Free Criminal Minds (Fox Meridian Book 4) by Niall Teasdale Page B

a hooker doesn’t rate highly on your radar.’
    Rutherford stared at her. ‘The death of any citizen of this metro is of concern to NAPA.’
    Fox smiled. ‘Of course. Since my company has been contracted to look into this, I am able to offer our resources in the investigation. We have considerable resources.’
    ‘Not required.’
    ‘As you wish. I’d appreciate access to the case–’
    ‘Out of the question. NAPA does not provide active case files to–’
    ‘I’m going to get them in eight days, Detective. In eight days, I can have access to any case, active or inactive, providing that I can show reason, and I can. Why not help out a little early? I can’t arrest the guy, it’ll be yours if I find him, and I don’t have three murders to solve with more on the way.’ Fox saw the woman’s lips twitch slightly: there was something Fox did not know and Rutherford was amused. ‘I’m sure your captain is keen to get these homicides off his books.’
    ‘I’ll take it up with him,’ Rutherford said, not meaning a word of it. ‘He’ll say no.’
    ‘What can you tell me about Georgina Parton’s death?’
    ‘Details of active cases are not up for discussion.’
    ‘My understanding of the previous deaths is that they had their throats slit and then their bodies were mutilated. Someone discussed some of the details, because the first one was reported in the media. Gruesome corpses are always newsworthy. Disembowelled was what was reported.’
    ‘No comment.’
    Fox got to her feet. ‘Thank you for your time, Detective. In return, some advice. Make sure your case files look good, because if I read them and think you’ve fucked up the investigation, I’ll put a complaint through that’ll have you busted down to rookie. Good day.’
    ‘She did not look happy when we left,’ Kit said inside Fox’s head as they went down in the elevator.
    ‘NAPA may be concerned about the death of any citizen, but she isn’t. The trouble is that there’s fuck all we can do until we have data to work with. Did Naomi send over Parton’s personal file?’
    ‘Yes. Primary me is busy setting up a murder room using it.’
    ‘Okay, find out what she was doing before she was killed. If she was with a client, see if we can get an interview.’
    There was a short pause and then, ‘The chapter house received a call from one client asking why Sister Georgina failed to arrive for an appointment. I also have the name of the client before that one.’
    ‘Okay, arrange interviews for both.’
    ~~~
    ‘Thank you for seeing me so quickly, Mrs Lorie,’ Fox said as she sat down in the offered chair. Philippa Lorie was probably forty or so, but she had had a fair bit of work done to keep herself looking younger, and she clearly worked out from the trim, fit body she was not concealing especially well under a thin robe. It was noticeable that her pale blue eyes were reddened: she had been crying.
    ‘I can’t believe Georgina’s dead. And on the way to see me!’
    ‘I understand you rang the chapter house this morning to enquire after her?’
    Lorie nodded. ‘I was a little angry. I was expecting her at eleven, but I was going to ask her to stay the night. She often did when she could and I enjoyed her company. She reminded me of my wife… Uh, well, I wasn’t worried too much when she was late and I’d had some wine. I fell asleep on the sofa, woke up around three and she still hadn’t shown up or called. So I went to bed and called the Sisters first thing. They said they’d enquire after her and then they called back and… and told me she’d been killed.’ Lorie’s eyes were brimming again and, as far as Fox could gather, the tears were quite genuine.
    ‘I’m sorry, Mrs Lorie.’
    ‘Thank you. Georgina was my favourite. I almost exclusively used her. My wife died three years ago and I just can’t bring myself to date again yet, but a woman has needs…’ There was just a hint of embarrassment in her voice, a desire to