Sight Unseen Read Free Page B

low voice, “I’m going to call in Homicide. Stick around for a few, and I’ll have you—”
    “No.”
    “What?”
    “I’m not sticking around. This has taken up enough of my evening already. I just wanted to give you a heads-up. Your forensics people can take it from here.”
    He stared at her in shock. “You can’t be serious. You came out here just to—”
    “Just to keep you from mistaking a murder scene for an accident. Though I guess I shouldn’t blame you too much. It’s probably one of the most unusual murder scenes any of you have ever seen.” She glanced back. “Although, like I said, I doubt whether any of these people actually died here. ”
    “And this doesn’t pique your curiosity just a little bit?”
    “Sure. I’ll keep up with it in the newspaper. Good luck with your investigation.”
    Poole frowned. “I can make you stay, you know.”
    Kendra smiled. “On what grounds? Failure to perform police work on command?”
    “What about civic duty?”
    “I just did it. I told you everything I know. Good night, Poole.”
    Kendra turned and moved around the forensics techs crouched behind the BMW.
    Dean cast another look at the scene as they walked away. “I know you were just trying to impress me back there.”
    “Did it work?”
    “Of course, but it was totally unnecessary. You had me at ‘prison.’ You still owe me an explanation for that, you know.”
    She took a quick look over her shoulder. Poole was still glaring at her. “Later. Right now, we’d better get to your car before Poole has it towed. He isn’t very happy with me at the moment.”
    *   *   *
     
    THEY DROVE BACK TO KENDRA’S condominium complex in less than fifteen minutes.
    “You were amazing,” Dean said, as he walked her to the building’s front door. “The cops thought so, too. You could see it on their faces.”
    “Trust me, those expressions can turn sour in a hurry. Especially if they think I’m making them look bad. Poole only wanted me to stick around because he knew his superiors wouldn’t have believed that he’d come up with those answers.”
    He nodded. “I can imagine there would be problems. But why aren’t you interested in following up? Seems like a pretty interesting case.”
    “I already have a job. It’s a lot more positive and fulfilling to me than what those people are doing on that bridge tonight.”
    “Music therapy.”
    “Yes. I help people. And I conduct research and publish papers that help others help people.” She unlocked the door. “Anyway, thanks for the ride. I’m sure this wasn’t the evening you had in mind.”
    “It was better.” He grinned. “Sure beats first-date small talk.”
    “Not sure what I can do to top it. You want to quit while we’re ahead?”
    “No way.” He stepped closer to her.
    She couldn’t deny how likeable she found him. She was happy at that response. She smiled. “Well, you have my number.”
    “Whoa, whoa, whoa. I’m not saying good night until you explain a few things to me. Let’s start with my bike. How did you know about that?”
    “You have helmet head.”
    He ran his hands through his hair. “Impossible. I’ve washed my hair a couple times since the last time I wore a helmet.”
    “Not your hair. Your skin. You have a clean tan line around your neck, and an inverted “U” that frames your face. And there’s a slight singe on the inside right leg of those jeans you’re wearing, right about knee level. The Harley Sportster’s rear exhaust pipe would hit you about there every time you have your foot off the pedal at a long stoplight.”
    “Just the Sportster?”
    “There are others, but that’s probably the most popular one. And the Harley Davidson sunglasses tucked into your shirt clinches it a bit more.”
    He laughed and patted the sunglasses dangling from his neckline. “Do you ride?”
    “I used to run with a pretty wild crowd, and I sometimes rode with them.” She raised her right pant leg and showed a