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

buildings was in order, but it seems there was a small gardening house in her orchard. Your victim worked there on occasion. That structure was detached and, as such, is not covered under the parameters of the warrant."

Captain Smith's lips pulled tight to show she was not unsympathetic to the situation. Cori glanced at Finn. His color was high, his jaw tight. He took a deep breath, and asked:

"When must we hand it over? We're so very close to. . ."

"It's already gone, O'Brien." Captain Smith's chest rose and fell under her uniform. The only sign of her disappointment. "Next time let's be more specific on the warrant. Cover all structures and open property, and for God sake don't send anyone else to do the chore. Go with them, take it into evidence with your own hands."

Cori and Finn offered apologies; the captain had one more piece of business.

"I've read over your initial report, detectives. A Beverly O'Brien was interviewed and released. Any relation?"

"Captain, I was the one who—" Cori began, but Captain Smith cut her off without so much as a glance.

"This question is directed to Detective O'Brien."

"My ex-wife, captain."

 Finn spoke clearly knowing the consequences could be dire. He regretted not having told her before. Especially now when he had been remiss in securing evidence. A small mistake here, an omission there, and Finn O'Brien would bear watching. This was a prospect he didn't relish, but he would accept that if it were to be his reprimand.

"Are you good with that?" she asked.

"Yes, captain" Finn said. "We've been divorced for some-time. I carry no grudge."

"No unfinished business of any kind?" The captain pressed him.

"No," he answered.

Captain Smith held his gaze, and he didn't flinch. Finally, she looked at Cori.

"Detective Anderson, should there be a need to discuss anything with Ms. O'Brien, you will handle it." Those eyes went back to Finn. "Detective O'Brien. I do not think you are a troublemaker, but it is now clear that you can rub people the wrong way. I am one of those people who have been so rubbed. I do not appreciate being kept in the dark. Even the smallest thing that could compromise you, me, your partner, or my department is better communicated sooner than later. I overlooked your comments to our officers, I will let you slide on this. One more problem, and I will send you packing. I promise it won't be back to Wilshire Division."

Captain Smith raised an eyebrow. Cori and Finn stood at attention.  There was nothing to say given the clarity of her message. When she was satisfied they understood, she said,

"Dismissed."

Finn turned on his heel and left the office; Cori was right beside him.

"You don't put yourself between me and a slap on the wrist, Cori," Finn said.

"You're welcome," she answered, more than a little miffed by his attitude.

Cori moved on ahead. Behind her she heard Finn palm the swinging door that led to the mens room. Fine, let him put his head in the toilette and flush if that was going to make him feel better. Cori hit the bullpen at top speed. Detective Walters looked up from his late afternoon snack of a bagel and cola.

"What are you looking at?" Cori snapped as she passed him.

"Lover's quarrel?" he snickered.

Cori rolled her eyes and plopped herself at her desk. She was glad her back was to Walters because the other way around and she might have to bare her teeth and go for the jugular. Cori sniffed once. Twice. She thought to return Lapinski's call, but decided to calm down first. With that criteria, it might be a week before she talked to him. Cori yanked her keyboard closer, and began to scroll through Roxana's list of Instagram followers. She was looking for a connection that seemed more personal than most, sponsors, anything to piece together some idea of the girl's business and personal life. Her eyes kept cutting to Finn's empty chair. He was wrong to be angry with her; she was wrong to be angry with him. They should be angry with Bev and all the people who were making it so hard for them to do their job.

Her gaze went to the white board where they were laying out their case. On the left was Roxana's 'family tree'. A picture of her in life was at the top of the grid. Three branches radiated from her photo. Those branches represented the men she had blackmailed. Jeremiah Stotler was the only one who hadn't been vetted to Finn's satisfaction. The other two men had alibis for the night of her murder, and neither had the will to do anything but keep their heads down when it came to Roxana. Jeremiah's alibi was a phone call to Gray, the Right Hand. Hardly an alibi that sat well with Finn and Cori. On another branch, there were Roxana's business contacts. Ali Keyes was a nice guy who, according to Finn, was able to separate his squeaky clean personal life from his unusual professional one. Cori wondered about him. He may not have a violent bone in his body, but did he have a vindictive one? Cori thought not. In fact, for all the indecent aspects of his business, he seemed the least interesting person on the board.

From Ali there were lines connecting him to Jeremiah Stotler. From Jeremiah there trailed another line to Bev O'Brien. They had also added a line for the Right Hand. Stotler's associate was a curiosity. The detectives did not put it past her to have tried to permanently solve her boss's problem, but that was a long shot. And there was a line for the Asian man. There they had put a grainy picture of him and three question marks. Business? Pleasure? Wrong place/wrong time?

Finn had drawn two more lines. One was for assumed personal male friends and the other was for Roxana's family. If she had lovers, they had seen no sign of them yet. Her family seemed