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

and doors indicated on the plans that are confusing. We should find out if they still exist."

"And you're counting on the building department to have kept accurate records? Now who has the faith?" Cori laughed and headed for the door.

"I try to keep the flame burning bright," Finn said.

Cori waited because she knew there would be more. Indeed, Finn's brow was furrowed, his fingers were tapping on the desk, and his mouth was still moving.

"You would think these fancy people would be wanting to talk to us instead of hunkering down in a foxhole. I've never seen such scurrying for cover, and no care for justice."

Cori sighed as she sauntered back toward Finn and put the heel of one hand on the desk. The mugs she was holding in the crook of her finger clunked against her thigh.

"You really gotta get rid of those rose colored glasses, O'Brien. Roxana was a huge pain in their pampered little rears. Dropping her body in a pauper's grave, and forgetting her will make them happy. Until that happens, they are going to circle the wagons."

Finn chuckled. "Sure it's you who should have been a preacher, Cori."

"Not quite fire and brimstone, but you get my drift." She stood up. "We're the only two who give a rat's ass about finding the truth. When we're shooting some tequila at Mick's we can ask Geoffrey why we even bother. Just remember, we have the advantage. The only skin we have in this game is that we're good cops."

"'Tis uplifted I am by that thought," he said, before taking on a cop's other role. Devil's advocate. "But explain this to me. If the money she makes as an influencer is so good, if her shakedown has brought her even more money, why sell out for this?"

Finn picked up a copy of the contract they had found in her home. Yellow marker highlighted passages, and asterisks dotted the page.

"A million dollars up front, and a yearly royalty of a quarter of a million dollars. In return, Roxana agrees not to appear in any public forum. That includes print, TV, or social media until such time it is determined by the other party that the exclusivity clause is terminated. At that time she will receive another payday of five million."

"I'd take it," Cori said.

"But she's a young woman, wealthy in her own right. Why trade the business she built for a flat sum? Not to mention, she can be terminated at any time. This is asking her to trade her body and soul, and to disappear. 'Tis like being a stock girl after you've owned the department store," Finn said.

"The only way to know is if we analyze what she was making versus this payout. We can't do that until the computer folk can finish their hack. We have her digital banking codes so we should be able to access her financials. Our Roxana seems to have a ton of money, a bunch of enemies, a zillion followers, and no friends. We've got our work cut out for us." Cori rapped the desk. "Coffee, coming up."

Before she could take a step, two phones rang: Cori's cell, and Finn's desk phone. Finn picked his up; Cori answered hers. She mouthed the word Lapinski. Finn waved his hand to keep her attention.

"Yes, Captain. Detective Anderson also?" He listened for a moment. "We'll be right there."

Cori dismissed Lapinski with 'call you back', stashed the mugs on the desk, and pocketed her phone.

"Trouble?" she asked.

"I've no idea. Captain Smith unhappy is the same as the Captain Smith happy."

"Good point," Cori said as Finn stepped back and let the lady through the door first.

23

Captain Smith's happiness was not in question. What she had to say was business as usual; just not business that would please Cori and Finn. The meeting was about a glitch, an oversight, a wrinkle. It was about the search of Roxana's house. Cori and Finn had done a good job, but it wasn't good enough. Roxana Masha Novika's lawyers filed a Return of Property request. The request covered her computer and all electronic devices registered to the young woman not covered under the search warrant.

"The warrant was good," Finn objected. To which the captain responded:

"Do you know Karyn Drago?"

"She's the housekeeper," Cori said. "She arrived before Detective O'Brien came with the warrant. I remained outside the residence with her during that time. If she says different then she's telling a tall one, captain."

"No, nothing like that," Captain Smith said. "It's the warrant itself. Once you ID'd the victim, next of kin was advised. Her father is in Russia, but the man is represented by Oxfam & Damelir in Los Angeles. Hence the expedited Return of Property order."

"Even with that firm, someone has got to be sleeping with the judge to get an order that fast," Cori muttered.

"Anderson."

Finn had the fleeting thought that this captain would have made an excellent nun. She had silenced Cori with one word and a disapproving look. But that was only a detour. She was still on track.

"They sent one of their attorneys to the house along with administrative staff. Their intent was to do inventory, and seal the home until the victim's father made arrangements. They found the copy of the warrant you left."

"Then all above board, captain," Finn said.

"Except not," Captain Smith said. "You did not find the computer according to Ms. Drago. She did."

"Agreed," Finn said. "She knew where it was, retrieved it, and handed it to us. We had apprehended a man who had been sent to take it from the house. We had to assume it was a crucial piece of evidence. "

"It appears that you did not ask Ms. Drago where she found it," Captain Smith said.

"There was no reason. The cars, the garage and the house were all covered by the warrant," Finn said. "If you're trying to tell us there is some sort of error, we'll need to revisit with the court."

"The warrant for the house and the attached