Hangman Read Online Free

was bossy almost. When they had lunch, she did most of the talking.”
    “You could hear them?”
    “I could see them. She clearly dominated their conversation.”
    “Maybe when she gets nervous, she talks.”
    “Could be. Before we met him for lunch, we spoke a few minutes. All of a sudden she started shaking and broke out in a cold sweat.”
    “So there you go.”
    “But there was something else, Rina. If I didn’t know any of the backstories, I would have sworn she was acting flirtatious at lunch—downright sexy. Something was strange.”
    “What’s so strange? She likes him.”
    “He beat her up six weeks ago.”
    “She knows what he is and there’s still something about him that she finds attractive. She makes poor choices. That’s what got her into the situation to begin with. No one told her that she had to visit him in jail and have sex with him without birth control.”
    “She’s not a stupid girl, Rina. She’s a conscientious mother and she’s an emergency care physician.”
    “Like all of us, she has positive aspects and some blind spots. In Terry’s case, her weaknesses are harmful.” She leaned forward. “But like I said this morning, Peter, this isn’t our problem. You were hired help. She paid you money and you did your job. How about letting go?”
    “You’re right.” Decker sat up and kissed her hand. “We’re out to dinner and you deserve a noncomatose husband.”
    “How about some coffee now?”
    “Coffee would be great!” Decker grinned. “I’d even go for dessert.”
    “How about the peach pie?”
    “Peach pie, it is. Dare we order it with vanilla ice cream or whatever frozen concoction they make up to simulate the real deal?”
    Rina smiled. “Sure, let’s go crazy.”
     
    THE CELL PHONE went off just as the car had crested the 405 freeway and began to dip into the San Fernando Valley. Mountains on either side made reception spotty. Since Decker was driving, Rina took the phone from his coat pocket.
    “If it’s Hannah, tell her we’ll be home in about twenty minutes.”
    “It’s not Hannah. I don’t recognize the number.” She depressed the on button. “Hello?”
    There was silence on the other side. For a moment Rina thought she lost the party, but then she saw that the phone hadn’t disconnected.
    “Hello?” she tried again. “Can I help you?”
    “Who is it?” Decker asked. When she shrugged, he said, “Just hang up.”
    “Sorry.” The voice was male. He cleared his throat. “I’m looking for Lieutenant Decker.”
    “This is his cell phone. Whom am I talking to?”
    “Gabe Whitman.”
    It took all of Rina’s effort not to gasp. “Is everything all right?”
    “Who are you talking to?” Decker asked.
    “No,” Gabe said over the phone. “I mean I don’t know.”
    “Who is it, Rina?” Decker said.
    “Gabe Whitman.”
    “Oh Lord! Tell him to hold on.”
    “He’ll be right with you,” Rina said.
    “Thank you.”
    Decker maneuvered the car onto the freeway shoulder, turned on his hazard lights, and took the cell. “This is Lieutenant Decker.”
    “I’m sorry to bother you.”
    “No bother. What’s going on?”
    “I can’t find my mom. She’s not here and she’s not answering her cell. My dad isn’t answering his cell phone, either.”
    “Okay.” Decker’s brain was whirling a mile a minute. “How long has it been since you’ve spoken to your mom?”
    “I came back to the hotel around six-thirty, seven. We were supposed to go to dinner. She wasn’t here. Her car isn’t here, her purse isn’t here, but she didn’t leave any note or anything. That’s not like her.”
    Decker’s stomach dropped. His watch said it was almost nine. “When was the last time you spoke to her, Gabe?”
    “Around four. You were already gone. Mom said that everything went well. She sounded fine. She said she wanted to run some errands and she’d be back around six. I don’t know if I’m overreacting, but with Chris, I just don’t