The Snow Angel Read Online Free Page A

plates unknown. She didn’t get a look at their faces. But she’s positive one is white and the other black. They took off eastbound.
    â€œThat’s all we know. The forensics people are at the scene trying to reconstruct what’s left of footprints and tire tracks. Unfortunately, the mother ran outside and trampled the snow. Then the first radio car pulled up in the same spot and the officers interviewed her curbside—right where the bad guys grabbed the kid. And it’s been snowing off and on since. So I don’t think we’ll get anywhere with physical evidence.”
    She looked around the room at the cops taking notes. “We’re expecting a ransom demand. So we have a second command post under the direction of Criminal Conspiracy set up at the house. We’ve taken all marked police vehicles out of the area to minimize unwanted attention. The parents’ number is unlisted, but these guys obviously were well-prepared.
    â€œYou’ll be assigned to four six-man squads, each with a team leader from CCB. Our operating frequency is Tac Four. The assignment sheetsare up here on the desk. The first order of business is to canvas the neighborhood, see if anyone remembers a white guy and a black guy hanging around together. Ask the neighbors to keep it quiet.”
    â€œWhat about the FBI?” asked a black cop. “We have to work with those fools?”
    â€œWe’ll bring them in only if we have to,” said Slaughter. He spoke with a soft Tennessee accent. “We’ll have to if this looks interstate.”
    â€œI think we can pull our own weight,” added Easterly. The assembled officers murmured appreciatively.
    â€œWhat about rewards?” asked another cop.
    â€œThe new guidelines require authorization from the city council,” Easterly said. “This is Sunday. We can’t get that until tomorrow, at the earliest.”
    Slaughter shook his head. “With all the racial crap going on with this council, I wouldn’t count on it. Those people can’t agree on the time of day. Besides, once we go to the council with this, the cat’s out of the bag.”
    â€œBut a kid’s life is at stake!” a cop protested.
    â€œYou know that and I know that,” said Slaughter. “But we’re dealing with egos here. Political egos.” He looked pointedly over at the new chief, Mosely. “There’s none worse.”
    Mosely glared powerlessly back at him. Slaughter had also been a candidate for this job, the candidate favored by the troops. Besides, he was long past retirement eligibility, so he could say whatever he thought.
    Easterly pointed to a tall stack of photos. “Pass out copies to everyone you contact.”
    The briefing ended with that. Easterly’s adjutant, a grizzled Detective Sergeant named Stanislaus Jablonski, handed out the team lists and pictures of the boy.
    Kane and Bell were not on any list. The two men waited until the others filed out. Then, without speaking to each other, they approached Easterly.
    â€œExcuse me, Inspector,” Bell said.
    â€œDon’t worry,” she said. “You’re not working together.” She looked back and forth between them. “I’ve heard there’s bad blood between you two. Put it aside, at least until we clean this up.”
    â€œIf we’re not working together, what
are
we doing?” Kane asked.
    â€œYou’re both on your own. Whatever you do is off the books.” Shelooked back and forth between them. “That’s how you usually work anyway, isn’t it? A couple of lone wolves?”
    â€œIt’s how I work,” Kane said.
    â€œOkay, then. You get out among the white dirtbags. Bell, you work the blacks. I want you to cast very wide nets. Find out
anything
that’s on the street telegraph. Make any deals you have to, short of a free ride on a murder. And you both report directly to me.”
    Bell and