The Killing Vision - By Will Overby Page 0,43
search of the banks upstream should reveal some evidence.
He had just reached for the phone to call Chapman when it rang, startling him. Scotty’s voice on the other end was cracking with excitement. “We’ve got a match on the hair you found,” he said.
Halloran sat up straight. “Sarah Jo’s?”
“Yep. Just got the call from the lab.”
“Great work.”
“Hey, you’re the one who found it.”
Halloran hung up the phone and stared at it while he fondled his cigarette pack. It was time to organize another search of the riverbanks.
* * *
8:15 PM
Wade was sprawled in the recliner, sipping a beer and leafing through a J.C. Whitney catalog. Poring through page after page of Mustang parts and accessories made his mouth water with anticipation. Thinking about what he and Derek could do to the car was almost more fun than actually working on it. But damn! By the time he got everything they needed for it, he would almost spend another four grand.
Across the room, Marla sat cross-legged on the sofa. The TV was blaring some sitcom, and the television audience was roaring with laughter. Marla stared empty-eyed at the screen; she was not paying any attention to the show and he could tell. He looked at her above the edge of the catalog, watching her pretend to look at the TV and biting on her nails. What the hell was she thinking about? Where was her mind?
It was times like this that he almost feared her, when she just blanked out like she was now, though he would never let her know that. Knowing how much she hated him sometimes, how little they got along anymore, he wondered if she was considering leaving him. Or something worse.
He had been so pissed when he found out she had called Joel. He wanted to go off on her, but by the time he got home from work he was too tired to get into it with her. He hadn’t mentioned it, and neither had she. But God help her if she ever did it again.
His phone rang, jarring him from his thoughts. Marla looked over at him, then turned back to the television. He glared at her as he picked it up. “Yeah.”
“Hello, handsome.”
It took him a moment to place the voice, and then he realized it was Abby. “Hey.”
“What’s up?”
“Not much,” he said. “Just watchin’ TV.”
“You comin’ out Friday night?”
“I might.”
“We’ll be there around nine. I get off work at six, but Shelley’s got to stay ’til seven-thirty.”
“Well, that sucks.”
She laughed. “Tell me about it.” There was a pause, and she said, “Hey, guess what this sound is.” He strained to hear a slight raspy, bristly sound. “You hear that?” she said.
“Yeah, what was it?”
She giggled. “I was touching myself. Thinking about you.”
His face grew hot and he felt a sudden twinge between his legs. “Yeah?”
“Mmm-hmm. Still doing it, too.” She let out a slight sigh.
Wade shifted uncomfortably in his chair, trying to accommodate his growing erection. “Really?” He eyed Marla, who was still staring at the television.
“Yeah. But I sure wish it was your fingers instead of mine.”
It was all he could do to swallow. “Me, too.”
“Are you touching yourself, too?”
“You bet,” he lied, wishing to God Marla would leave the room. If she would just go to the bathroom, or go wash the fucking dishes.
“I wish I was there. Watching you do it. Watching your big strong hands giving yourself pleasure. Maybe I could use my mouth. Would you like that?”
“Uh-huh.” He froze. Marla was staring at him, her eyes boring through him. He shifted the catalog so she couldn’t see the bulge in his pants. “It’s Joel,” he mouthed to her, and she nodded and looked back at the television. “Go on,” he said into the receiver.
“I can’t wait ’til Friday night,” Abby was saying. “Can you come over now? We wouldn’t have to tell Shelley. She won’t be home ’til almost midnight.”
“I can’t,” he said.
“Please? I’m going crazy over here. I want you so bad.”
“Same here,” he said. “But tonight’s not good.”
She sighed. “All right,” she said sullenly. “But Friday you could come by early, before Shelley gets home. We could have some fun, just the two of us.”
“You bet,” he said. “We’ll push the envelope.”
Marla looked at him as he ended the call and Wade shook his head. “If he don’t leave me alone about working on this goddamn car…” He opened the catalog back up and took a drink from his beer. His hands were shaking. He