BooksBarbecue
Back Less than Dead Save as PDF
Chapters (50)
  1. COVER PAGE
  2. TITLE PAGE
  3. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  4. DEDICATION
  5. CONTENTS
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The woman cocked her head to one side and slowly raised it until her hair parted slightly, exposing a pale sliver of flesh and one emerald eye that glared up at the sheriff. “I am.”

“Can you help us, Ms. Savard?”

“What is it you require?”

“We’ve got a missing boy here, about three years old. It’s a domestic dispute. There was an ugly divorce and a custody battle, and the husband lost. First he threatened to take the boy away, then he threatened to harm him—it looks like he might have done both.”

“Why didn’t you stop him?”

“Because you can’t arrest a man for a crime he hasn’t committed yet. I don’t like it either, but that’s the law. The wife got a restraining order, but it didn’t much matter—a man who’s willing to let his own boy die won’t be stopped by a piece of paper.”

“You people,” she said. “My dogs are more human than you.”

“Right now I’m inclined to agree with you. We’ve got the husband in custody, but he refuses to talk to us; the boy’s been missing for almost two days now, and we’re hoping we can find him before—”

“I find the dead.”

“Well, we’re hoping he’s still alive.”

“I find the dead—only the dead.”

“Keep your voice down, will you? The mother is right over there, and she’s about out of her mind already.”

“Why did you send for me?”

“I’ve heard about your father—I thought maybe you could help.”

“If the boy is alive, I’ll be of no use to you. You think the boy is dead, or you wouldn’t have sent for me.”

“I think he might be dead—it’s an option we have to consider. We need to know if we should keep looking, and you might be able to tell us. Will you help?”

Alena paused. “I will help—under the following conditions: No one is to speak to me or come near; the moment I finish I will leave—I will answer no further questions; and if anyone attempts to approach my dog in any way I will leave immediately. Do you agree to these conditions?”

“Agreed. What do you need me to do?”

“Nothing. Just leave me alone.”

“One thing,” the sheriff said. “That woman over there is the boy’s mother. Try to stay clear of her; it’s best if she doesn’t know you’re here.”

He walked back to the house and turned to watch.