Free First Murder by Fred Limberg Page A

night.
    “She’s a nice girl.” Tony wondered if Ray was sending a message…or a warning to him to play nice. “I can see you two getting along. Now get out your phone and see if you can reach the one who lives in Eden Prairie. I’d hate to waste this much driving for one interview.”
    “Tia Bork?”
    “That’s the one.”
    “Why is that name familiar?” Tony punched numbers. Tia answered. Yes, they could come by now. Twenty minutes would be fine. Tony looked out at the ocean of brake lights ahead of them on the crowded rush hour three-lane and told her it might be longer.
    “Let’s try again. What did you think of the Marland woman?” Ray asked. Tony flipped through his notebook, shot a side look at Ray.
The
Marland
woman
?
    “I think once we get more to work with she’ll be a good one to confirm or deny things.”
    “I agree. You don’t see her for it, do you?”
    Tony stared out at the traffic, thinking, trying to keep things straight. “Hard to say,
Rayford
. You forgot to ask her where she was Monday morning.”
    “I believe you’re right. I guess I’ll have to call her later to clear that up.”
    “I can do it.” Tony offered, always the innocent immensely helpful junior detective partner.
    “Nope. My mistake. I’ll do it. No problem.”
    “I hope she has an alibi.” Tony hadn’t forgotten about the fingerprint card Ray had slipped into his pocket instead of back into the kit. He wondered what Lakisha Marland had done years ago that got her into the system. He was sure Ray would tell him when he found out. “And ask her if Scott Fredrickson manages any of their money too.”
    “You thinking something?”
    “No boss, just getting into their lives like you said.”

Chapter 9
    R ay and Tony found the address. Eden Prairie, a newer suburb, was much more navigable than Minnetonka. The house they approached was big. Not ‘Marland’ big, Tony mused, but substantial. The door was opened by an immense man with short blond hair, an easy smile, and the largest arms Tony had ever seen.
    “Now I got it! Boom Boom Bork!” Tony spurted, offering his hand. Ray rolled his eyes. Boom Boom crushed Tony’s hand and in turn, Ray’s.
    “Mr. Bork. I’m Sergeant Bankston and this is Detective de Luca. We spoke with your wife earlier.”
    “About Deanna’s murder.” The recently retired Viking defensive end had a powered subwoofer buried in his chest. His voice was low and rumbling and sturdy. The smile disappeared. Tony thought he could hear a low growl as they were led into the house. In the kitchen they were introduced to his wife, Tia, another of the ‘Go Girls’.
    Tia Bork was cheerleader beautiful, Tony saw immediately; blonde, fit and buxom. She was dressed in some sort of athletic suit that swished and whispered when she moved. Her husband dwarfed her, but then, Boom Boom loomed over Tony and Ray too. She was not a small woman. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Another set of red weary eyes looked at the detectives hopefully.
    “Any questions for me?” Boom Boom rumbled. His arm was protectively around Tia’s shoulders.
    “Not right now, sir,” Ray looked up at him. “We’d appreciate a few minutes with your wife.”
    “Working your way through the girl gang?”
    “Something like that.”
    Bork snagged an amber drink in a low clear glass from the counter. Ice cubes rattled.
    “You find the fucker did this to Dee and let me have just two minutes with him.” Boom Boom finished off the drink. Tony noticed a bottle of Makers Mark on the counter, recognized the distinctive red wax top. “I’ll be downstairs,” he said and left them alone with Tia.
    “He means it,” she said, indicating they should sit at the kitchen table. She grabbed another low rocks glass and topped off a drink. “Do you mind?” Both detectives shook their heads. “Want one? Can I get you something?” Again they both declined so she slid into a chair across from them.
    “Your husband was close to