Free Past Life by C S Winchester

that before,” her mother sniffed.
    Frankie smiled and brewed a pot of tea for her. “It's progress, mum. They didn't ha ve c afetières   years ago either, but they're all the rage now.”
    “ Just because something is popular, doesn't make it good,”
    “ No, Mum.” Frankie sighed. She didn't want to argue. “I'm going to get ready.”
    She showered quickly and dressed in her usual uniform of black jeans, a dark shirt and boots. 
    She would have liked to just leave, but she knew that she had to see her parents and make her excuses.
    “ You really should wear more colour, Francis,” her mother admonished Frankie as she joined them in the living room.
    “ I think she looks lovely,” her father smiled.
    “ Well you would, but she's never going to attract a husband looking like that.”
    “ Mum, I'm not looking for a husband,” she perched on the arm of her father's chair. “So what were you two planning for today?”
    “ I thought you could show us the sights. It's so much nicer to see a city with a local showing you around.”
    “ I have to work, Mum.”
    “ But we're only here for a few days!”
    “ And you didn't let me know that you were coming. Look, I'll try and get home a reasonable time and maybe we can go out for dinner again?”
    “ Do you have any suggestions for us?” her father asked.
    “ There are tour buses going from Waverly Station, there are a couple of different tours, but the guides will have all the information. You can hop on and off the buses all day, so you can get off at the tourist attractions and have a look around whenever you want.”
    “ That sounds lovely, doesn't it Cecilia?”
    Her mother didn't answer.
    Thankfully her phone rang than and she saw from the display that it was Will. She didn't bother with any preamble when she answered.
    “ Has there been another one?” she asked.
    “ I'm afraid so.”
    “ Can I have a look at the crime scene?”
    “ Sure, I'm heading there now. It's on Corstorphine Hill, just follow the trail up the hill until you see lots of policemen.”
    “ I'm on my way.” She hung up and turned to her mother. “Sorry, I really do have to go.”
    “ Nothing serious, I hope?” her father said.
    “ Not sure yet, Dad. I've got my phone with me, so call if you need anything.”

Chapter Seven
    Will stood up and pinched the bridge of his nose. He hadn't slept very well and seeing a dead tabby, a chihuahua and a shih-tzu was not exactly the way he wanted to start the day.
    He sighed and looked out over Edinburgh. He should never have agreed to take this case.
    “ All done,” the police photographer said.
    “ Great. Will you email me a set of pictures?”
    “ Sure thing.”
    “ And don't answer any questions from the press as you leave.”
    “ Bloody vultures,” the photographer agreed.
    The crowd of journalists that had gathered wasn't large as crowds went, but it was large enough. He hadn't really expected the national papers to be interested but three of them were here, along with the Scottish and local papers.
    He saw Frankie pushing her way through the crowd, keeping her head down. She was stopped by the constable controlling the crowd until Will called for her to be let through. She reached him a few seconds later.
    “ Oh God,” she said when she saw the animals.
    “ I hope you haven't had breakfast.”
    “ Thankfully, no. Have the crime scene officers been yet?”
    “ Yeah, SOCO left about fifteen minutes ago. They took lots of samples but you know we're going to be way down their list. If this one is going to get solved, it'll be the old fashioned way.”
    Frankie walked around the scene, looking for any magic paraphernalia, occult or paranormal symbols, or anything out of the ordinary. Besides murdered pets, of course. The area was just a small clearing with nothing to distinguish it from anywhere else. If there was a reason why he chose this spot to kill the animals, that reason wasn't clear to her.
    “ What are you