Page 12 of Merrick

“We have loads of ambiance at Bert’s and not to mention The Saddle Tramp.” She said referring to one of their usual haunts.

Shaking her head, she went back to her reading, her gaze sharpening as she reached the part about his family. A younger brother, Maurice Pendergast. They had similar coloring, but the brother looked like a pale carbon copy.

Similar gray eyes, but the older brother’s had an intensity to them that was unmistakable. And Merrick was several inches taller and more leanly built and certainly more attractive.

“Hmm, Interesting.” She murmured as she stared at the two men. The photo had been snapped at some movie premiere the company had sponsored. Maurice was all smiles, but Merrick had a sober look about him that clearly showed that he had not enjoyed having his pic taken.

And the reporter harped long and detailed on the fact that it was Merrick’s company, and his brother was just along for the ride. It was Merrick this or Merrick that. Maurice was just a footnote. That would not sit well with the brother. Maurice Pendergast was definitely in his brother’s shadow.

She read that the younger brother was married with two grown male children. Jason was twenty-eight and Michael was twenty-six. The two young Pendergasts had inherited the family coloring- dark hair and gray eyes as well as the lofty height. And they were also working at the company.

It was interesting to know that Jason Pendergast had a ‘sealed record’ and had gotten into some scrapes along the way. DUI, driving without a license, drunk and disorderly, while the brother was squeaky clean. He had gotten off with a slap on the wrist because of his family’s money and that pissed her right off.

No doubt they had judges and several law enforcement officials in their pockets. She strongly believed that if you do the crime, you should serve the time.

Allowing a person to get off with a hand slap was usually a big mistake. She had seen too many rich and entitled kids go down a destructive path because they were never forced to pay for their mistakes.

Shaking her head in disgust, she shoved her laptop back and took a sip of her wine. She was going to have to lay out herstrategy to the commander and it was going to have to be a foolproof one.

Medtech had a slew of very expensive lawyers on retainer, and she certainly did not want to slip up and have them suing the entire goddamn city. She was going to have to come up with an ironclad plan.

Finishing her wine, she pushed back from the desk and walked to the window to stare out at the encroaching darkness. A few miserly stars had come out and the sliver of moon was a pale shimmer piercing the clouds, barely. The beginning of the fall season had started with rain, relieving the unending summer months and the cloying heat.

This was going to be her last undercover sting, and it had to count. She was going up against a giant and felt like bloody David in the Bible. But David had won in the end, hadn’t he? Ignoring the frisson of fear making itself known, she turned away from the window. It had to be done, and she was not going to allow fear to get inside her.

People were dying and rich company or not, if the investigation proves that the drugs were coming from their house, they were going down. And that’s that.

*****

“What have we got?”

“Overdose on what seems like the new strain of drugs.”

“How many fatalities?”

“Two so far. Others on their way to the ER to be pumped.”

“How old?” She snapped it out quickly, even though she already had an idea.”

“Male Vic- twenty and the female nineteen. The sweepers are already here.”

“I’m going to need a minute.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Brad fell into step next to her as they walked into the almost empty club.

“I’m a cop.” She slid him a flat eyed look that warned him that she was already in the ‘cop mode’ and would not welcome an editorial. “And when the call came through, I hustled.”

“You are on vacation- “He held up a hand as her gaze sizzled. “Not my call.”

“Good, we have a crime scene to tend to.” Sealing up, she hunkered down where the two victims were lying side by side. “Same symptoms as the others, frothing at the mouth, bodily excretions and sores around the lips.” She frowned at that new addition.

“What the hell?”

“Something new.” Brad confirmed, checking with his own device. “It’s safe to assume that the drugs are stronger.”

“And therefore, more lethal.” She agreed. The girl was a beauty, with thick blonde hair and bottle green eyes that death had leached of life. The guy was tall and muscular, probably a jock. Even in death, there was a smile on his lips.

Lifting her head, she looked around the fancy club and it was fancy. With gold and white wallpaper, padded stools and the wide sweep of the bar. A quick glance at the labels showed pricey liquors.

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