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“Yeah, I’ve got it. Do you have a pen?” She rattles off the numbers while I quickly write them on a notepad. “We received an e-invite this morning, too. Have you checked your emails?”
“Nope. Doesn’t sound like I want to. What are wee-invited to?”
“A black-tie dinner,” she responds. “The incoming mayor wishes to cement his inauguration with food and wine.”
“Not something I intend to go to. You can RSVP on my behalf—”
“It’s a charity event,” she cuts in. “The funds are set to go someplace worthwhile, though the invite indicates the charity is yet to be announced. As chief M.E., it wouldn’t look great if you decline.”
“We’ll see. Is there anything I need to do with you today, or can I focus on work?”
“We’re good for now, unless you’d like me to make contact each time Miranda London calls for an interview.”
“Miranda London can kiss my ass,” I snarl. “Talk to you later.”
Reaching out, I press my finger to the phone cradle to kill our call, then I peck each number for Justin Lawrence.
“I’m heading down in a second to get back to Landry Mellet,” Aubree murmurs.
“And who,” I finish dialing and press the phone to my ear, “is Landry Mellet?”
“My license-plate-stamped motorcycle rider. I haven’t worked with him since I packed him away last night.”
“Oh yeah.” While the phone rings in my ear, I glance across and meet Aubree’s eyes. “I’ll come down too. We’ve done all we can with Malone and Fletcher’s girls, so once I make this call, I’d like to come down and see the guy you brought in.”
“Hello?”
“Mr. Lawrence.” I clear my throat and bring my attention back to my desk rather than the woman who makes a quirky face because the manifestation of her daddy issues is on the phone. “It’s Minka Mayet. I’m sorry to call so early.”
“It’s okay.” The noises on his end of the line implies a crowd. A street, with cars driving by and people chattering around him on their way to work. “I’m available. Are you calling about my black-tie event? Because I know you’ll be inclined to say no, but I wanted to let you know that it’s not for another couple of weeks, you don’t have to make a speech or even pose for photos, you can bring a date, and your fun Doctor Emeri can come too. Plus, charity. Think of the puppies.”
Stunned, I pause for a moment and frown. “What puppies?”
“Or the sick children. Or the purple-breasted flightless bird facing extinction.”
“Mr. Lawrence?”
He chuckles. “I want to have a thing. Personally, I hatethings, but I think it’s important I start my career in Copeland on the right foot. And I think having the woman who has quite a, uh,uniquerelationship with the mayor’s office attend the thing can only be a good sign for our city. Unity, right?”
“I wasn’t calling about the thing.”
He sniggers. “But you don’t want to come to the thing?”
“I do not. Actually, I was hoping to speak to your daughter.”
And just like that, an icy chill settles over the line as Justin, presumably stops in the middle of a crowd. “Come again, Ms. Mayet?”
Protective to the point of dangerous.Noted.
“Your daughter,” I repeat. “Jen? I told you I’d looked into your family, right?”
“Right,” he growls. “But I step in front of my girls, Doctor. I willalwaysstep in front of them.”
“I’m not looking to hurt them.” I glance across my office to Aubree and roll my eyes. “Jen’s a biochemist, no? I was hoping to speak to her about my current case, doctor to doctor.”
“Oh…” I can’t possibly know for sure that the man whoshouldhave an entourage—but doesn’t—starts walking again, but I still picture it in my mind. “You want her to consult?”
“Something like that. My current caseload has a killer injecting a cocktail of drugs straight into his victim’s bloodstreams. These women are dying within minutes. So I had this idea for a type of antidote. Obviously, this isn’t my specialty, so if I could get a contact in the field, that would be helpful.”
