Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 108342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108342 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
“Who?”
He began smacking on the gum all the louder. “His name is Nikolai Raven. Big motherfucker. The one that was on the news! It’s him. The lady on the TV said he was a suspect, but he ain’t no suspect. He’s your guy! I got all the evidence you need!”
Good God. Another opportunist watches the news and calls with information he saw on the tube, repeating it back to me like some parrot. I don’t have time for this!
“And what makes you sure of that?”
“’Cause two of my friends saw him at the beach with one of the dead guys. I mean, not while the guy was dead, but while he was alive. And then, like, the next day, the guy was dead. We were just talking about it in here.”
“What day did this happen? Which victim was it? I need a name, or at the very least, a physical description. Where at on the beach did this take place? Around what time?”
“For fuck’s sake, I don’t know none of that! Like maybe four or five months ago.”
“There are several people, Dolph, who said they saw Nikolai Raven there. They said this over six months ago. He was a person of interest. A suspect. He’s also been in the news today for a crime that may have nothing to do with the Old Orchard Beach murders. This information isn’t helpful.”
“What?! Sure it is!”
“You’ve offered no new information, and what you stated is hearsay. Secondhand information. He also has an alibi. Several of them. I would need more than what you’ve provided to even contemplate you receiving an award. Thank you for your time and—”
“Wait! I’m tellin’ you the truth. That guy is bad news. The whole fuckin’ family is crazy!”
The more she heard him speak, the more his voice sounded familiar. But she couldn’t place from where.
“Dolph, how do you know Nikolai?”
“Went to high school with him.”
“When was the last time you saw him?”
“’Bout three or four months ago. Gas station. He tried to beat my ass for no reason. Fuckin’ psycho. He’s probably on drugs. Steroids no doubt. He looks like a ’roid head to me.”
Her heart started pounding in her chest again. That’s where I know that voice! He’s the man who was arguing with Nikolai at the gas station when he and I first met.
“So you’d want revenge, right? You’re angry enough to call in a false tip?”
“What? No! Hell, no! It’s the truth! He is nutso! I’m tellin’ ya, he did this shit.”
She glanced at her laptop, staring at the two indistinct men engaged in combat next to what seemed to be a hatchback car.
“Dolph, you said you went to high school with him. Did you know his family well?”
“Well, yeah, kinda.”
“What do you remember about Nikolai’s father?” She grabbed a notebook and pen.
“Their father was kinda quiet. He was nice enough I guess. He didn’t talk much. The mother was friendly. She would show up to school stuff. Brings snacks for everyone and cheer on the team. She’d volunteer sometimes for some of our trips, things like that. With Nikolai in football ’nd all, she was at the school quite a bit. I wonder if she knew how smug her son was? He didn’t have no room to snub his nose at me. Nikolai and his brothers were big and tried to intimidate people. I wasn’t intimidated by him. Not back then, and not now.”
“Bullies? Was that currently? Or just back when you were highschoolers?”
She heard the guy swallow.
“Well, guess what? He tried to kick my ass recently! So what does that say?! All I did, lady, was offer him a business deal, and he went all crazy.”
She stared at the laptop screen, at the two men fighting, blurry hands on shoulders, jackets being pulled and tugged…
“Back to the family for a sec. Do you know where Nikolai’s brothers are now?”
“My friend said one of ’em lives in Wyoming, I think. No. Maybe New Hampshire. He’s a lawyer or doctor or somethin’ or other. He was kinda brainy. That’s Mark. The other one never stays in town much. Comes and goes. I think Dmitry lived in California for a lil while. I see him every now and again, but haven’t since last Christmas.” Yeek’s, ‘Leave With Me,’ serenaded her as she tried to gather information.
“And what did you two talk about when you saw him last Christmas?”
“Just a hi and bye sorta deal. I rarely would see Nikolai. I guess he’s a homebody, but now we all know what he was doin’ in that home of his!” he hooted. “Slicin’ and dicin’ up bodies! What a fucking psycho!”
“Please answer my question.”
“Hold your horses, geez. Uh, what did you ask me again?”
I want to cancel this motherfucker’s subscription on life… Just end his complete publication. “I said, what did you and Dmitriy discuss when you saw him last Christmas?”