CHAPTER ONE
“You’re gonna love this.”
Detective Chief Inspector Nancy Carlson dropped a file folder in the desk in front of her. The grin on the woman’s face said it all.
Sherrie Jones stood across the desk and felt a tiny bit of dismay in the pit of her stomach. “Oh, yeah?.”
“The victim is Dennis Jameson Terwilliger.”
Sherrie scowled. “The billionaire?”
Carlson nodded. Clad in a dark blue jacket and slack, she was the image of the efficient corporate manager. Her sleeveless white blouse had a loose-fitting collar, and she had on modest heels. And she had the look of a police Detective Chief Inspector who had seen far too much.
Sherrie swore creatively. “Wouldn’t this be a matter that your department would want to handle?”
“Normally, yes.” Nancy sat down. Her office chair was as basic as the rest of the office. No bells or whistles, no unnecessary frills, and no plastic arms to get in the way. And Nancy had the same kind of personality.
“So why am I here?”
“We’ve gone as far as we can go,” Nancy said after a deep sigh. Sherrie noticed that her face had begun to show more of the creases and wrinkles that come with the heavy stress job she held. She also knew that the Detective Chief Inspector kept herself in good shape, and had an excellent figure for someone in their mid fourties.
“And you want me to work outside the confines of the department?”
Nancy nodded.
That day Sherrie wore a knit golf shirt of dark green, blue jeans, and running shoes. Her hair was pulled back behind her head in a ponytail. She, too, kept herself in good shape. While Nancy took advantage of the department’s gymnasium, Sherrie favored a five mile run every other night.
“All of the notes, drawings, photos, crime scene info, reports, and everything else even remotely relevant is in that file.” Nancy pointed to the folder.
Sherrie noticed that the file was contained in a thick manila envelope secured with clear tape.
“Look it over, and see what you can do,” Nancy said.
“Work my magic on it?” Sherrie said with a wry grin.
“Something like that.”
