Hollywood Lust Read Online Free Page A

large flat screen TV embedded in the glass tabletop that displayed graphics with virtual mock-ups of the crime scenes we worked. A row of smaller flat screen monitors encircled the walls of the office, along with equipment that was linked with local, state, and federal databases.
    Our unit consisted of three teams of detectives. Woody Horton and Harry Braden made up one team. They were both easygoing and hardworking. I respected their dedication to a job that was never easy.
    I’d recently been told that Darby Hall and Mel Peters had been assigned to the unit. I only knew the detectives, who had previously worked out of the Rampart Division, by reputation. I’d heard that Darby was a tough cop who had paid his dues, but had a cynical streak. Mel, or Melvina, was said to be in her thirties with the ambition to someday be a part of LAPD’s command staff—never a good thing, in my opinion. My retired partner, Charlie Winkler, knew Mel and once described her as a rung humper, someone who didn’t mind using her sex to jump a rung or two on the promotional ladder.
    When I arrived, I saw that my temporary new partner Alex Hardy was already seated at the table in the bat cave across from Selfie and Molly. Hardy’s former partner, Christine Belmont, had been killed in a shootout during the last case we’d worked together. The lieutenant had promised that my partnership with Alex would only last until he could arrange a new partner for me, and find someone desperate enough to work with Alex. I’d previously been partnered with Pearl Kramer, a semi-retired detective who worked cases part time, but I’d been told he’d recently gone back into retirement.
    I learned that the other teams were working their own cases this morning, which only left me with the Alex problem. The big cop wasted no time irritating me.
    “You up to this?” Alex asked me.
    My new partner was a big marshmallow who was in his forties, with a bushy mustache and no sense of humor. I’d had some past issues with the arrogant detective and he hadn’t taken it well when I called him out on his bad behavior.
    I met his murky eyes as I settled in at the table. “What do you mean?”
    “The work. After what happened, I thought you might be looking for another line of work.”
    I drew in a breath, released it slowly, and locked eyes with him. “It’s history. I’m ready to roll.”
    A big smile found his mushy face. “What I meant is that I thought maybe you were ready to start a more glamorous career.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “Everyone saw your performance as a Hollywood madam on that TV show. It looked like you were a natural for the part.”
    His reference was to the bet I’d lost with my friends when I’d been forced to be in an episode of their TV show and portray a madam. It had been one of the most embarrassing nights of my life.
    Selfie and Molly also made comments about seeing the show. There was little I could do to defend myself so I simply said, “I think my acting career is history.”
    Alex made a scoffing sound but otherwise didn’t respond. I knew it was just a matter of time before we got into it again and it wouldn’t be pretty.
    Bernie wandered off to a corner as our lieutenant got down to business. Oz was pushing sixty, with snow white hair and piercing blue eyes. He had almost forty years on the job and was one of the good guys in a department that too often neglected those who did the heavy lifting in a sometimes thankless job. After officially welcoming me back, he told us about our new case.
    “A girl was murdered in MacArthur Park the night before last. It’s now our case.” Oz turned to Selfie and Molly. “I’ll let you two use your toys to get them up to speed.”
    I knew MacArthur Park by reputation. It was in the Westlake District of Los Angeles, named after the World War II general. The park had been the scene of lots of crime and gang activity over the years. There had been some attempts to