Free The Deadly Embrace by Robert J. Mrazek

allegation against me.”
    “A young woman is dead … murdered,” said Taggart. “We know that you and Lieutenant Dunbar were close enough to have spent...”
    “I am ordering you to leave,” Admiral Jellico said, his voice becoming shrill. “If you do not do so voluntarily, I will have one of my marines escort you out of the building.”
    “Fine,” said Taggart, before heading toward the door. “But this won’t end it. There is too much at stake … as you should know, Admiral.”
    They came out of the side entrance of the Admiralty Building into bright sunlight.
    “And the Lord parted the heavens,” said Liza, looking up at blue sky for the first time since she had arrived in London.
    “I’d forgotten the sun actually rises over here,” said Taggart. “The Germans will have a bomber’s moon tonight.”
    He paused on the crowded sidewalk.
    “Well, that went about as good as I expected,” he said. “He is not about to admit to an affair with her unless presented with the evidence of her letters. Even then he would probably deny it as some kind of delusion on her part.”
    “I think her death hit him hard,” said Liza.
    “Maybe … Listen, I want you to arrange for Joss Dunbar’s autopsy to be done at the SHAEF hospital,” he said. “Start putting to work all those forensic talents you learned.”
    “I’ll do my best,” said Liza.
    “Find out all her secrets,” said Taggart, grinning.
    “All her secrets,” repeated Liza. “Done.”
    “What did you think of Helen Bellayne?” asked Taggart as he hailed a taxi.
    “I think she may be related to Joss in some way,” said Liza. “Also—you probably noticed it, too—she may have the early onset of a minor thyroid disease…. You can see it in the lagging of her eyelids.”
    “Where I come from we call those bedroom eyes,” said Taggart, holding the door of the cab open for her. “I think she’s gorgeous.”
    When Liza arrived back at her office, Charlie was standing in the corridor outside talking to two other men. She recognized one of them as his friend Lord Ainsley. The other man was a member of the security detail permanently stationed at the end of their corridor.
    Lord Ainsley turned and saw Liza as she came toward them. Grinning, he removed his flight cap and said, “I’m not sure if you remember me, Lieutenant. I’m Nick Ainsley.”
    “Of course,” she said, smiling up at him. “What is happening here?”
    “Apparently, you’ve had a bit of thievery in the office,” he said.
    Charlie was speaking to the military policeman in hushed tones.
    “I know it sounds crazy, but someone broke the lock on my desk,” he whispered.
    “Is anything important missing, sir?” replied the policeman.
    “I don’t keep anything important in my desk,” he replied.
    J.P. was applying lipstick in front of a compact mirror perched on her desk when Liza went inside. Going straight to her telephone, she dialed the number on Inspector Drummond’s card. As she waited for it to ring through, J.P. said, “Why would anyone break into Charlie’s desk? All he does is sit around and play chess with himself.”
    Inspector Drummond came on the line.
    “Yes, Lieutenant?” he said after she identified herself.
    “I wanted to schedule the autopsy of Jocelyn Dunbar,” she said. “Major Taggart would like it to be done at the SHAEF hospital on Curzon Street.”
    Liza looked up to see J.P. staring at her intently.
    “I’m sorry, but they took her straightaway to Golders Green,” said Drummond.
    “What is that?” she asked as J.P. continued staring.
    “It’s a hospital in North London,” he replied.
    “Why wasn’t she brought to the SHAEF hospital?” asked Liza.
    “You will have to take that up with Colonel Gaines,” he said, apologetically. “He ordered the transfer of her body.”
    “Do you know when the autopsy will take place?”
    “I wasn’t told,” he said.
    There was a burst of static on the line, and then silence.
    “Are you