suite
that covered the top floor. The entire floor had been gutted and
redone with an open floor plan and raw brick, much like the factory
lofts so popular in many cities. The place looked like an art
gallery, with paintings and sculptures everywhere. Raja loved
surrealistic art, and several of the pieces were expensive Matisse
and Dali originals. Vinny sat in front of a large glass screen
featuring the latest tech in computing interfaces. There was a
keyboard, but most of the action could be controlled directly through
the touch screen. Vinny looked like a symphony conductor.
“You having fun?” asked Raja.
“Of course. But you do know I don’t need
all this equipment. Not with my cloud computing program.”
“Yes, you explained that to me. Virtual
computing, right?”
“Basically. It’s the reason I can do so
much with so little on the fly.”
“I just thought you might like the new toys I
had installed.”
“I appreciate the effort. It is great stuff,
thanks,” she added, after noticing Raja’s disappointment.
Raja smiled. “We found enough evidence to call
the girl’s death a murder, as well. So, Detective Rafferty is
now fully on board.”
Raja called Clarice Hope to tell her the news.
“Clarice. Raja Williams. Thought you would like to know. You
were right. Randy was murdered. We found some sort of poison.”
“I knew it.”
“I know it’s no consolation for your
loss, but I am going to find out who did it and why. For now, I’d
like you to stay at your ranch in Santa Barbara until I know more.
You settled in okay?”
“I’m doing more horseback riding at the
ranch than I have in years. I feel good, other than the sore ass I’ve
got. I feel like I’ve been dating the USC football team.”
“I won’t ask how you know what that
feels like.”
“It’s a figure of speech, Mr. Williams.
The riding keeps me occupied, at least.”
“Good girl. Just lie low for now. Call me if
you need anything.”
“I will. Do me a favor. Be careful.”
“Thanks.” He thought about her words.
Being careful was not something Raja often considered. He made a
career out of taking chances. Being smart, on the other hand, was a
firm policy. And right now the smart thing for him to do was get some
rest. “I’m going to get some sleep, Vinny. Wake me at
seven, okay?”
“As you wish.”
Raja didn’t bother to tell Vinny to get some
rest. Vinny had the rare ability to get by on less than three hours
of sleep a night. Raja knew she would work late and still be up at
dawn ready to go, looking better than he did with a full night’s
rest. She was an amazing and sometimes challenging person to work
with.
Raja slept soundly and woke up at nine, feeling
refreshed and ready to go. He pulled on a pair of jeans, a polo shirt
and his favorite Rockport loafers. He found Vinny at the computer.
“Why didn’t you wake me when I asked?”
“You were still sleeping.”
“That is understood in the phrase ‘wake
me up’ don’t you think?”
“No doubt. But, you looked tired.”
Vinny’s straightforward logic could be
exasperating. But she never equivocated, and that Raja loved about
her. “I suppose I was. Now I’m hungry. Is that sausage I
smell?”
“And eggs. They should still be warm.”
She pointed to a plate on the counter.
Raja didn’t care and wolfed down every bit. He
thought about Randy Hope and Jennifer Gowan. Two lives he could not
save. Never regret yesterday. Life is in you today. He had to move
forward. He studied the computer screen while Vinny collected and
organized information on the case.
At ten Raja got a phone call.
“Mr. Williams?”
“Yes.”
“It’s Ramona Griggsby. I thought of
something you might want to know. Something I told Randy about a
phone call I overheard. The judge was on the phone in the library. He
started yelling at someone. I don’t think he realized the door
was open. I couldn’t hear everything, but I heard enough.”
Raja listened intently until
that covered the top floor. The entire floor had been gutted and
redone with an open floor plan and raw brick, much like the factory
lofts so popular in many cities. The place looked like an art
gallery, with paintings and sculptures everywhere. Raja loved
surrealistic art, and several of the pieces were expensive Matisse
and Dali originals. Vinny sat in front of a large glass screen
featuring the latest tech in computing interfaces. There was a
keyboard, but most of the action could be controlled directly through
the touch screen. Vinny looked like a symphony conductor.
“You having fun?” asked Raja.
“Of course. But you do know I don’t need
all this equipment. Not with my cloud computing program.”
“Yes, you explained that to me. Virtual
computing, right?”
“Basically. It’s the reason I can do so
much with so little on the fly.”
“I just thought you might like the new toys I
had installed.”
“I appreciate the effort. It is great stuff,
thanks,” she added, after noticing Raja’s disappointment.
Raja smiled. “We found enough evidence to call
the girl’s death a murder, as well. So, Detective Rafferty is
now fully on board.”
Raja called Clarice Hope to tell her the news.
“Clarice. Raja Williams. Thought you would like to know. You
were right. Randy was murdered. We found some sort of poison.”
“I knew it.”
“I know it’s no consolation for your
loss, but I am going to find out who did it and why. For now, I’d
like you to stay at your ranch in Santa Barbara until I know more.
You settled in okay?”
“I’m doing more horseback riding at the
ranch than I have in years. I feel good, other than the sore ass I’ve
got. I feel like I’ve been dating the USC football team.”
“I won’t ask how you know what that
feels like.”
“It’s a figure of speech, Mr. Williams.
The riding keeps me occupied, at least.”
“Good girl. Just lie low for now. Call me if
you need anything.”
“I will. Do me a favor. Be careful.”
“Thanks.” He thought about her words.
Being careful was not something Raja often considered. He made a
career out of taking chances. Being smart, on the other hand, was a
firm policy. And right now the smart thing for him to do was get some
rest. “I’m going to get some sleep, Vinny. Wake me at
seven, okay?”
“As you wish.”
Raja didn’t bother to tell Vinny to get some
rest. Vinny had the rare ability to get by on less than three hours
of sleep a night. Raja knew she would work late and still be up at
dawn ready to go, looking better than he did with a full night’s
rest. She was an amazing and sometimes challenging person to work
with.
Raja slept soundly and woke up at nine, feeling
refreshed and ready to go. He pulled on a pair of jeans, a polo shirt
and his favorite Rockport loafers. He found Vinny at the computer.
“Why didn’t you wake me when I asked?”
“You were still sleeping.”
“That is understood in the phrase ‘wake
me up’ don’t you think?”
“No doubt. But, you looked tired.”
Vinny’s straightforward logic could be
exasperating. But she never equivocated, and that Raja loved about
her. “I suppose I was. Now I’m hungry. Is that sausage I
smell?”
“And eggs. They should still be warm.”
She pointed to a plate on the counter.
Raja didn’t care and wolfed down every bit. He
thought about Randy Hope and Jennifer Gowan. Two lives he could not
save. Never regret yesterday. Life is in you today. He had to move
forward. He studied the computer screen while Vinny collected and
organized information on the case.
At ten Raja got a phone call.
“Mr. Williams?”
“Yes.”
“It’s Ramona Griggsby. I thought of
something you might want to know. Something I told Randy about a
phone call I overheard. The judge was on the phone in the library. He
started yelling at someone. I don’t think he realized the door
was open. I couldn’t hear everything, but I heard enough.”
Raja listened intently until
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