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Blow Out Catherine Coulter 14350K 2023-09-01

Savich was at the door in an instant, his ID out "Agent Savich Where is she?"

A woman stepped forward "I’ot here There was an initial charge into the place, so the scene’s a mess I’ve tried to keep everyone out after I saw she was dead She’s in the kitchen I hear she was on the phone to you and you heard hiet all your people coents will be here very soon to help you, along with a helicopter and the Washington SWAT teauy, probably in his fifties, white He has to have had soet everyone on it" He paused a moment "Detective Chamber, this is the man who murdered Justice Califano"

Orinda Chamber reeled back, then steadied and nodded "Yes, sir I’m on it"

Sherlock had run past hi in the kitchen looking down at Eliza Vickers She was lying on her side, her long straight hair tangled over her face, but Sherlock saw her eyes through the veil of hair, still bulging wide Terror and surprise no longer filled them They were empty now, empty even of the ently pulled her hair away from her face "Eliza, I’m sorry Oh, God, I’m so sorry"

"Hey, lady, who the hell are you? What is--"

Savich shoved his ID in the officer’s face "She’s FBI Back off Go outside and help find this bastard"

"Yes, sir," one of the other officers said, and pulled the officer away

Sherlock was leaning over Eliza, her hands shaking her shoulders, trying to awaken her, trying to ain Tears streamed down her face "Oh no, Eliza I’ainst Eliza’s hair, sobbing

Savich came down on his haunches beside his wife He rubbed her shoulders, didn’t say anything, just gave her what co himself This bastard, this G&uu she was on the phone to hi as he lived what the round after the phone had crashed to the kitchen floor: "Well, she’s dead now, isn’t she? You hear ot nada, rien, nichts" And he laughed Savich had heard hi as he’d picked the phone up off the kitchen floor and thrown it across the room, and walked out of there, the sound of his footsteps clear for Savich to hear Savich had continued to listen, for the sound of a door opening, a , anything But there was only silence And he’d known Eliza Vickers was dead and that he’d been helpless to do anything about it

Günter had sounded as American as the apple pie they’d baked for dinner Aional accent Savich are of Ben and Callie standing in the kitchen doorway, keeping the other officers out

Of course G&uuut they wouldn’t find him, not this time Too much cover in all the maples and oaks behind the condo complex, too many places to hide a car, a hway

He closed his eyes against the pain of Eliza’s death, realizing he could hardly bear it either He’d never seen Sherlock like this She looked beaten down, crushed Eliza Vickers, so smart, so very real, and he’d heard her die on his damned cell phone He kneould live with that forever He lowered his head, holding both his sobbing wife and Eliza Vickers, asn’t there anymore to care

Suddenly, Savich reared up and yelled, "Ben, Callie, we’ve got to get over to Fleurette’s house Call her, tell her to hide Call 911, have as many squad cars there as fast as possible to canvas the area, stop everyone who’s alone in a car Take her to my house Hurry!"

Ben didn’t hesitate Both he and Callie were out the door Ben tossed Callie his address book as he jumped into the car "Fleurette’s nu once, twice, three times Finally, Ben heard her voice "Hello?"

"Fleurette?"

"Yes, who’s this? It’s after ht, who--"

"This is Detective Ben Raven No, be quiet and listen to un?"

A slight pause, then, "Yes, a twenty-two revolver"

"Loaded?"