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“I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU’RE having me look into this Dana.” Troy searched through the file cabinet looking at some of the evidence.
“Thanks so much, Troy. I’ll make it up to you, I swear.”
“What? You’ll get me another badge after I lose this one?”
“Troy, I...”
“Relax, Dana. I’m just kidding.”
“That’s not funny.”
“You know, you should consider a career in law enforcement or have your own PI agency. You know that?”
“Hey, coming from you, I’ll certainly consider it.”
Troy then pulled out some information from the cabinet and scanned through it. “This is interesting.”
“What is?”
“I think you might be onto something, Dana.”
“Can I see?” Dana inched closer to Troy and she inhaled the sweet scent of his cologne. It was sweetly intoxicating.
For a moment an electrical spark touched her when he brushed her skin with his strong, muscular arm. He sure was enticing. But Dana had to focus on her mission. She was sworn off men—for now anyway. She just couldn’t take any more heartbreak. Besides, Mr. Tall, Dark & Handsome Detective was married—to his work. His dangerous work. Something Dana had no business being a part of. Plus, he’d told her last month that he was no longer into relationships after being burned badly by his ex. Dana could certainly relate to that. Well, at least they shared something in common.
For a moment their eyes locked and her heart turned over in her chest.
Focus, Dana. Focus. Not on him, silly. On the case. On saving your uncle’s hide.
Troy cleared his throat, probably realizing that he was still at the police station and that was no place to be hitting on the relative of a suspect.
“Well, you are right about something. The reports confirm that she bled to death by a substance called heparin.”
“Heparin?”
“Yes, it’s a...”
“Blood thinner.” They both said in unison.
It was amazing that they both were on the same train of thought. But Dana tried not to get too excited about it. She had a lot in common with her ex, too, before they grew apart and well, he ran off with her friend.
“Now the question is...who has access to that kind of medicine? Darlene, my uncle’s secretary. But so did Dr. Cromwell.”
“Doctor who?”
“Dr. Cromwell.” Dana explained to him about the conversation with Bea and the admission by a second-party that a Chester was involved with Karla but she believed that Chester could be Dr. Cromwell.”
“Are you out of your mind, Dana? We can’t go accusing a respectable doctor of some hideous crime? All fingers would point to your Uncle Max.”
“But that’s just it. Uncle Max wouldn’t hurt a fly, Troy.”
“Crimes of passion could surprise anyone, Dana. Especially when love turns sour.”
“But not in this case, Troy. Trust me on this one. I just have a feeling that this Chester person could be involved. Could you at least find out about his status through the college of physicians? Or if he’s had any issues? He’s looking after my auntie after all. If he visits the home often, being that Aunt Mary is usually upstairs asleep, that would mean Karla would have seen him often. Especially when my uncle is away.”
Troy froze. “You know something. You have a point, Dana. You should really consider joining the force. We probably should have brought him in for questioning. I wonder why that was overlooked?” Troy rubbed his forehead.
“I’m going to look into Cromwell’s background, Dana. Promise me you won’t go snooping around in this case.” Troy arched a sexy brow.
“I can’t promise you that, Troy. You know that. But I won’t do anything illegal. How about that?”
He rolled his eyes playfully.
“Hey, what’s this?” Dana said looking at a file with some notes on it. The autopsy report.
“Well, it’s pretty much public now, but this is the autopsy report.”
“It is?”
“Yes, why?”
“But...what is this?” She pointed to an entry on the page about a white mark on the lips of the victim.
“Oh, the victim had some sort of marking on the lips.”
Dana’s body felt buzzed. “That’s it!”
“What’s it?”
“Oh, nothing. I just need to check something out.”
“Please don’t let me regret looking into this for you, Dana.”
“You won’t, Troy. I...I promise.”
God, she hoped that was a promise she could keep. But right now, time was running out.