Intimate Relations, Rebecca Forster [best ereader for manga .txt] 📗

the exit. Finn took it and Cori rolled right back into the conversation. "I'm counting my blessings for good old Lapinski. He chases ambulances for a living and does all right by it, but I wouldn't give one of him for ten of that guy. In fact, I have an old tape of The Baby Jungle. The daycare lady told me it was going to be a collector's item.  I'm tossing it for sure now."

"Hollywood seems to be nothing more than business. Pity. I was  hoping to find the wizard and not a man behind the curtain," Finn said.

"You don't need a heart," Cori said.

"Perhaps a brain?"

"I think you're okay there too." Cori laughed a little.

"Then let's leave Mr. Stotler and the Right Hand behind," Finn said.

"I'll red-line them," Cori said. "If Stotler had anything to do with it, he would have written a check after Gray sent the job out for bid. He would never take Roxana out himself. The man probably doesn't floss his own teeth."

"Blacker than black, that soul of his. He's in good company though. Politicians have the same playbook," Finn said.

Cori shot her partner a glance.

"And Bev?"

"Stotler would hand her over if it were expedient," Finn said. "I'm thinking to advise her to have an attorney on hand in case he turns on her."

"And I'm thinking you've lost your marbles," Cori said. "You didn't cop to the relationship up front, O'Brien. That's one strike and no matter who gets indicted, that's going to be a big deal if they call you to testify. Goes to integrity of the investigation."

"Not if Beverly was a minor player," Finn said.

"Are you kidding?" Cori barked a laugh. "I logged that video into evidence. If she says you advised her on any matter, you're toast. Besides, her beef was more than personal. It was business and you're in the same bind."

"What is it you're implying, woman?"

Finn shot her a glance and she rolled her eyes.

"Can you imagine her testimony if she's called as a witness?" Cori raised a hand and flipped her hair off her face in a poor imitation of Finn's ex. "Well, your honor, I got a great guy with a ton of money and I'm living like a queen, so I really didn't want this little girl messing with my gig. Oh, and my ex? Yeah, he gave me a heads up about getting a lawyer 'cause I guess he was worried I'd be implicated. He might have rearranged some things to protect me. Who knows? Oh, yeah, judge, he's definitely still carrying a torch. He'd do anything to protect me.'"

Finn's laugh started small and got bigger. His head shook as he navigated through Hidden Hills. A year ago Cori would have realized too late that her mimicry hit too close to home. It didn't anymore.

"I was only thinking that she should be prepared, but you're right. Watching out for her isn't my job any longer. Should the need arise, I'm sure Mr. Stotler will see to her legal needs."

"If only to cover his tight little butt," Cori said.

"Definitely. He'll cut her loose the minute it looks like she's a liability. She will understand. Sure, she will," he said. "And here we are."

Finn pulled into the driveway of Roxana Masha Novika’s house. Her home sat on a hill, the nearest neighbor was more than two miles away. They could see the freeway winding through the hills. It disappeared, reappeared, and vanished again like a lazy river.

Cori slid her sunglasses to the top of her head, pushing her big hair away from her face as she got out of the car. Her blue eye shadow sparkled in the sun. Finn walked to her side and they checked out the modern ranch. The front was plain, but out back there would be nothing but windows to take advantage of the view. Rock was laid like subway tiles framing flowering beds. There were no trees to cut the heat, and no grass to take away from the natural beauty of the hill. The driveway was wide. The detached garage could hold three cars.

"I must have done something wrong in my last life, O'Brien." Cori said. "Good old Roxana did okay for herself. "

Finn took off his glasses too. He hooked them over the breast pocket of his leather jacket. He said:

"Except now she's lying on Paul's table, and you're still here," Finn reminded her as he headed for the front door.

Cori went the opposite way. There was a grimy Toyota parked on the side of the garage. She cupped her hands and peered through the window. Good old Roxana may live in luxury, but she sure didn't take care of her car. The interior was more of a mess than the exterior. She seemed to have a taste for Starbucks and fast food hamburgers but an aversion to trash cans.

Cori pivoted and cupped her hands again. This time she put them against the garage window and saw she had been wrong. The cars inside the garage were pristine. The Toyota was an orphan, too ugly to be in the same playpen with the other kids. She walked back to Finn who stood out of the sun under the lattice work that shaded the front entrance.

"There's a throw-away on the side of the garage that's pretty trashed. Inside the garage there's an SUV and a Porsche. There's a space for a third car, but it's MIA. If she drove it to The Brewery, it might still be there. I'll check in with the DMV and see what she's got registered."

Finn rang the bell. A chime sounded throughout the house. No one came to answer the call as expected. Finn made a fist, bent the middle finger, and rapped three times with his knuckle.

"Police," he called.

Nothing.

He rapped once again, but waited no longer than a moment before he followed Cori. They walked over the driveway and down the length of the house. It took Cori a second to figure out how the gate on