"No Witnesses"

Ridley Pearson's novel, "No Witnesses," is his third mystery in the Boldt/Matthews series.  Lou Boldt is a Seattle police homicide detective who also plays jazz piano in a friend's club some evenings and shares duties with his banker wife, Liz, for their preschool son, Miles.  In an attempt to keep his home life in balance because of his small son, Boldt also tries to work a reduced case load.

When his friend and colleague, police psychologist, Daphne Matthews, comes to him with a case that must be kept quiet, he is reluctant.  However, the case involves an extortion attempt on her food chain boyfriend, Owen Adler, and has the potential to cost innocent victims their lives.

Boldt takes the case and pulls together a team to work it without putting it on the books because the extortionist has warned that deaths will escalate if there is any hint of police involvement.  Unfortunately, the first few victims are just kids and that really angers Boldt.  There is so little to go on and he has to work hand-in-hand with Adler's own security team which includes an ex-cop, Kenny Fowler, and eventually involves the FBI.  Although Lou and Liz try to keep their professional lives out of their personal lives, this case is consuming Lou and he is getting worn down from lack of sleep.  Liz knows enough about what is going on to realize her banking background might be helpful in the case and offers her insights reluctantly.

Daphne finds herself in situations where she is certain she is being followed or has the sense of being watched all the time.  She tries to pass it off as just paranoia but her psychologist mind suggests it is not.

How do you work a case with no clues, no witnesses?  You have to rely on a little luck and a lot of grueling police work.  This case is another one of twists and turns, sadness over the loss of so many innocent lives, and a conclusion that is surprising.  Pearson is a master storyteller!  pazt