Read Online The Ghost in the Doll (Fox Meridian Book 6) by Niall Teasdale - Free Book Online

leer in the old man’s grin.
    Fox swung her leg over her bug and settled into place. ‘I think you’re enjoying this far too much.’
    Bart settled into place behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. ‘When’s the last time you think I got to ride one of these behind an attractive young woman in a little top and shorts?’
    ‘Dirty old man. Chasing girls at your age…’
    ‘Huh. I’m old, not dead.’
    ~~~
    Fox did, however, change her outfit before going out to find more victims of the ‘statistical anomaly.’ A blouse and slacks fitted with the idea of someone looking into the death of your relatives better than a cami-top and denim shorts, and she no longer had Bart to make the introductions. By late afternoon, she had amassed relatively little information that Kit had not already found on the internet, but one name had kept coming up which bothered her a little.
    ‘Harlan George Napier,’ Kit said, redisplaying various internet feeds as Fox drove toward home. ‘Born in Topeka, educated in Topeka and Boston. He was rated in the top five of his graduating class at medical school and did his residency in New York, which is also where he practised until twelve years ago.’
    ‘Why’d he move?’
    ‘Unclear. However, he professed a desire to give back to the community which raised him. There is also the fact that a position opened up which gave him a relative increase in salary. He earned more in New York at the time, but the cost of living, especially of housing, is considerably higher in the metro.’
    ‘Tell me about it. Have you any idea how much a house like my parents’ one would cost in New York?’
    ‘Yes, I do. Would you like me to tell you, or was that entirely rhetorical?’
    ‘The latter, as you well know. Okay, so he came home to better living conditions and out of altruism, whatever the percentage mix.’
    ‘There may also have been a woman involved. Eight months after arriving here, he married Christina Cline, a childhood sweetheart, according to the gossip channels. Christina’s previous husband died four months prior to Mister Napier’s move to Topeka.’
    ‘Did you run her?’
    ‘Not yet, but I will have a more thorough profile on both of them by morning. I wish I could set up a murder room viron, but we don’t have the spare processing capacity.’
    ‘And we don’t have a murder. I think you’d have to call it an incident room. We can make do without.’ Fox paused, biting her lip. ‘Could be Napier’s just got sloppy. Could be he’s suffered a run of bad luck.’
    ‘His reputation is flawless. It seems unlikely that he would be killing these people on purpose. I can see no motive for it.’
    ‘No, but maybe you will when you’ve worked up those profiles.’
    ~~~
    Andrea was in the kitchen, organising food, when Fox walked in. Fox paused at the sight of her mother wearing a string bikini with a light, candy-striped mesh top and short shorts over it. Andrea carried on preparing lettuce as though oblivious.
    ‘Mom, what are those denim things you’re wearing called? Because they sure aren’t shorts.’
    Andrea patted her behind and then went back to the lettuce. ‘You were out all day, and your father is partial to a little booty. I’ll get changed before dinner. We decided on something light and early. It’s been a hot one.’
    ‘Yeah, with you dressed like that, I can imagine it was.’
    ‘I shall take that as a compliment.’
    ‘Yeah. I think Bart’s partial to a little booty too. Dirty old man. He enjoyed his ride out to see Samantha Crabtree way too much.’
    ‘I’m sure he did. And he wolf-whistles whenever he sees me in this outfit, so you’re probably right.’
    ‘You let other people see you dressed like that?’
    ‘ You let Bart Wade ride a Q-bug with you, and you weren’t wearing a whole lot more than I am.’
    ‘Fair point,’ Fox conceded. ‘I’m going to get back into that outfit. Black was not a good choice for today.’
    ‘Probably