Free Bleed (Detective Ellie MacIntosh) by Kate Watterson

 
    August 13, 10:10 A.M.
    “This just came in. Double homicide.”
    Metzger slapped down a file on her desk and Detective Ellie MacIntosh looked up from her paperwork, pen in hand. The chief had his perpetually serious expression in place.
    “What? When?”
    “Looks like last night.” The chief was a burly ex-marine with a receding hairline and hefty shoulders. “I’m going to say right now I have no idea what is going on, but you and Grasso had better get your asses over there.”
    “Where?”
    He leaned on his hand and said emphatically, “Pricey address near the lake … it’s going to be a political nightmare for me if you don’t handle this right, and I have enough headaches, thank you very much. So go and do what you do, okay? Figure out what happened. Fast, clean, and as quiet as possible.”
    What did that mean? She nodded and picked up the report, registered the name of the person involved, and instantly understood. “Absolutely, sir.”
    “I’ll let you fill Grasso in, and you and Carl keep me up to speed. This going to be volatile and I am uninterested in some sort of media event. Milwaukee was just all over the news with The Burner deal. Can we keep this low profile as possible?”
    “Point taken.”
    Her current partner in homicide was at his desk on his day off, but that was not her problem. Carl Grasso was nice-enough-looking, early forties or so, nondescript in a way,
    except he had the most striking gray eyes. They were full of intelligence and maybe even a hint of ruthlessness she wasn’t sure would ever get used to. Grasso was a born hunter, pure and simple. It wasn’t just reflected in his history with the department, but she’d known it the moment they first met.
    Ellie walked over and said without preamble, “We have a double shooting down by the lake and Greta Garrison is involved, apparently. It’s ours.”
    “Greta Garrison … wait.” He frowned as he signed out of his computer. “I know the name, but you’ll have to help me here. Who is she?”
    “Actress. Picture long curly red hair, a striking figure, and two Emmy Awards. She’s the new darling of entertainment shows and tabloids.”
    “Okay … yeah, I know who she is now. I don’t watch too much television. What the hell is she doing in Milwaukee?”
    “Actually, she’s from here. When she’s not filming, she’s in town pretty often.”
    “Huh.” He opened a drawer. “Learn something new every day.”
    True enough. A multiple homicide in the home of a celebrity was going to make the news, hands down. Ellie inclined her head toward the front of the building. “Want to drive, or should I?”
    “You drive. I’ll read the report on the way.” He got to his feet with alacrity, taking a set of keys from his pocket and tossing them. “Let’s take my car.”
    She wasn’t positive she wanted to drive his expensive sports car, but on the other hand, she hadn’t cleaned out her four-wheel-drive in a couple of weeks, so she nodded. “Fine.”
    The sleek BMW was not representative of a cop’s salary, so she guessed the gossip about his parents leaving him pretty well-off when he was just twenty years old might be true. He’d never discussed it, but then again, they had just been assigned together.
    She slid into the car, started it experimentally, adjusted the seat, and was about to back up when her phone beeped. She pulled it out, pushed a button and read the text, said dryly, “That’s from Metzger. Seems like we already have media there, blocking the street. Welcome back to homicide, Lieutenant.”
    There were television trucks when they arrived, completely in the way, like that was okay … sometimes Ellie wondered what these people were thinking. “We should have them arrested.”
    Grasso got out and asked neutrally, “I’ve handled this situation before. Want me to take care of it?”
    She did. Completely. Ellie unclipped her seat belt. “Help yourself. It won’t hurt my feelings at