Read Online Hotter After Midnight by Cynthia Eden - Free Book Online
Authors: Cynthia Eden
Ads: Link
Preston’s dead body flashed before her eyes.
Vamps and shifters had never been known to eat prey. Drink blood, yes, but actually eating human prey? She’d known only a few demons who indulged in consuming flesh.
“A man didn’t do that.” Smith stopped her tapping and looked straight at Gyth. “No man could have done that.”
He didn’t say a word.
So Emily had to take the ball. “Then what do you think attacked Preston Myers?”
Smith’s midnight-black gaze never left Colin. “I think it was a large dog, maybe a wolf.”
He shook his head. “You know that’s not possible, Smith. The cameras—”
“I know! Dammit!” She jerked the mask off her neck and tossed it into the garbage. “But nothing else makes sense. I found animal hairs on the vic. I sent them off for analysis. We should have a full match on them soon. The bite radius on the vic’s neck—there’s no way that came from a human mouth. And the lacerations—” She paused, shook her head, “They don’t fit the profile of knife wounds or ice picks. They’re jagged, deep as hell.”
A wolf shifter had powerful, deadly claws. Far longer and stronger than a normal wolf’s.
“This is the weirdest damn case I’ve ever seen.” Smith turned her attention back to Emily. “And I’ll sure be interested in finding out exactly what you think about this killer.”
Well, Smith wasn’t going to be among the select few who got to view her full report. Emily knew Danny would want her data to go to his select superiors—the superiors who he knew would “understand” the special details of the case.
Smith pulled off her gloves and held her hand out to Emily. I’m glad Gyth brought you on the case, Dr. Drake. I sure hope you can catch this bastard.”
Emily’s hand met hers. “Yeah, me, too.” She cleared her throat, glanced back at Colin. “Is there an office I can use here? I want to start going over the files.”
“Yeah, we’ve got a place for you.” He jerked his thumb toward the door. “Come on, I’ll show you. It’s barely bigger than a closet, but that’s the way all the offices are in this place.”
Nodding to Smith, Emily stepped back. “Good to meet you.”
“Same here.” The ME watched her as she crossed the room. Just as Emily stepped over the threshold, Smith called out, “Dr.
Drake, just one question.”
Emily glanced back. Beside her, Colin seemed to tense. “Yes?”
“You didn’t seem particularly surprised to hear about the animal hairs on the vic.” Her head cocked to the side. “Why is that?”
Suspicion was rich in her voice.
Emily hesitated.
“I’d already told her,” Colin said, shrugging casually. “I mentioned that bit about the dog or wolf hair on the ride over.” He flashed her a smile. “Sorry to steal your thunder, Smith.”
The ME’s shoulders relaxed. “Ah, it’s okay, Gyth.” She laughed softly, the sound a little rusty, and she admitted, “I was worried there for a minute, though.”
“Worried? Why?” He asked.
Smith didn’t look at Emily as she said, “I thought the doctor might know more about the perp than she was letting on.”
Yes, that was the truth. Emily tried a smile of her own, but her lips felt stiff, the movement too false. “I just have suspicions at this point, Smith. Nothing more.”
She glanced down at her watch. Five o’clock. There was time to start reviewing the case files, time to get more than just suspicions before she had to meet Jake.
Time to start tracking the shifter.
The woman had been huddled in the shoebox-sized office for the last three hours. He could see straight through the windowed walls, could see right inside to her hunched figure.
The doc was poring over the files. Crime scene photos were spread on the table before her. Typed notes lay to her side.
She was tapping a pen against her lips as she read, tapping, tapping…
“Well, well, is that her?”
The gravelly voice sounded at his side. Colin didn’t bother
Vamps and shifters had never been known to eat prey. Drink blood, yes, but actually eating human prey? She’d known only a few demons who indulged in consuming flesh.
“A man didn’t do that.” Smith stopped her tapping and looked straight at Gyth. “No man could have done that.”
He didn’t say a word.
So Emily had to take the ball. “Then what do you think attacked Preston Myers?”
Smith’s midnight-black gaze never left Colin. “I think it was a large dog, maybe a wolf.”
He shook his head. “You know that’s not possible, Smith. The cameras—”
“I know! Dammit!” She jerked the mask off her neck and tossed it into the garbage. “But nothing else makes sense. I found animal hairs on the vic. I sent them off for analysis. We should have a full match on them soon. The bite radius on the vic’s neck—there’s no way that came from a human mouth. And the lacerations—” She paused, shook her head, “They don’t fit the profile of knife wounds or ice picks. They’re jagged, deep as hell.”
A wolf shifter had powerful, deadly claws. Far longer and stronger than a normal wolf’s.
“This is the weirdest damn case I’ve ever seen.” Smith turned her attention back to Emily. “And I’ll sure be interested in finding out exactly what you think about this killer.”
Well, Smith wasn’t going to be among the select few who got to view her full report. Emily knew Danny would want her data to go to his select superiors—the superiors who he knew would “understand” the special details of the case.
Smith pulled off her gloves and held her hand out to Emily. I’m glad Gyth brought you on the case, Dr. Drake. I sure hope you can catch this bastard.”
Emily’s hand met hers. “Yeah, me, too.” She cleared her throat, glanced back at Colin. “Is there an office I can use here? I want to start going over the files.”
“Yeah, we’ve got a place for you.” He jerked his thumb toward the door. “Come on, I’ll show you. It’s barely bigger than a closet, but that’s the way all the offices are in this place.”
Nodding to Smith, Emily stepped back. “Good to meet you.”
“Same here.” The ME watched her as she crossed the room. Just as Emily stepped over the threshold, Smith called out, “Dr.
Drake, just one question.”
Emily glanced back. Beside her, Colin seemed to tense. “Yes?”
“You didn’t seem particularly surprised to hear about the animal hairs on the vic.” Her head cocked to the side. “Why is that?”
Suspicion was rich in her voice.
Emily hesitated.
“I’d already told her,” Colin said, shrugging casually. “I mentioned that bit about the dog or wolf hair on the ride over.” He flashed her a smile. “Sorry to steal your thunder, Smith.”
The ME’s shoulders relaxed. “Ah, it’s okay, Gyth.” She laughed softly, the sound a little rusty, and she admitted, “I was worried there for a minute, though.”
“Worried? Why?” He asked.
Smith didn’t look at Emily as she said, “I thought the doctor might know more about the perp than she was letting on.”
Yes, that was the truth. Emily tried a smile of her own, but her lips felt stiff, the movement too false. “I just have suspicions at this point, Smith. Nothing more.”
She glanced down at her watch. Five o’clock. There was time to start reviewing the case files, time to get more than just suspicions before she had to meet Jake.
Time to start tracking the shifter.
The woman had been huddled in the shoebox-sized office for the last three hours. He could see straight through the windowed walls, could see right inside to her hunched figure.
The doc was poring over the files. Crime scene photos were spread on the table before her. Typed notes lay to her side.
She was tapping a pen against her lips as she read, tapping, tapping…
“Well, well, is that her?”
The gravelly voice sounded at his side. Colin didn’t bother
Similar Books
