Page 19 of In the Line of Ire

"Someonekilled that woman," I said, recalling the awful moment I found her."Over a purse! No purse is worth killing someone over. Not even areally, extra nice purse."

"What ifit were on sale?" asked Delgado.

Iconsidered that for a long moment. "Nope."

"What ifit were the last one in the most perfect color you eversaw?"

I gulped. "Nope," I said becausetechnicallythat was the rightanswer.

"What ifit were a one-of-a-kind from your favorite designerand..."

"You'renot tricking me into saying it's okay to kill someone for a purse!We both know it's not."

Delgadoturned to Solomon. "See how she's skirting the question?" he asked."We both know she would do it."

"I thinkthis is the point where I need to remind you that we've beenrequested to look into the counterfeiting ring, not the murder. MPDare already on that case," said Solomon.

"The twocrimes are likely to cross over," I said.

"Hence,why they need us in there fast," said Solomon. "I still have towork up the paperwork and the quote. Don’t you two have cases toget on with?"

"Nope,"I said.

"I havesome paperwork," said Delgado. "Then I'm doing a debrief with aclient. If you don't need me any longer, I'm going back to mydesk."

"I'lllet you know if we need you for this case. What are your plans forthe rest of the day?" Solomon asked me when Delgadoleft.

"I don'thave any cases."

"So yousaid and I prefer that you remain available until this job isconfirmed."

"Not aproblem." I hesitated. "So, I'm free for the rest of theday?"

"Yes,you are."

"Great!"I beamed. There were a hundred and one things I could do from nowuntil the moment Solomon told me the undercover job started. Icould check the sales websites at all my favorite stores, get amanicure and pedicure, read a cookery book and work out exactlywhich recipes I would never ever cook, check the email my mothersent me with recommendations for monogrammed linens, even though Ireally had no idea if I wanted monogrammed linens. Of course, therewas the other option: finding the person behind that hideous videoof me which was currently clocking up the views online.

Isighed. The online shopping could wait. My mortification couldnot.

"Why thesigh?" asked Solomon.

Islapped on a perky smile. "Nothing! Just thought of some officework I could catch up on."

"Onlineshopping?"

My jawdropped and a gasp of horror spilled out. "I. Am. A. Professional,"I said, rising. With a toss of my hair, I stormed out of theroom.

Behindme, Solomon snorted "Hmmph!"

I smiledand dropped into my desk chair. My laptop was already open so Itapped in the passcode and the screen came to life. I typed in thevideo name and it came up but I didn't press play. Instead Ichecked the view count. Since I had last watched it, it had risenby close to fifty thousand, which was more than a littledepressing. Even worse were the comments. There were over twohundred. I scrolled past numerous "LOLZ", strings of emojis andvarious misogynistic insults, along with some very unpleasantcomments about what some men would like to do to a woman dressedlike a beer. "What is wrong with people?" I asked the screen as Itried not to throw up in my mouth. "Do they talk to their motherslike that?"

"Who?What?" asked Delgado. He spun his chair around and relaxed intoit.

Iclicked the screen closed. "Nothing," I said.

"Youdon't want to do the undercover thing?"

"I'mfine with that."

---