Dark Horse Read online


Chapter 1

  1.

  Charles Brown, the defense attorney, was a small man with a round head. He was wearing a brown and orange zigzagged power tie. I secretly wondered if he went by Charlie as a kid and had a dog named Snoopy and a crush on the little red-headed girl.

  We were sitting in my office on a warm spring day. Charlie was here to give me a job if I wanted it, and I wanted it. I hadn't worked in two weeks and was beginning to like it, which made me nervous.

  "I think the kid's innocent," he was saying.

  "Of course you do, Charlie. You're a defense attorney. You would find cause to think Jack the Ripper was simply a misunderstood artist before his time. "

  He looked at me with what was supposed to be a stern face.

  "The name's Charles," he said.

  "If you say so. "

  "I do. "

  "Glad that's cleared up. "

  "I heard you could be difficult," he said. "Is this you being difficult? If so, then I'm disappointed. "

  I smiled. "Maybe you have me confused with my father. "

  Charlie sat back in my client chair and smiled. His domed head was perfectly buffed and polished, cleanly reflecting the halogen lighting above. His skin appeared wet and viscous, as if his sweat glands were ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.

  "Your father has quite a reputation in L. A. I gave his office a call before coming here. Of course, he's quite busy and could not take on an extra case. "

  "So you settled on the next best thing. "

  "If you want to call it that," he said. "I've heard that you've performed adequately with similar cases, and so I've decided to give you a shot, although my expectations are not very high, and I have another P. I. waiting in the wings. "

  "How reassuring," I said.

  "Yeah, well, he's established. You're not. "

  "But can he pick up a blind side blitz?"

  Charlie smiled and splayed his stubby fingers flat on my desk and looked around my office, which was adorned with newspaper clippings and photographs of yours truly. Most of the photographs depict me in a Bruin uniform, sporting the number 45. In most I'm carrying the football, and in others I'm blowing open the hole for the tailback. Or at least I like to think I'm blowing open the hole. The newspapers are yellowing now, taped or tacked to the wood paneling. Maybe someday I'll take them down. But not yet.

  "You beat SC a few years back. I can never forgive you for that. Two touchdowns in the fourth quarter alone. "

  "Three," I said. "But who's counting?"

  He rubbed his chin. "Destroyed your leg, if I recall, in the last game of the season. Broken in seven different places. "

  "Nine, but who's counting?"

  "Must have been hard to deal with. You were on your way to the pros. Would have made a hell of a fullback. "

  That had been hard to deal with, and I didn't feel like talking about it now to Charlie Brown. "Why do you believe in your client's innocence?" I asked.

  He looked at me. "I see. You don't want to talk about it. Sorry I brought it up. " He crossed his legs. He didn't seem sorry at all. He looked smugly down at his shoes, which had polish on the polish. "Because I believe Derrick's story. I believe he loved his girlfriend and would never kill her. "

  "People have been killed for love before. Nothing new. "

  On my computer screen before me I had brought up an article from the Orange County Register. The article showed a black teen being led away into a police car. He was looking down, his head partially covered by his jacket. He was being led away from a local high school. A very upscale high school, if I recalled. The story was dated three weeks ago, and I recalled reading it back then.

  I tapped the computer monitor. "The police say there's some indication that his girlfriend was seeing someone else, and that jealousy might have been a factor. "

  "Yes," said the attorney. "And we think this someone else framed our client. "

  "I take it you want me to find this man. "

  "Or person. "

  "Ah, equality," I said.

  "We want you to find evidence of our client's innocence, whether or not you find the true murderer. "

  "Anything else I should know?"

  "We feel race might be a factor here. He was the only black student in school, and in the neighborhood. "

  "I believe the preferred term is African-American. "

  "I'm aware of public sentiment in this regards. I don't need you to lecture me. "

  "Just trying to live up to my difficult name. "

  "Yeah, well, cool it," he said. "Now, no one's talking at the school. My client says he was working out late in the school gym, yet no one saw him, not even the janitors. "

  "Then maybe he wasn't there. "

  "He was there," said Charlie simply, as if his word was enough. "So do you want the job?"

  "Sure. "

  We discussed a retainer fee and then he wrote me a check. When he left, waddling out of the office, I could almost hear Schroeder playing on his little piano in the background.

  2.

  "He was found with the murder weapon," said Detective Hanson. "It was in the backseat of his car. That's damning evidence. "

  "That," I said, "and he's black. "

  "And he's black," said Hanson.

  "In an all white school," I said.

  "Yep. "

  "Were his prints on the knife?"

  "No. "

  We were sitting in an outdoor cafe facing the beach. It was spring, and in southern California that's as good as summer. Many underdressed women were roller-blading, jogging or walking their dogs on the narrow beach path. There were also some men, all finely chiseled, but they were not as interesting.

  Detective Hanson was a big man, but not as big as me. He had neat brown hair parted down the middle. His thick mustache screamed cop. He wore slacks and a white shirt. He was sweating through his shirt. I was dressed in khaki shorts, a surfing T-shirt and white Vans. Coupled with my amazing tan and disarming smile, I was surprised I wasn't more often confused with Jimmy Buffet. If Jimmy Buffet stood six foot four and weighed two hundred and twenty.

  "You guys have anything else on the kid?" I asked.

  "You know I can't divulge that. Trial hasn't even started. The info about the knife made it to the press long ago, so that's a freebie for you. I can tell you this: the body was found at one a. m. , although the ME places the time of death around seven p. m. the previous night. "

  "Who found the body?"

  "A neighbor. "

  "Where were the victim's parents?"

  "Dinner and dancing. It was a Friday night. "

  "Of course," I said. "Who doesn't go out and dance on a Friday night?"

  "I don't," said Hanson.

  "Me neither," I said. "Does Derrick have an alibi?"

  "This will cost you a tunacoda. "

  "You drive a hard bargain. "

  I called the waitress over and put in our lunch orders.

  "No alibi," Hanson said when she had left, "but. . . . " He let his voice trail off.

  "But you believe the kid?"

  He shrugged. "Yeah. He seems like a good kid. Says he was working out at the school gym at the time. "

  "Schools have janitors, staff, students. "

  "Yeah, well, it was late and no one saw him. "

  "Or no one chose to see him. "

  Hanson shrugged.

  Our food arrived. A tunacoda for the detective. A half pound burger for me, with grilled onions and cheese, and a milkshake.

  "You trying to commit suicide?" he asked.

  "I'm bulking up," I said.

  "This is how you bulk up? Eating crap?"

  "Only wa
y I know how. "

  "Why?"

  "Thinking of trying out for San Diego," I said.

  "The Chargers?"

  "Yeah. "

  "What about your leg?"

  "The leg's going to be a problem. "

  He thought about that, working his way through his tuna and avocado sandwich. He took a sip from his Coke.

  "You wanna bash heads with other men and snap each other in the shower with jock straps, go right ahead. "

  "It's not as glamorous as that. "

  "Suicide, I say. What's your dad think?"

  "He doesn't know. You're the first person I've told. "

  "I'm honored. "

  "You should be. "

  "What's Cindy going to say?"

  I sipped my milkshake. "She won't like it, but she will support me. She happens to think very highly of me and my decisions. "

  He snorted and finished his sandwich, grabbed his Styrofoam cup.

  "I can't believe I was bribed with a shitty tuna sandwich and a Coke. "

  "A simple man with simple needs. "

  "I should resent that remark, if it wasn't so true. " He stood. "I gotta run. Good luck with the kid, but I think it's a lost cause. Kid even has a record. "

  "What kind?"

  "Vandalism, mostly. He's a goner. Hear they're gonna try him as an adult. "

  Detective Hanson left with his Styrofoam cup. I noticed he wasn't wearing socks. Even cops in Huntington Beach are cool.

 

    Vampire Moon Read onlineVampire MoonAmerican Vampire Read onlineAmerican VampireMoon Child Read onlineMoon ChildMoon Island Read onlineMoon IslandVampire Dawn Read onlineVampire DawnChristmas Moon Read onlineChristmas MoonThe Vampire With the Dragon Tattoo Read onlineThe Vampire With the Dragon TattooArthur Read onlineArthurBroken Ice (Immortal Operative Book 1) Read onlineBroken Ice (Immortal Operative Book 1)Vampire Games Read onlineVampire GamesDark Horse Read onlineDark HorseThe Vampire Who Played Dead Read onlineThe Vampire Who Played DeadThe Mummy Case Read onlineThe Mummy CaseAladdin and the Flying Dutchman (The Aladdin Trilogy Book 3) Read onlineAladdin and the Flying Dutchman (The Aladdin Trilogy Book 3)Aladdin Relighted (The Aladdin Trilogy Book 1) Read onlineAladdin Relighted (The Aladdin Trilogy Book 1)Moon Dance (Vampire for Hire #1) Read onlineMoon Dance (Vampire for Hire #1)The Santa Call and Other Stories Read onlineThe Santa Call and Other StoriesThe Mummy Case jk-2 Read onlineThe Mummy Case jk-2Vampire Gold Read onlineVampire Goldvampire requiem Read onlinevampire requiemNew Moon Rising (Samantha Moon Origins Book 1) Read onlineNew Moon Rising (Samantha Moon Origins Book 1)The Journey Read onlineThe JourneyZombie Patrol (Walking Plague Trilogy #1) Read onlineZombie Patrol (Walking Plague Trilogy #1)Moon Angel (Vampire for Hire Book 14) Read onlineMoon Angel (Vampire for Hire Book 14)Vampire for Hire: First Eight Short Stories (Plus Samantha Moon's Blog and Bonus Scenes) Read onlineVampire for Hire: First Eight Short Stories (Plus Samantha Moon's Blog and Bonus Scenes)Moonlight & Monsters: Ten Vampire Tales Read onlineMoonlight & Monsters: Ten Vampire TalesMoon Shadow (Vampire for Hire Book 11) Read onlineMoon Shadow (Vampire for Hire Book 11)The Vampire With the Dragon Tattoo (Spinoza Series #1) Read onlineThe Vampire With the Dragon Tattoo (Spinoza Series #1)vampire nights Read onlinevampire nightsMoon Shadow Read onlineMoon ShadowHail Mary Read onlineHail MaryVampires 3 Read onlineVampires 3Moon Island (A Vampire for Hire Novel) Read onlineMoon Island (A Vampire for Hire Novel)The Witch and the Englishman (The Witches Series Book 2) Read onlineThe Witch and the Englishman (The Witches Series Book 2)The Spear (Major Quatermain Book 1) Read onlineThe Spear (Major Quatermain Book 1)See No Evil (The PSI Trilogy Book 2) Read onlineSee No Evil (The PSI Trilogy Book 2)Vampire for Hire: All Three Short Stories Read onlineVampire for Hire: All Three Short StoriesHail Mary jk-3 Read onlineHail Mary jk-3Silver Light Read onlineSilver LightMoon Bayou Read onlineMoon BayouElvis Has Not Left the Building Read onlineElvis Has Not Left the BuildingPyramid of the Gods Read onlinePyramid of the Godsvampire blues Read onlinevampire bluesVampire Dreams Read onlineVampire DreamsSamantha Moon: First Eight Novels, Plus One Novella Read onlineSamantha Moon: First Eight Novels, Plus One NovellaMoon Investigations: Books Three and Four Read onlineMoon Investigations: Books Three and Fourblue moon Read onlineblue moonThe Drifting Gloom (Maddy Wimsey Book 2) Read onlineThe Drifting Gloom (Maddy Wimsey Book 2)Christmas Moon (A Vampire for Hire Novella) Read onlineChristmas Moon (A Vampire for Hire Novella)Lost Eden Read onlineLost EdenDolfin Tayle Read onlineDolfin Taylevampire for hire 02.5 - vampire nights Read onlinevampire for hire 02.5 - vampire nightsBlood Moon (Samantha Moon Case Files Book 2) Read onlineBlood Moon (Samantha Moon Case Files Book 2)Easy Rider: A Jim Knighthorse Story (Short Story) Read onlineEasy Rider: A Jim Knighthorse Story (Short Story)Lavabull Read onlineLavabullThe Lost Ark Read onlineThe Lost ArkJudas Silver Read onlineJudas SilverDark Quests (Three Screenplays) Read onlineDark Quests (Three Screenplays)Dark Horse (A Jim Knighthorse Novel) Read onlineDark Horse (A Jim Knighthorse Novel)Sherlock Holmes and the Missing Shakespeare Read onlineSherlock Holmes and the Missing ShakespeareRed Rain: Over 40 Bestselling Stories Read onlineRed Rain: Over 40 Bestselling StoriesTreasure of the Deep Read onlineTreasure of the DeepDark horse jk-1 Read onlineDark horse jk-1Ghosts of Christmas Present: A Dead Detective Short Story (The Dead Detective) Read onlineGhosts of Christmas Present: A Dead Detective Short Story (The Dead Detective)Zombie Mountain Read onlineZombie MountainSpider Bite: A Vampire Thriller (The Spider Trilogy Book 3) Read onlineSpider Bite: A Vampire Thriller (The Spider Trilogy Book 3)Aladdin Sins Bad (The Aladdin Trilogy Book 2) Read onlineAladdin Sins Bad (The Aladdin Trilogy Book 2)Vampire Fire Read onlineVampire FireVampire Sire (Vampire for Hire Book 15) Read onlineVampire Sire (Vampire for Hire Book 15)New Moon Rising Read onlineNew Moon RisingThe Walking Plague Trilogy Read onlineThe Walking Plague TrilogyMoon Extras: Samantha Moon Bonus Scenes Read onlineMoon Extras: Samantha Moon Bonus ScenesDark Rain: 15 Short Tales Read onlineDark Rain: 15 Short TalesHear No Evil (The PSI Trilogy Book 1) Read onlineHear No Evil (The PSI Trilogy Book 1)Cursed Read onlineCursedVampire Rain and Other Stories (Includes Samantha Moon's Blog) Read onlineVampire Rain and Other Stories (Includes Samantha Moon's Blog)Jim Knighthorse Series: First Three Books Read onlineJim Knighthorse Series: First Three BooksMoon Mourning (Samantha Moon Origins Book 2) Read onlineMoon Mourning (Samantha Moon Origins Book 2)The Devil's Eye Read onlineThe Devil's EyeThe Vampire Who Played Dead (Spinoza Series #2) Read onlineThe Vampire Who Played Dead (Spinoza Series #2)Vampire Blues: Four Stories (Samantha Moon Case Files #1) Read onlineVampire Blues: Four Stories (Samantha Moon Case Files #1)Silver Light (Alexis Silver Book 1) Read onlineSilver Light (Alexis Silver Book 1)Midnight Moon Read onlineMidnight MoonThe Witch and the Englishman Read onlineThe Witch and the EnglishmanVampire for Hire Read onlineVampire for HireMoon Mourning Read onlineMoon MourningMoon Bayou (Samantha Moon Case Files Book 1) Read onlineMoon Bayou (Samantha Moon Case Files Book 1)The Grail Quest (The Avalon Book 1) Read onlineThe Grail Quest (The Avalon Book 1)The Body Departed (2009) Read onlineThe Body Departed (2009)The Witch and the Gentleman Read onlineThe Witch and the GentlemanSpider Web: A Vampire Thriller (The Spider Trilogy Book 2) Read onlineSpider Web: A Vampire Thriller (The Spider Trilogy Book 2)Clean Slate (Jim Knighthorse Book 4) Read onlineClean Slate (Jim Knighthorse Book 4)Vampire Sire Read onlineVampire SireVampire Sun Read onlineVampire SunBlue Moon: A Samantha Moon Story Read onlineBlue Moon: A Samantha Moon StoryRainy Nights: Three Mysteries Read onlineRainy Nights: Three MysteriesMoon Angel Read onlineMoon AngelConvergence (Winter Solstice Book 1) Read onlineConvergence (Winter Solstice Book 1)Vampires & Werewolves: Four Novels Read onlineVampires & Werewolves: Four NovelsMidnight Moon (Vampire for Hire Book 13) Read onlineMidnight Moon (Vampire for Hire Book 13)Vampire Gold: A Samantha Moon Story (Vampire for Hire) Read onlineVampire Gold: A Samantha Moon Story (Vampire for Hire)Moon Extras Read onlineMoon ExtrasThe Witch and the Gentleman (The Witches Series Book 1) Read onlineThe Witch and the Gentleman (The Witches Series Book 1)The Vampire in the Iron Mask (The Spinoza Trilogy Book 3) Read onlineThe Vampire in the Iron Mask (The Spinoza Trilogy Book 3)The Mummy Case (Jim Knighthorse Series #2) Read onlineThe Mummy Case (Jim Knighthorse Series #2)Bad Blood: A Vampire Thriller (The Spider Trilogy Book 1) Read onlineBad Blood: A Vampire Thriller (The Spider Trilogy Book 1)vampire for hire 10.5 - vampire requiem Read onlinevampire for hire 10.5 - vampire requiemThe Dead Detective Read onlineThe Dead Detective