Page 31 of Bears Behaving Badly
“Precisely my point! It’s ridiculous that you’ve got the face of a college cheerleader and the hair of a bingo player on a seniors’ cruise. You could easily cover those grays.”
“They’re not gray,” David snapped. “They’re white. And she shouldn’t change a strand.”
Nadia sniffed. “It’s so very odd to me that you think white is somehow better.”
“Both of you, hush,” Annette ordered. “There are any number of things going on here, and almost all of them are more important than my hair.” As if making her point, the elevator doors whooshed open. “Now come on, both of you. And no squabbling, or I’ll turn this crime scene around and go home.”
The door to 4E was blocked with yellow crime-scene tape, indicating that processing was finished, but more troubling, the hallway was deserted and quiet. Nadia leaned in for a closer look. “The tape hasn’t been cut. So they sealed it after they left.”
“I would’ve thought there’d be someone on the door at least,” David said. “Even if they finished processing the scene. And now that I think of it, I didn’t notice any cop cars outside. No one’s doing door-to-door ‘did you see or hear anything’ interviews? No one’s come back for another walk-through?”
“Maybe they’re waiting on autopsy results?” But even as Annette said it, it seemed unlikely. And before she could speculate further, their phones buzzed in unison, and there was a brief silence as they all read the incoming text, which was flagged ‘Pay attention to this.’ “Did either of you just now receive a ‘permission rescinded, do not enter crime scene’ notice, or did you get updates for your Pinterest board instead?”
“Both,” Nadia said. “And I can’t wait to click and find out what eyeshadow trends we can expect this fall. But this other thing is perplexing.”
“I realize I’ve said this more than once this week—”
“If you’re gonna say what I think you’re gonna say, it bears repeating.”
“—but what the hell is going on?” Annette cried. “Can’t we go a single hour without something mysterious or puzzling or senseless happening and disrupting everythingagain? It’s starting to feel like David and I have been working this for months!”
“Ouch,” Nadia said, shooting David a sympathetic glance.
“I don’t even work for your agency,” David said. “I’m an independent contractor.”
“Yes, yes,” Nadia said impatiently. “It’s why youwillinsist on refusing to come to the holiday party.”
“No, I wouldn’t go to those even if I did work there. I don’t…but I’ve got your boss telling me to bolt.”
They looked at each other, and Annette reread her text in case it had somehow changed in the last five seconds. Then she cleared her throat. “I’m not advocating that we should break any laws—”
“I am,” David said. “This is bullshit.” He ran a hand through his mop and looked as baffled as Annette felt. “Somebody doesn’t want us to find out a goddamned thing about Lund or Caro, and I can’t tell you how much that pisses me off.”
“Have they never watched an American crime show?” Nadia wondered. “This is the exact tactic that makes the hero and/or heroine, heretofore a stickler for regulations, decide to disobey orders and go rogue and search for the truth no matter what.”
“I wouldn’t try this door,” Annette said, rapping it with a knuckle. “Breaking it down—”
“Will ruin my manicure. Unlikely.”
“—is messy and immediately noticeable, and we’d end up leaving a crime scene that is technically under active investigation vulnerable to anyone who wanted to walk in. Not to mention, if the door was relatively whole and still on its hinges when we were done, we’d have to put down new tape or, again, leave it vulnerable. Assuming we could get our hands on new tape.”
“I literally have a trunk full of crime-scene tape,” David announced.
“You’re lying! It’s full of red Jolly Ranchers.”
“Andtape,” he insisted.
“Oh. Guess I didn’t notice what with the waterfall of candy that cascaded all over my feet.”
Nadia was gaping and making no effort to hide it. “What have you two been doing?”
“However,” Annette continued, “I’ll bet the sliding door to his balcony is a viable option.”
Nadia saw they were both looking at her and beamed. “I won’t lie, darlings. I’m flattered to be asked.”
Chapter 12
Four minutes later, an elegant red kite landed on the railing of Lund’s fourth-story balcony. The raptor, a sleek and efficient hunter, had a six-foot wingspan, a dark, reddish-brown body, and black feathers with white wing tips.
