Immortal by V.K. Forrest Page A

after she heard about the murder. When the kid didn’t show up for work and didn’t call, she wasn’t worried. She just figured he’d either quit and not bothered to call her, or he was sleeping off a hangover and he’d be in tomorrow, begging her not to fire him. She said it happens all the time with her summer help. She was pretty upset, Fin. Said it just hadn’t occurred to her that the dead blond boy she heard about this morning could be her blond caramel corn boy.” He looked away. “She said he was a”—Pete’s voice caught in his throat—“said he was a sweet kid.”
    “You get an address on him?”
    “Like I said, he’s from P-A, but I got a local one. One of Victor’s dumps on First. He was living with a bunch of guys for the summer. I was going there next, but I wanted to tell you the news in person.”
    “Colin Meding.” Fin tasted the name. The dead kid had looked like a Colin. A college graduate. A sweet kid. His whole life ahead of him. It was such a shame. He walked to the office door and opened it for Pete. “Go to the rental house, round up whoever’s there and bring them to the station. You can ask them some questions, but don’t tell them anything. The parents have to be notified first.” The phone rang on Sean’s desk.
    Sean ignored it.
    It rang again. Fin glanced back. “You going to answer that?”
    Sean reached for the phone. “Chief Kahill.” He listened, then covered one end of the phone with his hand. “It’s Doc Caldwell.” He lowered his hand. “Uh-huh.”
    Fin returned his attention to Pete, who was walking out the door. “You need another officer to go with you?”
    Pete shook his head. “I don’t need to be babysat, Fin.” This time he didn’t hesitate to look at Fin straight-on. “Just because I’m not hero material like you doesn’t mean I can’t do my job. You tell me what to do and I’ll do it. It’s not that I’m a screwup. I’m just not you.”
    Hero material? Pete had to be kidding. This was yet another reason why Fin hadn’t wanted to be in charge of the investigation. He was bad with people. He worked better alone. “I’m sorry,” Fin said quietly. And he meant it. You know I didn’t want this job , he telepathed, assuming Sean was too busy with his phone call to pay attention. Sean wasn’t a multitasker, even on a good day. Even if he did catch a word or two, Fin didn’t care. I didn’t want to be a police officer for the summer. And I certainly didn’t want to lead a murder investigation. You’re a good cop, Pete. Everyone knows it. And you’re more a hero than I’ll ever be. You keep out of the limelight. You do your job, keep your family, our family, safe better than anyone I know .
    Just doing what needs to be done for the greater good , Pete returned kindly.
    The greater good , Fin repeated, still speaking telepathically.
    “I’ll bring the roommates in.”
    “Thanks, Pete.” Fin closed the door behind him, turning to Sean, who had just hung up the phone. He looked pale again, his cheeks flushed, like he had earlier in the day on the boardwalk. “What did the doc have to say?” He knew very well from the look on Sean’s face it wasn’t good. “He have anything concrete for us?”
    “He wants me to come down to the office.” Sean swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing in the flabby flesh of his throat. “Something on the body he wants me to see.”
    Fin was only half listening to Sean. The other half of his brain was composing the conversation he would have with Colin’s family. A Pennsylvania state police officer would be sent to the home to give the parents the dreadful news, but then the family would come to Clare Point and Fin would have to answer their questions. Only right now, he didn’t have any answers. “So go,” he told his uncle, switching gears again. “Bring back the autopsy report if he’s got it done, otherwise—”
    “I can’t go.”
    Fin stared at his uncle for a moment. He might have