Beneath the Cracks Read Online Free Page A

anything."

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 3
     
    An unhealthy dose of merlot sloshed in my
belly, jostled by an increasingly nervous stomach.  The first
cars were lining the circle drive in front of my house. 
Yeesh.  Hadn't anybody carpooled to this stupid thing?
    "Hors d'oeuvres are ready, wine is
breathing, dinner under candle warmers in the butler's pantry,
table is set in the dining room.  Music.  We forgot
music!"
    "Calm down."  I pulled the tiny remote
for the compact Bose hi-fi from one pocket and pressed a
button.  Soft music floated through the room.
    "This is so exciting!  I hate it that
the guys from central couldn't make it on such short notice, but
that was a stroke of genius to ask Zack to come too, Helen. 
You really need to get to know him better."
    "And here I thought you were not-so-silently
pulling for Orion."
    "Ha!  Keep your options open.  See
who brings the most flowers," Maya grinned.
    Melodic chimes startled both of
us. 
    Maya started laughing. 
    "Stop it.  I'm not used to the sound
yet.  Go on.  Greet your guests."
    "Oh no you don't.  These people are
here for you ."  She planted one hand on the small of my
back and gave me a shove.  "Your adoring public awaits
you."
    Zack stood with a regal looking woman of
obvious Arabic ancestry at his side.  My mind put her in
eighteenth dynasty Egyptian garb and imagined the female pharaoh
Hatshepsut.  Thinner than the literal incarnation.  There
was something about her that intrigued me.
    He smiled warmly.  "Helen, this is
Lieutenant Shelly Finkelstein from Downey Division.  She tells
me you haven't been introduced yet."
    I extended my hand.  "It's a pleasure
to finally meet you.  Tony has told me so much about you."
    She laughed.  "All of it good, I'm
sure."  An accent spoke of parents whose first language was
not English.  "We should've met long ago, Dr. Eriksson. 
I know that Tony and Crevan both have appreciated your insight into
some of their investigations.  And the fact that you made my
career considerably less stressful is a debt I'm not sure I can
ever repay."
    Of course she meant Lowe.  "Please,
call me Helen.  Won't you come in?  Maya's already here,
probably pouring the wine as we speak."
    Briscoe and Conall weren't far behind. 
They came together, dressed for duty.
    "Are you guys on duty tonight?"
    "Our turn for graveyard," Briscoe
chuckled.  He pulled me in for a hug before I had time to
protest.  "You got any of that killer java brewing?  I
know Maya said this was more the wine tasting sort of gathering,
but we gotta keep our wits about us."
    "I think that can be arranged.  Go on
in and let Maya know that we've got a non-alcoholic contingent to
the guest list."
    Forsythe approached Briscoe from behind with
Steve Smith, his crime scene photographer and Billy Withers from
the morgue.  He smacked the back of Briscoe's head.  "You
on later tonight, old man?"
    I ushered them into the great room and let
Maya play hostess.  Strange.  I could see the camaraderie
between them, knew that they were here because I opened my home,
yet I felt oddly disconnected from them.  An outsider in my
own home.  Maya thrust a glass of wine in my hand and jerked
her head toward the crowd.
    "Get over there."
    "I –" was saved by the chimes.
    Darnell showed up in uniform.  It
would've been comical if I wasn't aware of the fact that the man
was unfamiliar with the concept of down time.  He probably
slept standing, pressed, crisp and ready for a news
conference.  He was alone.
    "Commander Darnell, thank you for
coming."
    He extended a bottle of wine.  "I am
truly happy that you were able to put your life back together so
quickly after what happened, Dr. Eriksson."
    I hooked my arm through his.  "How
about if we make a deal?  When we see one another outside the
law enforcement world, you call me Helen, and I call you…"
    "Of course.  I didn't want to be
presumptuous, Helen.  Please,