Studios with him at one time. If that was the case, there just might be a photograph of our killer hanging on the wall of the studio.
NINE
I got a decent night’s sleep for a change and got to the station on time. My spirits sank when I saw that my new partner had settled into the desk across from mine. The work station had been vacant since my former partner Ted Grady had committed suicide. I preferred the solitude, and finding Alex Hardy at the desk of one of the best detectives I’d ever worked with irritated the hell out of me.
“So how did things go with the vic’s mother?” Alex asked me after I’d settled in and said hello.
“We didn’t get much that was new, other than learning her daughter was suffering from anorexia. She also said that Carla might have been attracted to other women, but she wasn’t sure. I think our victim was pretty much of a recluse because of her disease.”
My partner levelled his dark eyes on me. “I knew it would be a waste of time. You need to follow my lead on this investigation and stay away from the beast.”
I turned, seeing that our new partner was in the hallway. I lowered my voice. “His name is Leo and I’ll investigate this case as I see fit.”
Alex glowered at me. “Then I’m going to make an issue of it at this morning’s meeting with the lieutenant.”
My pudgy partner wasted no time in making good on his threat after we all gathered in Oz’s office with Selfie and Molly.
“These cases are already going sideways because of a lack of direction,” Alex said. He motioned to me and Leo. The cold case detective was impeccably dressed in a dark suit and had his ever-present smile. “These two insist on going off on tangents, not working the facts, and not following my lead.”
“Those tangents gave us some additional information on Carla Hodge.” I took a moment and filled Oz in on what we’d learned.
“So the girl was skinny and might have been gay, so what?”
“What the hell do you mean by that? In case you haven’t heard, anorexia is a serious disease.”
“Maybe so, but it has no bearing on our case.”
“It’s a fact that we uncovered, so it’s worth mentioning and following up on, if warranted.”
“Enough,” Oz said, raising his voice loud enough that Bernie raised his head from the corner of the room where he was resting. The lieutenant turned to Leo. “What’s your take on who should have the lead?”
“Reeder has been mine for the past few years…”
Alex cut him off. “You’re nothing but a guest here.”
I broke in, “He’s part of our team, not a guest.”
Leo went on, still smiling. “I’d like to keep Reeder.” His dark eyes swept over to Alex and me. “That said, I don’t see why we can’t all come to a mutual agreement and work these cases together.”
“I’ve got seniority in Section One,” Alex said. “I want the lead.”
Oz thumped the table with his hand, like a judge lowering his gavel. “That’s all. We work these cases together. No one person dictates how we proceed. This is about victims, not egos. We reach a consensus and work Reeder and Hodge just like any other cases. ” His gaze swept over all three of us. “Understood?”
After another feeble protest, Alex gave up and we moved on, Leo and I recapping what we’d learned yesterday. I then mentioned what I’d seen at the Hollywood Movie Museum.
“Bernstein Studios had a tradition of taking a group photo every year with all their employees. Maybe Bruce Reeder had a disagreement with one of the employees he worked with and our suspect is in a photograph with our victim.”
“That’s one hell of a leap,” Alex said. “We’ve got nothing that shows Reeder had a dispute with a coworker.”
“We have nothing that shows nothing. The case has been cold for years.”
“I think it’s worth a shot,” Leo said. “What’s that old song about nothing from nothing leaves nothing? Maybe we’ll get lucky and find a
NINE
I got a decent night’s sleep for a change and got to the station on time. My spirits sank when I saw that my new partner had settled into the desk across from mine. The work station had been vacant since my former partner Ted Grady had committed suicide. I preferred the solitude, and finding Alex Hardy at the desk of one of the best detectives I’d ever worked with irritated the hell out of me.
“So how did things go with the vic’s mother?” Alex asked me after I’d settled in and said hello.
“We didn’t get much that was new, other than learning her daughter was suffering from anorexia. She also said that Carla might have been attracted to other women, but she wasn’t sure. I think our victim was pretty much of a recluse because of her disease.”
My partner levelled his dark eyes on me. “I knew it would be a waste of time. You need to follow my lead on this investigation and stay away from the beast.”
I turned, seeing that our new partner was in the hallway. I lowered my voice. “His name is Leo and I’ll investigate this case as I see fit.”
Alex glowered at me. “Then I’m going to make an issue of it at this morning’s meeting with the lieutenant.”
My pudgy partner wasted no time in making good on his threat after we all gathered in Oz’s office with Selfie and Molly.
“These cases are already going sideways because of a lack of direction,” Alex said. He motioned to me and Leo. The cold case detective was impeccably dressed in a dark suit and had his ever-present smile. “These two insist on going off on tangents, not working the facts, and not following my lead.”
“Those tangents gave us some additional information on Carla Hodge.” I took a moment and filled Oz in on what we’d learned.
“So the girl was skinny and might have been gay, so what?”
“What the hell do you mean by that? In case you haven’t heard, anorexia is a serious disease.”
“Maybe so, but it has no bearing on our case.”
“It’s a fact that we uncovered, so it’s worth mentioning and following up on, if warranted.”
“Enough,” Oz said, raising his voice loud enough that Bernie raised his head from the corner of the room where he was resting. The lieutenant turned to Leo. “What’s your take on who should have the lead?”
“Reeder has been mine for the past few years…”
Alex cut him off. “You’re nothing but a guest here.”
I broke in, “He’s part of our team, not a guest.”
Leo went on, still smiling. “I’d like to keep Reeder.” His dark eyes swept over to Alex and me. “That said, I don’t see why we can’t all come to a mutual agreement and work these cases together.”
“I’ve got seniority in Section One,” Alex said. “I want the lead.”
Oz thumped the table with his hand, like a judge lowering his gavel. “That’s all. We work these cases together. No one person dictates how we proceed. This is about victims, not egos. We reach a consensus and work Reeder and Hodge just like any other cases. ” His gaze swept over all three of us. “Understood?”
After another feeble protest, Alex gave up and we moved on, Leo and I recapping what we’d learned yesterday. I then mentioned what I’d seen at the Hollywood Movie Museum.
“Bernstein Studios had a tradition of taking a group photo every year with all their employees. Maybe Bruce Reeder had a disagreement with one of the employees he worked with and our suspect is in a photograph with our victim.”
“That’s one hell of a leap,” Alex said. “We’ve got nothing that shows Reeder had a dispute with a coworker.”
“We have nothing that shows nothing. The case has been cold for years.”
“I think it’s worth a shot,” Leo said. “What’s that old song about nothing from nothing leaves nothing? Maybe we’ll get lucky and find a
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