that it’s done by the same person.” Steve was glaring at Tom.
“It’s not a huge area-not like Philadelphia.” Tom told him firmly.
“Are you saying we find strangulation victims by the hour?” Steve asked, deadpanned.
“All right you two.” Laura grumbled. “Jones, tell your men to go over the scene. See if they can find the actual location of the murder. Steve, go find the nearest Starbucks.”
Steve looked unhappy at being dismissed. She momentarily did not blame him. A month ago she would have wanted him by her side. They were a dynamic team in Philadelphia-everyone knew that.
Now she could barely stand to be near him.
As Steve was walking away from her, Jones was approaching.
“How are you feeling?” He looked a little sheepish now. It was a look she hadn’t expected on him.
“You got me drunk and I woke up alone.” She retorted. “How do you think I’m feeling?” He chuckled nervously. His hands pushed into the pockets of his kakis as he lowered his head.
“Sorry but I woke up and I didn’t want to make things awkward.”
“You mean more awkward than screwing my coworker?” It was early and she was hung over. She was bound to be a little testy. Especially after her first one-night stand since college.
“If it means anything, I am sorry. The alcohol got the best of me.” Jones gave her a more apologetic smile. He was full of surprises that was for sure.
“I am too.” Laura offered. “I’m sorry, I don’t usually do things like that.”
“I didn’t think so. You don’t strike me as that type. I hope that this won’t make things awkward between us.” Laura managed to force up a genuine smile.
“Of course not.” If it was one thing that she could be, it was professional. “After all, we have a case to solve.” Jones gave her another smile.
“Oh, that we do.”
******
Laura was sipping a Coke that afternoon in the interview room at the Allegheny County-Lake Park headquarters. She was still feeling the effects of last night. It was a bad hangover when you could still feel it almost a full day later. Either that, or she was getting too old for this shit. Probably a bit of both.
The door opened. She glanced up to see Steve slipping in. She sighed, but didn’t kick him out. What was the point, really?
“I’m here on business,” he started off. Laura was glad. She was still not in the mood for a relationship talk-even though they needed one.
“So you found something at the lake?” She stood up. Steve shook his head.
“No, not quite.” He reached into his pocket. He withdrew a plastic evidence bag. Laura took it, curious. Inside the bag was a piece of paper.
Troll-do you have friends in Lake Park? Tell them I left them a present……
“How did you find this?” Laura’s hand shook. There was their key that the murders were connected.
“Actually, it was brought into us.” Steve glanced out the door. “The kid is in another rom. He says he’s the Clearwater Troll.”
Laura was already moving.
“I want to talk to him.”
“I figured.” Steve held the door open for her. “Let’s go.”
In an interview room down the hall, a teenage boy wearing a denim jacket over a white t-shirt was nervously running his hands through shaggy brown hair. He looked up as the two entered.
“Should I be talking to you without my mom?” He looked between the two.
“It’s ok. You’re not in any trouble. But Detective Lewis will have your parents called.” Laura sat down at the table, looking back at Steve.
The boy identified himself as Dustin Williams. After he’d given them a phone number, Steve went off to make the call. Laura waited until the door had closed, then turned back to the boy.
“Dustin, I’m Detective Allbright. I want to talk to you about what’s going on in the
“It’s not a huge area-not like Philadelphia.” Tom told him firmly.
“Are you saying we find strangulation victims by the hour?” Steve asked, deadpanned.
“All right you two.” Laura grumbled. “Jones, tell your men to go over the scene. See if they can find the actual location of the murder. Steve, go find the nearest Starbucks.”
Steve looked unhappy at being dismissed. She momentarily did not blame him. A month ago she would have wanted him by her side. They were a dynamic team in Philadelphia-everyone knew that.
Now she could barely stand to be near him.
As Steve was walking away from her, Jones was approaching.
“How are you feeling?” He looked a little sheepish now. It was a look she hadn’t expected on him.
“You got me drunk and I woke up alone.” She retorted. “How do you think I’m feeling?” He chuckled nervously. His hands pushed into the pockets of his kakis as he lowered his head.
“Sorry but I woke up and I didn’t want to make things awkward.”
“You mean more awkward than screwing my coworker?” It was early and she was hung over. She was bound to be a little testy. Especially after her first one-night stand since college.
“If it means anything, I am sorry. The alcohol got the best of me.” Jones gave her a more apologetic smile. He was full of surprises that was for sure.
“I am too.” Laura offered. “I’m sorry, I don’t usually do things like that.”
“I didn’t think so. You don’t strike me as that type. I hope that this won’t make things awkward between us.” Laura managed to force up a genuine smile.
“Of course not.” If it was one thing that she could be, it was professional. “After all, we have a case to solve.” Jones gave her another smile.
“Oh, that we do.”
******
Laura was sipping a Coke that afternoon in the interview room at the Allegheny County-Lake Park headquarters. She was still feeling the effects of last night. It was a bad hangover when you could still feel it almost a full day later. Either that, or she was getting too old for this shit. Probably a bit of both.
The door opened. She glanced up to see Steve slipping in. She sighed, but didn’t kick him out. What was the point, really?
“I’m here on business,” he started off. Laura was glad. She was still not in the mood for a relationship talk-even though they needed one.
“So you found something at the lake?” She stood up. Steve shook his head.
“No, not quite.” He reached into his pocket. He withdrew a plastic evidence bag. Laura took it, curious. Inside the bag was a piece of paper.
Troll-do you have friends in Lake Park? Tell them I left them a present……
“How did you find this?” Laura’s hand shook. There was their key that the murders were connected.
“Actually, it was brought into us.” Steve glanced out the door. “The kid is in another rom. He says he’s the Clearwater Troll.”
Laura was already moving.
“I want to talk to him.”
“I figured.” Steve held the door open for her. “Let’s go.”
In an interview room down the hall, a teenage boy wearing a denim jacket over a white t-shirt was nervously running his hands through shaggy brown hair. He looked up as the two entered.
“Should I be talking to you without my mom?” He looked between the two.
“It’s ok. You’re not in any trouble. But Detective Lewis will have your parents called.” Laura sat down at the table, looking back at Steve.
The boy identified himself as Dustin Williams. After he’d given them a phone number, Steve went off to make the call. Laura waited until the door had closed, then turned back to the boy.
“Dustin, I’m Detective Allbright. I want to talk to you about what’s going on in the
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