Page 7 of The Last Close Call

“Congratulations on the promotion.”

She laughed. “That was three years ago.”

“Still.”

He took her point, though. He should have reached out to her long before now. They’d gotten their start together with Austin PD and even dated for a while. But the romance had fizzled, and a year later she moved to San Antonio, where she’d climbed swiftly up the ranks with SAPD. Heidi was ambitious and smart, and Jack hadn’t been surprised when he heard she’d been promoted to homicide.

She sighed heavily, and he noticed the faint wrinkles around her eyes that hadn’t been there the last time he saw her. He knew he had some, too.

“What gives, Jack?” She checked her watch. “I’ve got CSIs all over my crime scene, and I’d like to at least get a glimpse of what they’re scooping up before it gets shipped off to the lab.”

“Tell me about your victim,” he said.

“Why?”

“I heard she was strangled.”

Her gaze narrowed. “Where the hell did you get that?”

“Grapevine.”

She muttered a curse and looked over her shoulder. Then she turned back to him. “Cause of death is undetermined, obviously.”

“Sexual assault?”

Her lip twitched. “Undetermined.”

“Was she home alone?”

She sighed again. “Cut the crap, Jack. Why did you drive all the way down here in this rain?”

He’d always liked how she didn’t waste time.

“I’m investigating a string of sexual assaults,” he said. “There’s a choking element, and I’m wondering if it’s related.”

She frowned. “I hate to tell you, but we get sadistic assholes down here, same as y’all do up in Austin.”

“This one’s different.”

“And what makes you think they’re connected?”

“I’m hoping they’re not.”

Her attention shifted to something behind him, and her expression changed. “My lieutenant’s here. I need to go.” She looked at him. “Call me tomorrow. I’ll share what I can.”

Which might be nothing. Or she might ignore his call.

She moved to leave.

“Wait. Just tell me one thing.”

“I need to go, Jack.”

“Anything odd with the lamp?”

“The lamp?” She frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Maybe a towel or a blanket thrown over it?”

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