Read Online SPIRIT OF CONSEQUENCE (A Spirit Walking Mystery Book 1) by Peggy Dulle - Free Book Online

have a couple of problems with Mandy. Although, not actually with her but with a few of her clients.”
    “Did they hassle her?”
    Miss Mona nodded, slowly. “Yes. In the beginning Mandy was strictly a companion and not an escort.”
    “No sex.”
    “Correct. I insist that all of my girls spend the first six months being companions, taking etiquette and other classes, reading newspapers, and learning about the world. It gives me an opportunity to see how they interact with the clients and how moldable they are.”
    “That makes good business sense.”
    She nodded.
    “What happened with Mandy?”
    “Twice the men she spent time with tried to take it to the next level. She knew the rules. No sex without prior authorization from me. When she refused the men, they got physical with her.”
    Dodge leaned forward. “I’m going to need their names and more details about the incidents.”
    Miss Mona’s pulse accelerated immediately. There was a tap at the door. Miss Mona called out, “Come in.”
    A tall woman, almost six feet, dressed in a dark blue tailored business suit walked in and handed Miss Mona a file. Her black hair was tightly pulled back in a rubber band, accentuating the tight lines around her mouth that appeared as soon as she saw Dodge. “Here are the two files you wanted.”
    “Thanks, Georgia.” Miss Mona pointed to the couch. “Can you stay?”
    “Of course,” Georgia said and sat down next to Miss Mona. Her tone was cool and clipped.
    Then Dodge extended his hand to Georgia. “Inspector Benson, SFPD.”
    She shook his hand. “Georgia Rion, attorney at law.”
    Dodge tilted his head from Miss Mona over to Georgia. We hadn’t worked out this signal, but he must want me to jump ship. I slid out of Miss Mona and into Georgia.
    He glanced at Miss Mona. “She’s your attorney?”
    “Yes,” Miss Mona answered, and then turned to Georgia. “He would like the names of the two men who got physical with Mandy.”
    Georgia shook her head and frowned, her pulse as steady as her tone. “Not without a warrant, Inspector. We can’t reveal our client list. It’s protected under the statutes that were instituted when prostitution was legalized.”
    “But this was before Mandy was an escort,” Dodge suggested. “She was a companion and there’s no protection for anyone who sees her.”
    Miss Mona’s eyes widened and she looked at Georgia. “That can’t be true?”
    “Technically, yes,” Georgia said, with a cool glance at Dodge but her pulse rate accelerated. She was clearly pissed off at him. “But no one has ever enforced it before.”
    “Look,” Dodge said. “I’m looking into two women’s deaths. Both were brutally murdered.”
    “Two?” Miss Mona asked.
    “Yes.”
    Miss Mona looked at Georgia. “Another escort was killed?”
    “No,” Georgia replied crisply, shook her head and her body relaxed, “it was just a street prostitute.”
    Dodge stood and his tone elevated. “Street girl or not, she didn’t deserve to be killed any more than one of your escorts.”
    Georgia’s entire body tightened and her face flushed hot with anger. She didn’t like him, not one little bit. She started to speak, but Miss Mona put her hand on her arm. “He’s right, Georgia. Another woman’s been killed and we need to give him whatever information we can.”
    Georgia turned to Miss Mona, her pulse skipping a few beats. “Make him get a warrant, Miss Mona. If we give in this time, the police will think they can come in and get whatever information they want, whenever they want.”
    Miss Mona looked from Georgia to Dodge, who was still standing. She motioned for Dodge to sit down. “Georgia, would you leave the two of us alone?”
    Georgia’s nostrils flared and her body tensed, again. “Miss Mona, this is not a good idea.”
    “It’s okay, Georgia.” Miss Mona glanced toward the door. “If I need you, I’ll call.”
    Georgia stood and glared at Dodge. Her inner temperature rose with her