CHAPTER FORTY-FOURJoe
When Cotter woke up, his first view was of a brick wall. He
tried to move and invisible blades stabbed his skull and lower back.
Cotter groaned with the effort of trying to stretch his arms.
His head throbbed in time with his heartbeat. Lying still in an attempt to ease
the pain, his nostrils flared at the stench of urine and body odor.
What the hell . . . ?
He and Billy had been following the car that had taken Jessica.
They had stopped at the end of an alley, where he was now sprawled like a
drunk. People didn’t notice bums lying in alleys in D.C. If anything, they went
out of their way to avoid them.
“Billy?” he croaked. Damn you.
After a time, Cotter fumbled for his cell phone. Missing. Of
course. He eased to his feet and staggered from the alley, see
