Thin Ice 6 - Hangman & Socrates Read Online Free

you’ve got to stay objective, his mind told him as his heart called him a hypocrite and a liar. He’d been dating Hope secretly for the last year and a half as they gathered evidence. It wasn’t as hard as it seemed since he’d sent Faatin and the boys to live with her family in Atlanta. He came and spent time with her at least twice a month and being the good woman she was, she never questioned his absences, simply accepting his explanation of his job keeping him hopping. Roderick had collected names, addresses, and laundering connections just by being with Hope. She didn’t really understand everything Carlo was into, but she made getting access to the man’s personal records simple. Thinking back to his conversation with Carlo days earlier, he was repulsed by the man’s demented comments concerning his own daughter.
    Roderick felt immediately sorry for Lauren. The young girl was traumatized for life. He could only imagine the things deep inside her that raged wanting to surface and get out. Hope told him early in their relationship she couldn’t have children, and that was fine with him considering his true identity and occupation. They made love still using a condom though, him telling her he believed God had the final say and that she may indeed be able to have children. Hope had smiled then, returning the smoldering kiss as he made love to her and asked silent forgiveness from Faatin. His cell vibrated and Roderick gingerly rose from the bed, leaving his wife asleep and heading into the den. He read the text and returned the call.
    “ Yeah,” he answered calmly, having a sinking feeling already.
    “ Crazy shit going down,” the reply came instantly.
    “ Cisneros still in jail,” Roderick asked immediately as the party assured him both Carlo and Cartier were in custody.
    “ What then,” Roderick asked waiting to hear the bad news.
    “ Dr. Ross is dead, and Lauren Cisneros is missing,” the party returned as Roderick swore aloud, furious.
    “ I’m on my way back, put every Undercover officer we got on this shit, we gotta find that girl,” he growled, disconnecting as his mind whirled.
    There was no doubt in his mind Carlo had ordered the hit. He’d seen the hate and malice in the man’s eyes during the trial. They had to find Lauren and fast, she held an even bigger key to the darkness that truly was Hangman Cisneros.
    *****
    Carlo smiled with satisfaction as Quenton told him the orders had been carried out. Bitch, he thought of Dr. Ross. Carlo hated how the woman tried to make him out to be a monster because he loved his daughter. Carlo you fucked your daughter, there’s a difference, his sanity tried once more. Frowning deeply and dismissing the thoughts he concentrated instead on the words coming from Quenton’s mouth.
    “ The firebomb went through the front window,” he began as Carlo nodded. “All the doors had been secured with steel bonding glue, windows too,” he continued. “She was already dying of course,” Quenton told Carlo.
    The order had been to shoot Kaitlyn in the legs rendering her unable to free herself from the house.
    “ She screamed a lot at first, then she quieted right down,” he finished as both he and Carlo chuckled aloud.
    “ I have bad news though Hangman,” Quenton told him, using his street name.
    The smile immediately vanished as Carlo regarded the jailer with an unwavering stare. Uncomfortable, Quenton rose and stepped away from the man he was addressing before telling him about Lauren’s disappearance.
    “ Where the fuck is my daughter,” Carlo growled, low and cold.
    He was dangerously close to Quenton and the jailer began to fear for his life. The man was insane without a doubt, and three times as deadly.
    “ She slipped away from the hospital while everyone was talking about Dr. Ross,” he replied, praying Carlo didn’t flip on him.
    “ I want everyone we got on the street and on the inside looking for her,” Carlo barked.
    “ I don’t want