Convincing Alex Read Online Free Page A

Domingo plucked up a pack of cigarettes from a table, lighted one. “So?”
    â€œSo, let’s talk about Angie Horowitz.”
    Domingo blew out smoke and scratched at the hair on his chest. “Never heard of her.”
    â€œFunny, we got word you were one of her regulars, and her main supplier.”
    â€œYou got the wrong word.”
    â€œMaybe you don’t recognize the name.” Alex reached into his inside jacket pocket, and his fingers brushed over his leather shoulder harness as he pulled out a manila envelope. “Why don’t you take a look?” He stuck the police shot under Domingo’s nose and watched his olive complexion go a sickly gray. “Look familiar?”
    â€œMan.” Domingo’s fingers shook as he brought his cigarette to his lips.
    â€œProblem?” Alex glanced down at the photo himself. There hadn’t been much left of Angie for the camera. “Oh, hey, sorry about that, Jesús. Malloy, didn’t I tell you not to put the dead shot in?”
    Judd shrugged, feigning casualness. He was thinking he was glad he didn’t have to look at it again himself. “Guess I made a mistake.”
    â€œYeah.” All the while he spoke, Alex held the photo where Domingo could see it. “Guy’s a rookie,” he explained. “Always screwing up. You know. Poor little Angie sure got sliced, didn’t she? Coroner said the guy put about forty holes in her. You can see most of them. Poor Malloy here took one look and lost his breakfast. I keep telling him not to eat those damned greasy Danishes before we go check out a stiff, but like I said…” Alex grinned to himself as Domingo made a dash for the bathroom.
    â€œThat was cold, Stanislaski,” Judd said, grinning.
    â€œYeah, I’m that kind of guy.”
    â€œAnd I didn’t throw up my breakfast.”
    â€œYou wanted to.” The sounds coming from the bathroom were as unpleasant as they get. Alex tapped on the door. “Hey, Jesús, you okay, man? I’m really sorry about that.” He passed the photo and envelope to Judd. “Tell you what, let me get you some nice cold water, okay?”
    The answer was a muffled retch that Alex figured anyone could take for assent. He moved into the kitchen and opened the freezer. The two kilos were exactly where Rosalie had said he’d find them. He took one out just as Domingo rushed in.
    â€œYou got no warrant. You got no right.”
    â€œI was getting you some ice.” Alex turned the frozen cocaine overin his hands. “This doesn’t look like a TV dinner to me. What do you think, Malloy?”
    By leaning a shoulder against the door jamb, Judd blocked the doorway. “Not the kind my mother used to make.”
    â€œYou son of a bitch.” Domingo wiped his mouth with a clenched fist. “You violated my civil rights. I’ll be out before you can blink.”
    â€œCould be.” Taking an evidence bag out of his pocket, Alex slipped both kilos inside. “Malloy, why don’t you read our friend his rights while he’s getting dressed? And, Jesús, try some mouthwash.”
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    â€œStanislaski,” the desk sergeant called out when Alex came up from seeing Domingo into a cell. “You got company.”
    Alex glanced over toward his desk, seeing that several cops were huddled around it. There was quite a bit of laughter overriding the usual squad room noise. Curiosity had him moving forward even before he saw the legs. Legs he recognized. They were crossed at the knee and covered almost modestly in a canary-yellow skirt.
    He recognized the rest of her, too, though the tough little body was clad in a multihued striped blazer and a scoop-necked blouse the same color as the skirt. Half a dozen slim columns of gold danced at her ears as she laughed. She looked better, sexier, he was forced to admit, with her mouth unpainted, her freckles showing, and those big green