Caveat: This chapter will be edited, and probably heavily before the book is finished. That’s what all the “—“, “[[“, and “]]” are about.
A black on black Jeep Cherokee Grande pulled into Martin’s parking lot. With its tires and suspension, it stood a head taller than anything else there, and that included some tricked-out farm trucks the local boys spent their weekends tinkering with. Tony Morelli opened the door and a step folded out. He got out and shook hands wtih a bunch of high school kids who were impressed as hell by his machine.
“Anything stop you with that, Mister?”
Morelli smiled coyly. “Not yet. You guys like cars?”
They shied up like Morelli’s ride was their first crush. “Yeah.” “Yep.” “Yes, sir.”
“Tell you what. I’ll be in town for a while. I’m Larry Martin’s cousin up here fishing. I’ll bet you guys know some good spots. How about I let you drive me out to some.”
Enthusiastic nods.
“You guys do fish, right?”
Less enthusiastic nods.
“We’ll figure something out. Okay if I go in and say hi to my cousin? Let him know I’m here?”
They parted like the Red Sea but [[re-hovered???]] around Morelli’s jeep as he went inside.
Martin stepped out from behind the counter. “Cousin! Good to see you and glad you could make it.” He called over his shoulder. “John, would you mind the store while I get my cousin situated upstairs?”
John came out wiping his hands on a green apron with big white “Martin’s Store” on top and underneath “We can get what you want!”
“John, this is my cousin, Tony. Tony, meet John, stockboy and best damn fixit-man on the planet. Isn’t that right, John?”
John shrugged.
“Where’re your bags, Tony? Let’s get some of that road grime off you.”
Upstairs, Tony waited until Martin activated Croyden’s Cone of Silence. “We got word of another one. Same signature, same apparent MO.”
“Male or female?”
“Male this time. Any luck figuring out the unsub’s selection criteria?”
“So far all I have is age. They’re all the same age within half-a-year of each other. Where was this one?”
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