Glass Towers, Shattered (Glass Towers Trilogy) by Adler, Holt

also wondering if you have made any progress in finding out who bankrolled the jerk who broke into my place the first time?”
    He perks up. “Well I am afraid we have not made a lot of progress. It seems we have more questions than answers at this point, but now that you mention it, I would like you to come down to my office to go over the pictures again. I have some questions about the dates you provided.”
    “Oh , ok. I didn’t realize the dates were a problem. Can I come down next week?”
    He d oesn’t seem to be listening to me. “Detective?”
    “Oh yes, sure , let’s see, can you come down Monday?”
    “It is going to be tough for me to get to the station before Wednesday afternoon. Will Wednesday work?”
    “Well , it’s later than I was thinking, but that should be fine. I have tonight’s visit to add to my already overworked staff anyway.”
    I open the door and the detective passes through to the hallway. “I’ll see you next week, and if you think of anything, do you still have my card? I’d like you to contact me directly, if you don’t mind.” He gives me a knowing look and hands me a card. I nod, while mumbling thanks.
    I shut the door behind him and look back to Clarke , who is leaning against the wall, with her eyes shut.
    Her eyes pop open. “Okay, let’s blow this joint!”
    She grabs my two large suitcases and loads each of them with the two smaller versions. I grab my purse, laptop bag, and overnight bag and put them on my left and right shoulders. I shove the two stacked boxes out the open door with my foot. I lock the place up, pick up my boxes, and the two of us make our way down to the parking garage. Once we get things loaded, Clarke hops in the car with me. We go around the corner to where her car is parked. I pull up right beside her car, and on the windshield, under the wiper blade, is a single red carnation. My heart skips several beats, as it makes its way quickly into my throat. I turn to her to see if she noticed the same thing. She turns her head to me and blurts, ”Oh shit!”
    She hops out of the car and heads to her driver side windshield. I hop out too and yell “Stop, don’t touch it!” She whirls around to look at me with a questioning arch of her brow.  As her mouth opens to say something, I holler “Evidence!” I reach back in my car to grab my phone off the console.
    “Ahh, got it” She mumbles as she backs away from her car, hands held in the air.
    I take a couple pictures with my phone. I watch as she removes the stinky carnation and hurls it to the back seat. We both climb in our separate cars, and I allow her to pull out in front of me, so I can follow her. Although there was no one else on the road, to speak of, I had a creepy sense that we were being followed. At the next stoplight, I text her to take the scenic route, just in case. I look down at my phone, propped in the cup holder and see that she text back “ok”.
    As we were leaving my building , I saw two missed calls from Harrison, so I had texted him quickly from the elevator. I will call him once we get to Simone’s. It is shaping up to be another sleepless night. I look forward to this weekend in anticipation of getting some sleep. I doubt I will be interested in much else.
    After taking the freeway instead of the surface streets , which would have actually been a more direct route, we arrived at Clarke’s. Satisfied that we weren’t followed, we unload my car, and she allows me to park my car in her garage, leaving her car in the driveway.
    Once I deposit all of my luggage and boxes into the guest room , I join her in the kitchen. I look around and see that she literally left everything and ran to my side. “Oh Clarke, I am so sorry to disrupt your romantic evening.” As I survey the room, I see extinguished candles everywhere, an open bottle of wine, glasses, and dirty dinner plates still on the table. A huge wave of guilt overcomes me.
    She giggles , as she shrugs her shoulders,