
    â€œSanchez!” said a new voice. “You and Roberts—in my office.” The speaker was a stocky, hoarse-voiced man doing his best to look and sound tough; the results were spectacularly unsuccessful, especially as he was wearing a necktie decorated with mermaids.
    Sanchez groaned. “I was thinking of taking some personal time.”
    â€œTake it tomorrow,” said the hoarse growl. “Smash-and-grab on Tenth Street, an electronics store. Same MO as the others, but this time a bystander was hurt.”
    â€œI worked late last night!”
    â€œUnauthorized overtime, the way I hear it.” He looked down at Marian. “And you’ve been busy, too, Larch. Congratulations on a good shoot.”
    â€œHello, Lieutenant,” Marian said. “Enjoy your vacation?”
    â€œI never enjoy my vacations,” Lieutenant Baxter replied, “because I know every time I go away something is going to happen here. It never fails! I take even one day off, something happens.”
    Marian was tempted to say something happened there every day, whether he was there or not. “Hazard of the profession.”
    â€œGot your report on last night made out?”
    â€œWorking on it now.”
    â€œDon’t leave anything out, Larch. That report’s going to both Internal Affairs and the FBI, and they’ll be looking for mistakes. Be very careful.”
    â€œI always am, Lieutenant.”
    â€œGood.” Baxter looked around. “Where’s Roberts?”
    â€œRight here,” Gloria Sanchez’s partner said from behind him.
    â€œLet’s go.” The lieutenant chugged off toward his office, the two detectives trailing behind.
    Sanchez looked back over her shoulder. “Don’t forget to call Kelly.”
    Marian nodded, but decided to finish her report first. When she was done, she read it through three times, searching for mistakes or omissions. It looked okay to her. She signed and dated it and turned it in.
    Foley still hadn’t come back. Just as well; she didn’t want him listening in on a private conversation, especially one in which she was going to lie to her closest friend. Marian squared her shoulders and tapped out Kelly Ingram’s number. Kelly picked up the receiver on the first ring. “Before you say a word,” Marian spoke hastily, “I’m all right. I wasn’t hurt, and I’m not wallowing in guilt. Do you hear me, Kelly? I’m all right .”
    A big sigh floated over the line. “You really truly honestly are all right?”
    â€œReally truly honestly.”
    â€œMaybe it hasn’t hit you yet?”
    â€œOh, it’s hit me, no mistake about that.” Marian took a deep breath and elaborated on the lie. “Kelly, it’s something I’ve always known could happen sooner or later, and I was as prepared for it as anyone reasonably could be. I knew last night would be dangerous, and I braced myself for it going in.” Her mouth tasted sour.
    The seconds ticked off silently. It was the calm before the storm: “ You could have been killed! ” Kelly shouted. “He could have shot you! He could have shot you and Holland and anybody else he felt like shooting! How dare you take this so calmly! Why aren’t you a basket case? Why aren’t you screaming and hollering and pounding your fists on your desk? And what do you mean, you prepared yourself? How can you prepare yourself for killing someone? This whole thing is unnatural , and aren’t you glad I called to cheer you up?”
    Marian laughed in spite of herself. “I called you