Read Online The Profiler's Daughter (Sky Stone Thriller Series) by P.M. Steffen - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: P.M. Steffen
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of SoHo. I got my bachelor’s at Boston University two years ago. Biology. But I didn’t want to go back home. I love the Bean. When a clerical position opened up in the biology department, I grabbed it.” Jenna picked at a loose thread in the taffeta skirt. “Last October I was looking for a roommate to share the rent so I posted a note on the department bulletin board. Nicolette practically lived at the bio department, like graduate students do. We started hanging out together. She moved in, the day after Halloween.”
Jenna slipped into girl-talk mode. “Nicolette was so much fun at first. We went to all the clubs, dancing at The Estate, Umbria, Royale. First we’d go to Forever 21 or H&M, get something wild to wear. I love all the trendy trash. That seventies revival stuff? No spank you!” She gave a dismissive sniff. “We found some funky sheath dresses at the Garment District in Cambridge a couple of months ago. Dollar a pound! We did some serious shopping.”
Jenna cast a doubtful eye at Sky’s jeans and sweater. “Nicolette may have been from L.A., but she shopped like a New Yorker, I’ll give her that. When she had money, that is.” Jenna scratched her head with the remote.
“Wasn’t until she moved in that I found out about Nicolette’s money problems. Her research fellowships paid, but not enough for the Bean. No help from her mom. Her dad wasn’t even in the picture.” Jenna gave Sky a sidelong look. “Serious issues there. I think she was living on credit cards.”
“Nicolette thought it was okay to stiff me on the rent because we were so-called friends.” Jenna’s thin lips formed a disapproving pout. “Truth is, she knew my folks would cover me if I came up short at the end of the month.”
“Do you know where Nicolette might have gone last Saturday? Who she was with?”
“I know she got her hair done at Duquette’s in Newton Centre. Manicure, too. She made a big deal out of showing me her nails, said she had them match the polish to her hair color. First time ever.”
“First manicure ever?”
“God, no. Nicolette spent a small fortune on her hair and nails. Saturday was the first time I ever saw her with red nail polish, though. She usually went with a French manicure, said it lasted longer. Lab work and all.” Jenna’s nails were bitten to the quick. She caught Sky looking at them and curled her fingers into her palms.
“Was Nicolette a natural redhead?”
“Yeah, but she was always getting highlights. She’s been going to the same hair guy since she came to the Bean. His name is Francois, owns that whole chain of Duquette salons.” Jenna rolled her eyes. “The guy’s about a hundred years old, seriously. Francois from Seekonk.”
“Did Nicolette spend the night here on Friday?”
“No. She was here Friday morning, early. She left for the lab around six-thirty, just after I got up. It takes about fifteen minutes to walk to the BU bio department. She probably stopped for coffee on the way.”
“And once she got to the lab?”
“Nicolette ran her rats at seven o’clock every morning, Monday through Friday.”
“That’s awfully early, isn’t it? To run experiments?”
“No shit.”
“Did you ever go to the lab with her?”
“God, no. I hate research. Rats give me the creeps.”
“Did you see Nicolette again on Friday, after she left the apartment?”
“Yeah, she had office hours. One to two-thirty. I didn’t talk to her, but I could hear her arguing with Horace in her office. That’s Professor Horace Fisk, she worked in his lab. Don’t know what they were arguing about. Nicolette’s door was shut.”
“Was Nicolette seeing anyone besides Templeton?”
“I don’t think so. But just so you know,” Jenna’s voice lowered, “Ellery was her boyfriend, but Nicolette played guys on a regular basis. I mean, she used what she had, to get stuff from men. You know the type.”
Indeed, Sky knew the type quite well. “Can you give me an
Jenna slipped into girl-talk mode. “Nicolette was so much fun at first. We went to all the clubs, dancing at The Estate, Umbria, Royale. First we’d go to Forever 21 or H&M, get something wild to wear. I love all the trendy trash. That seventies revival stuff? No spank you!” She gave a dismissive sniff. “We found some funky sheath dresses at the Garment District in Cambridge a couple of months ago. Dollar a pound! We did some serious shopping.”
Jenna cast a doubtful eye at Sky’s jeans and sweater. “Nicolette may have been from L.A., but she shopped like a New Yorker, I’ll give her that. When she had money, that is.” Jenna scratched her head with the remote.
“Wasn’t until she moved in that I found out about Nicolette’s money problems. Her research fellowships paid, but not enough for the Bean. No help from her mom. Her dad wasn’t even in the picture.” Jenna gave Sky a sidelong look. “Serious issues there. I think she was living on credit cards.”
“Nicolette thought it was okay to stiff me on the rent because we were so-called friends.” Jenna’s thin lips formed a disapproving pout. “Truth is, she knew my folks would cover me if I came up short at the end of the month.”
“Do you know where Nicolette might have gone last Saturday? Who she was with?”
“I know she got her hair done at Duquette’s in Newton Centre. Manicure, too. She made a big deal out of showing me her nails, said she had them match the polish to her hair color. First time ever.”
“First manicure ever?”
“God, no. Nicolette spent a small fortune on her hair and nails. Saturday was the first time I ever saw her with red nail polish, though. She usually went with a French manicure, said it lasted longer. Lab work and all.” Jenna’s nails were bitten to the quick. She caught Sky looking at them and curled her fingers into her palms.
“Was Nicolette a natural redhead?”
“Yeah, but she was always getting highlights. She’s been going to the same hair guy since she came to the Bean. His name is Francois, owns that whole chain of Duquette salons.” Jenna rolled her eyes. “The guy’s about a hundred years old, seriously. Francois from Seekonk.”
“Did Nicolette spend the night here on Friday?”
“No. She was here Friday morning, early. She left for the lab around six-thirty, just after I got up. It takes about fifteen minutes to walk to the BU bio department. She probably stopped for coffee on the way.”
“And once she got to the lab?”
“Nicolette ran her rats at seven o’clock every morning, Monday through Friday.”
“That’s awfully early, isn’t it? To run experiments?”
“No shit.”
“Did you ever go to the lab with her?”
“God, no. I hate research. Rats give me the creeps.”
“Did you see Nicolette again on Friday, after she left the apartment?”
“Yeah, she had office hours. One to two-thirty. I didn’t talk to her, but I could hear her arguing with Horace in her office. That’s Professor Horace Fisk, she worked in his lab. Don’t know what they were arguing about. Nicolette’s door was shut.”
“Was Nicolette seeing anyone besides Templeton?”
“I don’t think so. But just so you know,” Jenna’s voice lowered, “Ellery was her boyfriend, but Nicolette played guys on a regular basis. I mean, she used what she had, to get stuff from men. You know the type.”
Indeed, Sky knew the type quite well. “Can you give me an
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