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Back The Silenced Women Save as PDF
Chapters (50)
  1. Front Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. Part I
  6. Chapter One
  7. Chapter Two
  8. Chapter Three
  9. Chapter Four
  10. Chapter Five
  11. Chapter Six
  12. Chapter Seven
  13. Chapter Eight
  14. Chapter Nine
  15. Chapter Ten
  16. Chapter Eleven
  17. Chapter Twelve
  18. Chapter Thirteen
  19. Part II
  20. Chapter Fourteen
  21. Chapter Fifteen
  22. Chapter Sixteen
  23. Chapter Seventeen
  24. Chapter Eighteen
  25. Chapter Nineteen
  26. Chapter Twenty
  27. Chapter Twenty-One
  28. Chapter Twenty-Two
  29. Chapter Twenty-Three
  30. Chapter Twenty-Four
  31. Chapter Twenty-Five
  32. Chapter Twenty-Six
  33. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  34. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  35. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  36. Part III
  37. Chapter Thirty
  38. Chapter Thirty-One
  39. Chapter Thirty-Two
  40. Chapter Thirty-Three
  41. Chapter Thirty-Four
  42. Chapter Thirty-Five
  43. Chapter Thirty-Six
  44. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  45. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  46. Read on for a sneak peek at the next Violent Crime Investigations Team mystery!
  47. Chapter One
  48. Acknowledgments
  49. About the Author
  50. Back Cover

Coyle nodded. He holstered his gun and called Dietz, giving him a description of the Nissan. Then he called Mahler. “I’m at the store. Partridge’s gone, and I can’t find Woodhouse. He’s not picking up.”

“Send a unit to Partridge’s apartment,” Mahler said. “I doubt he’ll go there, but he might. If he tried to call his girlfriend and she didn’t answer, he’ll be suspicious.”

“Where’re you?”

“On my way to Thackrey’s place in Dry Creek. The two guys in the park photo, Banerjee and Tao, gave him up. Frames called me.”

“Steve’s there?” Coyle asked.

“Long story. Look, if Woodhouse isn’t at the store, he must be with Partridge.”

“So what do I do now?” Coyle asked.

“Put out a BOLO, and keep trying to reach Woodhouse.”

For a moment neither man spoke. Then Mahler said, “You better call Eden. Partridge’s girlfriend said he’s got a thing for her.”

“She’s not with you?”

“No. I…told her to go home. Just call her.” Mahler hung up.

Coyle dialed Eden’s cell. It rang four times and went to voicemail. Coyle stared at his phone.

Chapter Thirty-Six

(i)

(FRIDAY, 12:45 P.M.)

Driving up the hillside to Thackrey’s house, Mahler saw two patrol cars near the front door. As he neared, he noticed a pair of officers standing in front of the vehicles—Ted Bursick and Brian Hoenig.

Bursick, a tall man with close-cropped hair and wraparound sunglasses, stepped forward. “No answer on the door. No car in the garage.”

Mahler climbed out of his car and walked to the door. He rang the bell and waited. No response, so he turned the doorknob. The door opened. He turned to the other officers. “I’ve got warrants.”

Hoenig shrugged. “You’re the boss.”

They stepped inside, guns drawn. “Santa Rosa Police,” Mahler called. “Benjamin Thackrey, we have warrants for your arrest and to search the premises.” He led Bursick and Hoenig down the corridor, weapons extended. In the living room, they split up to search different rooms—no sign of Thackrey. Three minutes later, they gathered in the living room and holstered their guns.

“Now what?” Bursick asked.

Mahler watched the officer check out the large painting and wondered what he made of the bright red gash slicing down the white canvas. “Let’s have a look around.”

Hoenig reached into a pocket for latex gloves. “What’re we looking for, Eddie?”

“Any evidence of where he went and whether he’s coming back.”

Bursick headed for the guest bedrooms; Hoenig, the office.

Mahler entered the master bedroom, where floor-to-ceiling windows faced the vineyard. The bed was made, the room clean. He checked the two bedside cabinets—both empty. A walk-in closet was only half-filled.

In the marble-tiled bathroom, Mahler caught a glimpse of his face in the brightly lit mirror. His eyes were still dark, an echo of his afternoon migraine.