"Thomas, D C - Double Cross" - читать интересную книгу автора (Thomas D C)

earlier, not far from the lock. He was drinking Farley's Ginger Ale." The
ranger raised an eyebrow in question. "The only place I've seen Farley's is in
the health food store near the college. It's got a distinctive bottle."
Bridget nodded. "He passed us a little later, and we noticed the poncho
flapping behind his bike. I thought it might get caught in the spokes if he
wasn't careful."
The ranger replied with a shake of his head. "No, he didn't wreck the bike. He
was hit on the head with the proverbial blunt instrument. Who else did you see
on the towpath today?" I named them--the couple with the dog, the woman in a
hurry and the guy with the tattoo. "He looked like the other kind of biker,
you know? Like he should have been wearing black leather and chains."
That got the ranger's interest. "You say he was built like a weight lifter?"
A smile flitted across Bridget's face. "Yeah. All the right muscles in all the
right places."
I closed my eyes and tried to picture the biker again. "There was something
about the tattoo." I opened my eyes again and hesitated. "It wasn't what I
expected. You know, a snake wrapped around an anchor or an eagle or something
like that."
"What was it, a heart that said 'Mother'?"
I caught the glint of humor in the ranger's eyes and smiled at his joke,
grateful for the small release of tension. "Close. From where I stood, it
looked like a teddy bear."
He raised both eyebrows at that, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he
tucked his notebook in his pocket and turned to leave. Before he could move, a
scream pierced the air from the direction of the path. The ranger broke into a
run, and after a moment's shocked silence, we followed.
Another bike lay at a crazy angle across the path and the woman we'd seen
earlier stood beside it screaming, "It was Teddy, I know it was. Teddy killed
him!"
Bridget and I looked at each other and mouthed "Teddy?"
The ranger was sympathetic. "Yes, ma'am. Who's Teddy?"
"My ex-boyfriend. He's the jealous kind, and mean. I told him it was over
between us, but he wouldn't believe me. He must have seen me with Will. I know
he was following me. And now he's killed him!"


I'd just collected a bottle of Canada Dry from the cooler at Alfie's Deli on
Saturday afternoon when Bridget came through the door, shoving her flaming
hair out of her face. I opened my mouth to say, "Hi," and forgot to close it.
The big, beefy guy from the towpath was right behind her. There was something
different about him, though.
"Hi, Kellie. Remember Teddy?"
The murderer? How could I forget? "Uh...yeah. Hi."
Teddy smiled and nodded. "Find us a table, Bridget, while I order sandwiches."

Bridget took two colas out of the cooler and steered me toward a table in the
corner.
When I found the rest of my voice, I said, "Okay, Bridget, what's going on?"
"You were right about Teddy, he does ride a motorcycle. He's a vice cop."
I took a gulp of ginger ale. "So he didn't murder the guy on the towpath?"