She didn’t argue.Couldn’t.Sullivan was right.
Which meant—
“Well,” Marcus said lightly, “sounds like we know who’s getting the short straw.”
Kate groaned.“Poppy.She’s already loaded with stuff for me.”
Sullivan raised an eyebrow.“Poppy?”
“Brilliant junior agent back at base,” Marcus said.“Cute, too.”
Kate shot him a sharp look.“Necessary observation, Marcus?”
“Sorry.”
“She’ll be cute and homicidal,” Kate muttered.“When I ask her to run a statewide art-supply and pigment-tracking sweep, she’s going to glue my keyboard to the desk.”
Sullivan clapped her shoulder.“Better you than me, Valentine.”
He stepped back toward the door.“Alright.That’s the news.You two get settled.I’ve got three interviews this afternoon and a sergeant who thinks the Wi-Fi’s causing his migraines.”
Kate watched him leave, the door clicking shut behind him.
The office was quiet for a beat.
Then Marcus said, “Palette knife.That’s new.”
“It’s interesting.I get the feeling he might be an artist first and a killer second.”
“Well, even that’s progress, huh?”
Kate stared at the open folder, at the wound diagram, at the etchings of the blade track.
Progress, she thought.
Then why did it feel like the killer was always two steps ahead?
“I’m going to check Shepherd’s alibi then go back to the crime scene to look at the CCTV,” Marcus said, standing.“I hate to nag.But you need to call Poppy.”
Kate winced.“God help me.”
She pulled out her phone.And then jumped, as it rang in her hand.The screen said POPPY K.The universe had a way of surprising her, sometimes.
“I was just about to ring you.”
“To apologize?”Poppy asked.
Kate blinked.“For what exactly?”
“For abandoning me in a digital swamp of idiot worshippers, conspiracy bloggers, and people who think Greek numerology is a personality type.”A paper rustled violently.“But never mind.The work’s ongoing, but I thought you’d like some updates?”
Kate straightened in her chair.“Go for it.”
“Right.Starting with Cox’s fan club—back when he was at Redfern medium-sec.Not a big crowd, just a handful of men with too much time and unresolved parental issues.”
Kate smiled faintly.“Sounds like the usual demographic.”
“Indeed.Number one, the guy you asked me to look at.Tray Purvis.”Poppy’s voice took on the crisp tone of a prosecuting barrister.“Urban explorer on manslaughter charges, became a Cox groupie in jail.Now?Tray appears to have put aside his spiritual awakening in favor of joining the Nazi Lo-riders.”
