by Deanna Lee
Kyra cleared her throat. “I need to ask you a few questions."
"Shoot.” He picked up an empty drink bottle and spit into it.
"What's the process for curing skin?"
"What sort of skin?"
"Theoretically, human skin."
He sat up straight and cleared his throat. “Well. Theoretically, you'd treat human skin much the same way you'd do snakeskin. Both are delicate. Fourteen days soaking in a container filled with methanol and then wrap it around a cylinder for a week so it dries out but doesn't shrink."
"Is methanol a controlled substance?"
"No, you can buy it in most stores.” He leaned back in his chair and spit into the bottle again. “However, theoretically, the individual in question could use his or her own urine to cure the skin. After distilling human urine for about two weeks, it's just like ammonia."
"Do you deal with a lot of hunters in the area?"
"You mean conservation specialists.” He grinned.
Kyra had to laugh. “Fine, do you deal with the area conservation specialists?"
"I get a lot of work during deer and gator season. Don't see much from the other hunts, though. I sell about twenty rifles a year, sometimes more. Also stock gel ammo for crossbows and the government-approved hunting rifle."
"Has anyone come in and requested information about curing skin?"
"No. I get a few calls now and again. I tell them to get on the Internet and look it up."
"Who does your leather tooling?"
"My wife.” He grinned. “You should get those pants."
* * * *
Kyra tossed the box with her new leather pants onto the backseat and glanced at Ana. “The pants are top secret."
"You aren't one those people who complains about the conservationist hunting, are you?"
"No, but I don't want to take any flak for spending a thousand credits on leather pants."
"Oh.” Ana pulled out her p-pc and flipped open the leather cover to scroll through her incoming messages. “Dr. Marcos has determined that Janie Monroe did in fact use her bank card to pay for the tattoo from Tat's the Way."
Kyra pulled out her p-pc and offered it to Ana. “Check and see if Neal forwarded that list of Stacey's friends."
Chapter Twelve
Kyra hit the manual answer on her comm-u and grimaced at the tone that buzzed in her ear. “Please stand by to speak with Dr. Nelson Lance."
"God, I hate compu communication centers,” she muttered as she pulled out onto the highway.
"It's my belief that people use those things to impress their importance on other people."
Kyra laughed, then sobered when a human voice erupted from the earpiece. “Yes, Dr. Lance?"
"Good afternoon, Inspector. I'm a physician at St. Martin's. My patient Cecelia LaRoux would like to see you."
Kyra raised an eyebrow. “Is she coherent?"
"Yes, medicated and lucid. She's prepared to talk about her daughter and has acknowledged that she's dead."
"I'll be there as soon as I can."
* * * *
Cecelia LaRoux was sitting beside her bed. The room was private, which Kyra appreciated. “I see that William is making sure you're taken care of."
The woman jerked abruptly and turned to look at her. “Inspector Moray."
"Yes. Do you remember me?"
"I think so.” She waved her hand. “Things are a little fuzzy. Please sit."
Kyra glanced briefly at Ana, who nodded and stepped out of the room. “I was pleased to hear that you're feeling better."
She nodded. “Yes, the doctors here tell me that I had an emotional breakdown. I heard that I struck you."
"You weren't the first—hell, you aren't even the last.” Kyra sat down in a chair in front of her. “What did you want to tell me about Donna?"
Cecelia sucked in a breath. “I just ... I needed to see you again and hear what you had to say about what happened to her. I don't know how much I can tell you about her life. It appears she kept a great many secrets from me."
Kyra paused as she considered what to say her. “She wasn't raped."
The tension seeped out of Cecelia's body in a swoosh of air. “Okay. Okay. Thank you."
"It is very likely that she was unconscious when she died.” Kyra leaned forward and took a deep breath. “She was the first victim, but there have been two more."
"Yes. One of the nurses told me. I want to attend to her funeral details. William says her body hasn't been released yet."
"No, but it will be soon. Do you remember Donna ever speaking about something or someone special in her life?” Kyra watched the woman struggle to maintain and was pleased when she seemed to do so.
"No, she worked and went to school. I wanted her to succeed and not get wrapped up in personal crap before she was ready for it.” Cecelia grimaced. “Looking back, I can see that I didn't really try to figure out what she wanted."
"I'm sure you had her best interests in mind, and she knew that."
"Yeah.” Cecelia sighed. “You'll catch this man?"
"I won't stop looking for the person who killed Donna."
She was silent for a moment before inclining her head. “Thank you."
* * * *
"This guy hit you?” Ana watched the man incredulously.
Kyra shrugged and nodded as she watched Jerry Capshaw rage around the small room he'd been placed in. “Doctor Lance, are you sure he wasn't slipped something?"
"Yes. His toxicology screens are clear. The fact is that until I can determine what set him off, I can't even begin to start treating him. From what we've been able to gather, he wasn't exposed to anything that could cause a break like this."
"A break?"
"Oh, he's completely broken with reality. He still thinks the president is Denise Crow."
The first female president of the NAU, Kyra recalled, she'd served one term some fifteen years before.
Kyra raised an eyebrow. “Really?"
"I've managed to put together quite a large file on the man. He served during the war with Cuba and North Korea. He was unsuccessfully tried for war crimes. I spoke with his commanding officer and the JAG officer who tried him. They both agreed that he was uncontrollable, but could not account for this."
"So I take it he wasn't one of the men who protested the invasion?"
"Oh, no, he was as gung-ho as they come.” Nelson Lance shook his head. “I just don't know. I doubt he'll ever recover from this. He has a strong hatred for you. He considers you a threat to him, a rival for his girlfriend's affection."
"He doesn't have a girlfriend."
"Yes, I've spoken with Ms. James. She's refused to come in and speak with me about Mr. Capshaw."
"Leave her alone, Dr. Lance. You don't need Glory for this.” Kyra took one more look at Jerry and then motioned to Ana. “Come on."
They were silent until they were free of the building. There was nothing like being in a mental institution to make a body really appreciate personal freedom. She unlocked her transport as they approached it. “We're going to swing by Still Waters. That okay with you?"
"Yep, I love looking at sexy men."
Kyra laughed.
* * * *
Sexy man, indeed.
Marcus Waters was stripped to the waist, with a water hose in hand, out front when she pulled up to the curb. He was meticulously spraying off the white bricks of the building. Kyra leaned against her vehicle as Ana hopped out.
"Constable, you'll have to give this man a ticket."
Ana pulled out her p-pc. “Indecent exposure or providing a public distraction?"
Marcus laughed. “You ladies are lucky I like cops."
"You guys serving dinner?"
"Yeah, he just reopened. Got a few reporters sniffing around.” Marcus looked at Kyra as he spoke.
"I can handle reporters."
Ana trailed along behind Kyra, getting an eyeful of Marcus while she was at it. Once inside, she sighed. “The Water
s men sure are pretty."
Kyra's gaze summed up the evening crowd quickly. “Want to meet my nana?"
"Sharon Moray?"
"Yeah."
"Do I look okay?"
Kyra laughed. “You look fine.” She nodded in her grandmother's direction. “Come along, then."
"She's with the mayor!"
"Yeah, they do the horizontal tango. Every Sunday they go to church and beg forgiveness for fornication. It's all quite proper."
"She could do so much better."
"Oh, she knows it, and she makes sure he's told regularly.” She put on a bright smile. “Grandmother."
Sharon stood, then glared at Mayor Henry Delacroix until he stood, as well. “Darling, you look just wonderful.” She hugged Kyra and held out her hands to Ana. “You must by my baby's new partner. Aren't you darling? I heard you come from New York Dome. Don't worry.” She patted Ana's hand. “We can't all be so fortunate to be born in the south. I'll make sure no one holds it against you.” She kissed Ana's cheek and turned to the mayor. “Henry, get these girls some chairs."
Kyra stopped the mayor with a gentle hand. “Actually, Ana and I have a few work matters to talk over while we eat. I wouldn't want to disturb your meal with the details."
"If you're sure...” Sharon's gaze narrowed on Kyra. “Are you getting enough sleep?"
"Just enough.” She kissed her grandmother's cheek. “Promise."
Ana followed along behind Kyra and sighed. “Your nana smells nice. I wish I had a nana."
"You don't have any living grandparents?"
"Oh, yes, all four are alive and well. However, my grandmothers would never allow me to call them Nana. In fact, my mother's mother only recently allowed me to call her Grandmother instead of Patricia."
Kyra slid into the booth and grinned. “She doesn't let me call her Nana. I just do it.” She held out her hand and glared at Jeff Marks. “I haven't eaten in several hours, Marks, so unless you'd like to be an appetizer, I suggest you back off."
"Come on, Kyra, your press conference today was the mother of all understatements.” Jeff slid into the booth beside her. “Give me a little."
"I'm going to give you a great deal of pain if you don't get the hell out of my space.” She flipped open the menu. “If you leave now with no discussion, I'll give you an exclusive one-on-one for your evening broadcast tomorrow."
He hopped up and hurried away.
Ana laughed. “Will you really?"
"Yes. I'd already planned to contact him.” She set down her menu and looked around. Alex was behind the bar, looking put out.
The waitress came by, and they ordered quickly.
"He looks sort of pissed."
"So he does.” Kyra watched him leave the bar and walk in their direction. She scooted a little further into the booth so he could sit down. “Something wrong?"
"Yeah, that guy that sat down with you has been pestering me all damn afternoon. He wants to take pictures of the alleyway.” He rubbed his face and glared at Jeff where he sat. “He asked if he could get a few pictures and get one of his men to lie down for a chalk outline."
"The NOPD hasn't used chalk to outline bodies in sixty years,” Ana pointed out as she stripped a straw for her drink.
"Yeah, he wants to go for a certain ambience."
Kyra pressed her lips together firmly and looked at the wall. “If you want, I'll kick his ass."
"I can take care of my own.” He leaned back and looked at Ana. “Hello, again, Constable."
Ana smiled. “You can call me Ana."
"I have to say that you're much nicer on the eyes than her last partner."
"I work out."
"I bet."
Kyra elbowed him in the side. “Stop checking her out."
Alex laughed. “Next time get yourself an ugly partner."
"Ugly or beautiful, either way she'd be a distraction.” Marcus slid into the booth beside Ana, his shirt in place. “Maybe Ana should have a different partner. You know, one that won't try to corrupt her.” He rested his hands on the table and raised an eyebrow when Kyra glared at him. “I have it on good authority, Inspector, that you are a bad influence on young people."
Kyra laughed and pulled out her p-pc. “I'm going to give you a ticket myself."
Ana watched her fiddle with it for a minute, then reached out to take the p-pc from her. “You probably haven't given a ticket in six years,” she muttered as she changed the screen and filtered through the options. “Did we decide on a charge?"
"Being a pain in my ass."
"I'm sorry to report the mayor did not sign the bill that would make being a pain in your ass specifically a crime,” Ana stated primly. “It might be fun to book him on solicitation charges. Then I could do a strip search."
Kyra took her p-pc back and rolled her eyes. “Make a note to inform my grandmother that the mayor wasn't cooperative."
"What are you going to do about the deputy mayor?” Ana's expression turned serious.
"Nothing, at the moment.” Kyra shrugged. “He can't really hurt me."
"Everyone heard him screaming at you.” Ana blushed, then shrugged when Kyra glared. “We could get the witch to curse him."
"It's a violation of Code 234A for anyone connected with the NOPD to use Priestess Clara's services for anything other than professional reasons.” Kyra frowned. “She makes me so mad. There are a hundred more important ways she can help me instead of going on and on about evil."
"Aunt Clara has her ways.” Alex chuckled.
Kyra turned to stare at Alex. “Are you serious?"
"Our mother is her sister,” Marcus murmured.
"Oh, for the love of God.” Kyra fumed silently for a minute while Ana started giggling. The food arrived, and Kyra stared in silence at her hamburger for a minute before she picked up her knife. “You could have told me."
Alex laughed. “And exactly at what point would it have been a good time to mention that my aunt is the Voodoo queen of New Orleans?"
Since she didn't have a civil answer to that question, she pointed at him briefly with her knife. “My partner and I need to work on a case. Civilians are required to vacate the booth."
He kissed her mouth gently, a reminder of what moved between them, and slid away. “Come along, Marcus. We are no longer amusing to the Inspector."
"What a great ass,” Ana murmured as they walked away.
Kyra glanced at them briefly and then cut her hamburger in half. “I was serious about the work, you know."
"I'm totally serious about the ass you, you know.” Ana grinned but placed her p-pc on the table and set it to browse through her incoming messages. “Neal Valteau sent the list. Looks like I was cc'd a copy."
"Yeah.” Kyra frowned at the list and shook her head. “I'll be damned."
"Probably, but I'm going to pray for you anyway."
"Samuel Killian knew Stacey Valteau."
Ana hurriedly opened the list. “Oh."
"Oh, indeed.” Kyra checked her comm-u. “Get us some boxes and pack the food to go. I need to call Phil.” Kyra walked purposefully across the room and, after a thought, detoured slightly to hit the reporter's table. “I want all of you out of here when I get back."
"We're eating.” Jeff complained.
"Get it to go. I can't believe you, Jeff. If I can't trust you not to trivialize the deaths of these young women, you aren't getting a fucking thing from me."
"I have a job to do."
She poked at him with one finger. “So do I. The last thing I need is a dumb-ass reporter harassing a witness. He had an employee murdered, Jeff. He feels responsible even though he has no reason to be. Give the man a break, or you won't get another from me."
"Is that how it is? No one can talk to the man because you're fucking him?"
Kyra laughed then. “Keep pushing him, Jeff, and you won't have to worry about me. Oh, and you can forget about the one-on-one."
She input a transmission request to Phil on her comm-u
as she stalked from the table and down the short hall that led to Alex's office. The door was ajar, so she pushed it open as the connection was made. Alex was at his desk eating, and Marcus was sprawled on a leather sofa with a plate on his stomach. “Phil, transfer Samuel Killian's school schedule to my p-pc, and put in a request for a warrant. I want access to his gym locker, outhouse, car, apartment, the grocery store where he shops, and any job locations he might currently have."
She looked toward Alex. “Have you ever employed a young man named Samuel Killian?"
Alex raised an eyebrow. “Sounds familiar.” He went to his station and called up a file. “Yeah, for about six weeks when I first opened. He was fired for several unexcused absences."
"Send his file to my p-pc.” She wrote her code down on a piece of paper on his desk and kissed his mouth. “You have my permission to kick the ever-living shit out of Jeff Marks if he's still here when you finish eating."
He laughed. “I don't need your permission, Inspector."
She touched his face. “I'll keep you out of jail."
"Now, that I might need.” He took her hand and met her gaze. “You look ready for war. You get a good lead?"
"I think so.” She looked at Marcus. “Don't hit on my partner."
"She's very attractive."
"She's also very busy."
"Not that busy!” Ana called from the hallway. She appeared in the door with a bag. “My p-pc is vibrating like crazy. Hurry up before I take a quiet moment to myself to fully enjoy the effect."
Kyra took the bag from her as she motioned her out the doorway.
Ana followed along silently, already checking the contents of her inbox. Once settled in the transport and buckled, she looked at Kyra. “I don't need a cock block, but thanks for the thought."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah, I'm perfectly capable of fending off a man if I'm not interested. I'm young, but my mother didn't raise a pansy."
"I'll keep that in mind.” Kyra put the vehicle in drive and shoved her p-pc into the dash docking station. The in-dash vid-screen lit up and displayed the contents of her inbox. “Open document ID-Killian43 from Alex Waters."
