Body Of Truth by Deirdre Savoy Read Free Book Online

something other than impatience. “Let me see her.”
    Jonathan pressed the wall intercom button. “We’re ready.” An instant later the blinds slid open. Amanda Pierce was laid out on a stainless steel table looking much the same as she had in the alley: her body intact but her face broken. He reacted with the same visceral revulsion to violence he always did. Some cops worked at losing that, but the day Jonathan lost it he’d turn in his shield.
    But it was Banks’s reaction that concerned Jonathan now. The other man’s eyes widened and he gasped, “Good God.” He lowered his head and shut his eyes. He gulped in air in a way Jonathan had seen many times before. He had the look of a man fighting nausea. Though the man was an actor by profession, Jonathan doubted the man’s response was a manufactured one.
    After a moment, Banks said, “Wh-who could do that?”
    â€œIs that your sister, Mr. Banks?”
    â€œI don’t know. It could be. She wore her hair like that.”
    â€œDid your sister have a birthmark on her left shoulder?”
    He nodded. “A half moon. It’s her, isn’t it?”
    â€œI believe so.”
    Banks nodded. “I need to make some calls, funeral arrangements. When will her body be released?”
    â€œI’ll have to get back to you. Where will you be staying?”
    â€œI made reservations at the Pierre.”
    â€œI’ll contact you there. We’re going to need to get into your sister’s apartment.”
    Banks shrugged. “I’ve never been there.” He gave them an address on Central Park West. “Please keep me informed on your progress.”
    Jonathan pulled one of his cards from his pocket. “If you can think of anything else that might be helpful, please call.” He nodded to the uniforms that had followed them in. “The officers will take you to your hotel.”
    Banks looked at the card then stuck it in his pocket. “Thank you.”
    As the three others walked off, Mari turned to him. “Just when I had the guy pegged as a complete asshole.”
    Jonathan snorted. “Sorry he disappointed you.”
    â€œYou don’t like him for this, do you?”
    â€œNot particularly. I’ve got the LAPD checking out his whereabouts for the last two days.”
    â€œEven if he was there, that doesn’t mean he couldn’t have paid someone to take her out.”
    â€œTrue, but so far, where’s the motive? The guy doesn’t appear to be hurting financially and from what he said, they were content to ignore each other.” Which didn’t mean he wouldn’t check out every word Banks had said, he just didn’t think he’d find anything going in that direction.
    â€œThat’s what he said . . .”
    â€œTrue.” Yeah, and if Banks had lied to them he wouldn’t be the first or last person to do so. “Why do you like him so much?”
    â€œI don’t, actually. It would be nice and neat, though. Brother and sister don’t get along. One whacks the other. End of story. Let the press feed on that.”
    Instead of on them. Once the press had a name to go with the body found in back of Mario’s, the fun would really begin.
    Bill Horgan appeared at the window, beckoning them inside.
    Stepping through the door to the right of the window, Mari said, “What brings you in on a Sunday?”
    â€œWord came down from on high to put a rush on this, so I got called in.”
    That news didn’t entirely surprise Jonathan. “By who?”
    â€œDon’t know. I am but a cog in the great machine.” He reached for a clipboard on the counter beside him. “Let’s get the preliminaries out of the way. The rape kit was negative for fluids, fibers or hairs. My guess is Ms. Pierce hadn’t seen any action in a long time. The tox screen came back, too. It’s negative for any of the kinds of those fun