Miss Fortune

Chapter Sixteen

Thorin eased his truck into a slot in Parking Lot A in Garrett's Park. There were four different lots scattered throughout the seven hundred acres that made up the park and Lot A was nearest the duck pond. It was still early, but parents with small children were already there, feeding the ducks and playing on the smaller playground equipment designed for toddlers and preschool-age kids.

He climbed out, into the warm sunshine and thickening humidity that always reminded him of why he hated summers in New Jersey. Too hot. Too sticky. Too oppressive.

But, he'd dressed for the weather in faded jeans and a white tee shirt under a blue chambray work shirt that kept his gun from being easily seen. It would serve no purpose to scare off the very people he wanted to talk to, so his badge hung on a chain about his neck, tucked underneath his tee shirt.

He cut across the lush sloping lawns leading away from the playground and pond, and picked up the bike path that would lead him down around Washington Lake, where paddleboats could be rented for an hour at a time, and down past the band shell where concerts were held at various times from Memorial Day to Labor Day. It was a gorgeous day, and the summer weather wasn't universally hated, as seen by the number of people already in the park. Half a dozen paddleboats were already out and in use, the field beyond the lake saw a few people with frisbees, others stretched out on blankets just soaking up the rays. At the moment, a soft breeze kept the air from being too stifling, but he was still glad when the bike path wound down into the stand of leafy oak and maple trees and the air temperature dropped by several degrees.

The northwest section of the park, known as Gray Rock, was where the seedier side of the park population loitered. He didn't venture in to that section often, but had been there enough that he knew and recognized a few people and they in turn knew him.

A tall woman with platinum blonde hair grinned as he approached. "Detective Durin? What're you doing here?"

Thorin smiled. "Hey, Laini, I thought you were getting out of the business?"

"And give up all this? Never." She laughed at her own joke and then added, "You ain't gonna run my ass in, are you?"

"Are you soliciting me?"

"No, sir." She winked. "I mean, I'd like to, but I am definitely not."

"Then no, ma'am." He gestured to a bench down near the stream that fed off Washington Lake. "Got a minute?"

"For you, handsome? Always."

It was his turn to chuckle. He'd arrested Laini more than once for prostitution and each time, she swore she'd get out of the business. But time and again, she came back and since she knew just about everyone who passed through that section of the park, he'd made a deal with her—he wouldn't hassle her if she helped him when and if she could. She'd held up her end of the bargain, so he held up his.

"Have you seen this guy?" He pulled out the flyer of Ted Maddox's rendering of Yuri that now included blown up copies of the photos from Frerin's file. "Goes by the name of Yuri."

"Yuri? Yuri got a last name?"

"I'm sure he does, but I don't know it."

She took the flyer and studied it, bright red lips pursed as she then shook her head. "No. He looks like a weasel and I'd definitely remember seeing a weasel before."

He bit back a sigh. "Damn. Who else is here today?"

"Andi is on the other side of the rocks, but she's... busy at the moment. Don't bust her, okay? She's got two mouths to feed and just inherited a nephew as well."