Chapter 4

Homicide Detective Abel Lee pulls up to the Star Genetics building. Already a crowd has formed, but thankfully the patrol officers are here already to control it. Lee parks a little the street and pushes his way through the crowd. It is easier than pulling right up to the front and being hounded by reporters. He flashes his badge and one of the officers lets him through. Of course the moment the reporters see this, they try shifting in his direction, shouting questions at him.

Lee doesn’t even cast one glance toward the reporters. He hate reporters, using them only in desperate times when it benefits a case he is working on. Instead, he heads up the stairs, taking them two at a time. A spray of water from the fountain hits him, but he ignores it. A little water never hurt anyone. By the time he reaches the main doors, an officer is there opening it for him. Lee gives the man a nod, takes a piece of paper with the victim’s information on it and steps through.

The atrium is like any other Lee has been in. There is a check in desk with a security guard, elevators down past it and a set of stairs to the left. Glass surrounds from nearly every side. But instead of a crowd of employees hustling and bustling around, the atrium is full of police. There are employees being questioned, some waiting for questioning and a few waiting to go to work. The place looks a lot like it did a few months ago when he was here.

“Ah, Detective Lee,” Rick Jameson says, extending his hand to the man. “I’d say that it is nice to see you again, but considering the circumstances...”

“Once is chance, twice is coincidence,” Lee responds with.

A smile broadens across the geneticist’s face. “Third is a pattern. Let’s hope there isn’t a third.”

Lee shakes the man’s hand and nods. “If there is you’re going to be the first one I look at.”

“So I’m not on your suspect list then?” Rick asks coyly.

“I’m not saying you’re off it,” Lee answers straight-faced.

Rick pulls his hand away and sticks it in his pocket. “Well I will help where I can. Like last time, all areas are open so long as you can keep a secret about anything you see.”

Lee grins and pulls out a pen. “When do you want me to sign?”

The head scientist waves his hand through the air at the detective. “The last disclosure agreement you signed is still valid.”

“Very well,” Lee says, sliding his pen away.

“Right down to business,” Rick says with a grin. “I guess you want to know where I was last night at the time of the murder.”

“Do you have a time of when it happened?” Lee questions, knowing that if the man is the perpetrator, he certainly isn’t going to let something like that slip.

“I had dinner with my daughter,” Rick answer promptly.

“All night?” Lee questions.

“Well no, not all night,” the man answers confidently. “We went to a movie afterward. After that I spent the night in the company of a lovely lady I picked up at the club.”

“I’m sure this can be verified?” Lee asks. He is sure he knows that answer, but he has to ask it.

“Of course,” the scientist says, beaming with a smile. “She is most likely still at my apartment.”

Lee smiles, more out of nicety than anything else. “Did you know the security guard,” he pauses to check the piece of paper, “Tracy Markum?”

“No, I did not personally know her,” the scientist answers with a shake of his head. “I spoke with her once or twice, and she seemed nice and likable, but nothing beyond that. My employees interacted with security more than I.”

“Yes, I plan on questioning them,” Lee remarks. “I will need a list of those that were here last night.”

“That is a very small list, Detective,” the man counters. “I have many dedicated employees, but only a few very dedicated to their work. My secretary can have that list before you leave. Anything else?”

“No, but I’m sure I can get ahold of you if I need to,” the detective states.

“Of course, Detective,” Rick says smiling. “My door is always open for the boys in blue. Could I interest you in a session in the sauna?”

“As much as I’d love to, I have work that has to be done,” he answers, trying hard to keep the sneer from his voice.

“Very well, Detective,” the man says dismissively. “But if you change your mind, you can talk to my secretary and she’ll get you there.”

Lee watches Rick walk to the elevators. He doesn’t take his eyes off the man until he steps into them. Lee doesn’t like the man. For him, Rick Jameson is a high-rolling playboy with no regard to anyone beneath his station. The fire, this killing doesn’t hurt the man in anyway other than his bottom line, and that’s what insurance is for.

“Detective?” a voice says from behind him.

Lee’s focus quickly shifts back to the present. He spins around to face the medical examiner. “What have you got for me?”

Detective Lee spends most of his morning looking at the crime scene and interviewing the employees that were in the building the night before. He was able to talk to all of them except for Malcolm Denver, who reportedly didn’t come into work this morning. The scientist will be next on his list to question. After checking the security cameras, Lee didn’t find anything out of the ordinary. It seems that whoever the attacker was, they know exactly where the blind spots are. And if the suspect didn’t go through the front door, there has to be a way out the back.

Stopping at the security desk, Lee leans across the counter to whisper, “I know only the employees know of one way in or out of here, but is there a back door somewhere?”

The security guard smile devilishly. This guy definitely knows of one, and he has used it. Lee doesn’t care what the guy’s method is, just its location. “Sure thing boss,” the man answers in a whisper. “It’s this way.” He gets up, sliding the chair back and slips back toward the monitor room, not waiting for the detective.

No matter, Lee is already around the desk, following right on the heels of the man. “I didn’t notice any other way out when I was over here earlier,” he calls out to the man.

“That’s because Dr. Jameson wants to keep it as secret as possible,” the guard replies over his shoulder. “It’s for security purposes and for VIPs and such.”

“How often are VIPs in and out of here?” he questions.

“Depends,” the man answers. They slip down past the monitor room and past a small closet. At the end the guard stops and places his hand on the back wall. “Dr. Jameson has a few parties every year, but then there are those he does business with and those he wishes to keep the public from seeing.”

“And those he wishes to keep from the public eye?” Lee pushes.

“Those are of a sexual nature,” the man answers, though he sounds a little envious. He exposes a hidden key pad and punches in a four digit number. “There is one hidden on the other side.” The door parts the frame and the guard pushes it open. He kicks a stopper down, halting the door from closing. “Please make sure you close it when you’re done.” Then without another word, the guard walks back to the atrium.

The detective steps out into the alley. It is like every other alley in the city. It has trash cans and dumpsters, cans, bottles and all other methods of refuse strewn about. But it also has what many don’t have, and that is a bit of privacy. Looking down both sides, the sight of the street is remarkably blocked, most likely on purpose. People can come and go as they please with no one the wiser. This was how the murder got out and possibly in. Either way, if Dr. Denver doesn’t pan out, the list has just gotten a whole lot bigger.

A sudden noise cuts through the near silence. Lee pulls his pistol, pointing it toward the sound. He starts to slowly walk toward the sound. “I am Detective Abel Lee,” he announces. “Police. Come out slowly, hands where I can see them.”

The rattle shakes the silence again. Lee’s grip on his pistol tightens a little. He is about to give another warning when a dog tramples out from beneath a couple boxes, sending a bottle scattering across the ground. Lee immediately lowers his pistol and breathes out a sigh of relief.

“Damn mutt,” he mutters.

He is ready to dismiss the dog when he notices something that looks like blood on the animal’s coat.

“Come here, boy,” he calls, dropping down into a crotch.

The dog faces him and growls, showing a mouth full of teeth and blood. The detective is back up on his feet, gun pointed at the stay. The dog barks once, then twice. Lee is ready to put the animal down should he need to. Then the stray turns around and takes off down the alley. Lee’s radio is in his hand. He is barking orders for someone track the dog down. He’s going to need to revisit the medical examiner for this one.

Rick disrobes and steps into the sauna. It is a traditional room made of wood with tiered benches. There is an iron box, open-grated fire filled with glowing log embers. He stands just inside the entrance, breathing in the steam and enjoying the feeling it gives him when he feels a presence behind him.

“Am I going to need to be your alibi?” Tori, the girl from the club asks. She slips her arms around his waist, pressing her nude body against his.

“Fuck, I hope not,” he answers with a sigh. “That fake ID isn’t going to fool the cops like it did the doorman.”

She giggles. “Clearly it fooled you.”

“Oh believe me,” he says with a lopsided grin, “I saw right through it. It is why we weren’t leaving there without you.”

Tori pulls away and pivots around to stand before the older man in all her glory. Rick is stunned by the sight of her. She does not have the perfect body, but she all the curves in all the right places, with a medium chest. Bridget’s are much larger, but where this girl lacks in the chest area she makes up with hips—voluptuous hips. His eyes automatically drop down to her hairless crotch and the dangling flower beneath it.

The girl’s eyes drop down to his hanging member as well. She smiles, ensuring that it is seen by him. Then she turns and gestures with her finger for him to follow. She sits down and pats the bench. Rick grins, steps over to the fire with his cock flopping happily around. He quickly flings a scoop of water on the fire and a cloud of steam arises, filling the room. Then he takes a seat next to her, their legs brushing together, their shoulders touching.