Free Bad Moon Rising (#1 - D.I. Paolo Storey Crime Series) by Frances di Plino Page A

“Don’t fancy that?”
    “Christ, no! Good luck with that one.”
    ***
    Barbara spoke into her dictaphone machine, recording the minute details of the victim’s death and only glanced across at Paolo when she’d finished. She signalled to her team to tidy up and pulled off her gloves. As she walked towards the door, she nodded to Paolo to follow her. There was no need to stay with the body; they could talk outside where the air was fresher.
    She led the way to her office and moved behind the wide mahogany desk. Every inch of it was covered with paperwork. Folders stacked on top of each other made a paper leaning tower of Pisa. They looked as if the slightest nudge would send them toppling to the ground, but Barbara knew from experience that they were safer than they looked.
    She flopped into her chair and motioned for Paolo to sit opposite. She deserved some eye candy after what she’d seen this morning and looking at Paolo was no penance, that was for sure.
    “This one was older than the other two, by quite a bit. I’d estimate her age to be at about fifty-one, fifty-two – early fifties anyway. But that’s the only significant difference between her and the others.”
    Paolo nodded. He was writing as she spoke and she watched his hands, allowing herself to remember how they good they’d felt on her skin. He looked up and she flushed at the questioning look on his face. Damn it, she’d been so engrossed in her memories, she’d stopped speaking.
    “Sorry,” she said, “I was miles away. Thinking of something else. From the point of view of when this occurred, I’d say three months ago, give or take a few days. She’d been there quite some time, but the long hard winter we’ve had, plus the fact that this month has been bitter, has helped to preserve her remains. Such as they are. You need to catch this one pretty quick, Paolo. He’s really sick the way he goes at these women.”
    He nodded. “I know that. He’ll be working on another one soon unless we can find him first. Trouble is, if it isn’t Azzopardi, I have no idea where to even start looking.”
    Barbara wanted to reach across the desk and wipe the frown from his brow. Instead she gripped her hands tightly together in her lap, where Paolo couldn’t see them.
    “... and so I’ll be off.”
    “Sorry, what did you say?” Barbara asked. “I missed that last part.”
    “Are you okay, Barbs?”
    “Don’t call me that. I’ve told you often enough I don’t like it.”
    “Barbara, please, let’s clear the air once and for all. I...”
    Barbara forced herself to smile. “Paolo, if I’m honest, I read more into our night together than you did. I don’t usually sleep with someone I’m not romantically involved with and, I don’t know, I suppose I just wanted it to mean more than it did.”
    Paolo reached forward and took her hand. Why the bloody hell couldn’t her heart beat normally? Surely he could hear it pounding? Just to make matters worse, he smiled. He had the most gorgeous smile.
    “Barbara, it meant something to me, don’t think it didn’t, but you knew how I felt about Lydia. We’d spent most of that night talking about her. It’s not as if I pretended I was over my marriage. I know you most probably won’t believe this, but you are the only woman I’ve slept with since I first met Lydia – and I’ve known her since my teen years. I’m sorry, Barbara, really sorry. I should never have let it happen, but I don’t regret that night, apart from hurting you, of course.”
    She pulled her hand away, but gently so that he wouldn’t think she was still mad at him. “It’s okay. But you behaved like a jerk afterwards. That was the problem; you avoided me and I felt like I’d been used. That’s a crap feeling for any woman.”
    “Jesus, Barbara, I’m sorry. The next day I was called out first thing to work the Standerton case. Remember how bad that was? The entire force was working flat out for a month. I barely slept