“Her BAC was 0.18 and we found traces of cocaine in her nose and in the blood work.”
Sam let out a low whistle. “So much for rehab.”
“We also found signs of recent sexual activity.”
“DNA?”
“Running it now.”
“Do you suspect rape?”
“There was no trauma, so it’s possible it was consensual.”
“I really want to know where our girl was yesterday. Thanks, Lindsey. Let me know when the DNA is in.”
“Will do.”
Sam hung up with Lindsey and called Archie. “Where are we with the dump on the phone Cruz brought in this morning?”
“Smartphones take about eight hours, which of course you know.”
“I need text data as soon as you have it. I’m trying to figure out where my vic spent her final hours.”
“Will get it to you as soon as I have it.”
“Thanks, Archie.”
“While I have you, I need to schedule a time to get your squad trained on the new tablet system we’ll be implementing this month.”
“What tablet system?”
“Do you read your email, Sam?” he asked with a laugh.
The men in her life were amusing themselves at her expense today. “Occasionally.”
“I sent an email weeks ago to all the squad commanders asking them to schedule their training. I just noticed that you haven’t scheduled yours yet.”
“We don’t need tablets. We’re good with what we’ve got.”
“It’s mandatory, Sam. We all have to do it.”
“Why are we being forced to take on something new that we don’t need?”
“You’re going to love it once you get used to it.”
“No, I won’t. I still have a flip phone, and I like it that way.”
“Ouch,” Archie said with an audible wince. “Take it up with the brass. Until then, email me a couple of dates to get with your squad. I need about four hours.”
“Four
hours
?”
“Gotta go. I’m watching your security film.”
“Fine.”
“Email the times. By tomorrow.”
Sighing, Sam closed her phone and juggled it between her hands. “Did you know they’re making us use tablets in the field now?”
“I can’t wait. We’ll be able to file reports from anywhere, access the system from anywhere, run prints. It’s going to be awesome.”
An absolutely brilliant idea occurred to Sam. People were always telling her to delegate. Normally, she’d push this dreaded task off on Gonzo as her second in command, but since he was out of commission, Freddie was the next best thing. “I’m putting you in charge of working with Archie to get our squad trained on the stupid things.”
He blanched. “Does that mean I have to deal with getting
you
trained too?”
She graced him with her most charming smile. “Yep. Not that I expect to ever use it since my partner is so
excited
about it.”
“Oh my God.”
“Freddie! The Lord’s name! How dare you?”
“You drive me to it.”
“You’ll get with Archie by tomorrow to set it up. Yes?”
“Yes,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Excellent.”
Chapter Eight
Sam called Jeannie McBride. “Where are we with Rex Connolly?”
“There were several of them in the system. I just tracked down the one you need. He lives in Laurel.”
Sam wrote down the address. “Thanks, Jeannie.” She handed her notebook to Freddie. “Put this in the GPS,” she said, reminding him she still hadn’t bothered to figure out that device either. Why should she when he was around to do everything for her? Sam had learned a long time ago that the more she knew, the more she was expected to do. As technology had overtaken their workplace, their workload had tripled, which was why simpler was better as far as she was concerned.
They left Bowie and drove north to Laurel on the parkway. Rex Connolly lived in a run-down row of townhouses that sat so close to the parkway you could hear the roar of traffic from the parking lot.
“What possesses people to want to live right on top of a major roadway?” Sam asked Freddie.
“All they can afford?”
“I guess.” She rapped on the glass
Sam let out a low whistle. “So much for rehab.”
“We also found signs of recent sexual activity.”
“DNA?”
“Running it now.”
“Do you suspect rape?”
“There was no trauma, so it’s possible it was consensual.”
“I really want to know where our girl was yesterday. Thanks, Lindsey. Let me know when the DNA is in.”
“Will do.”
Sam hung up with Lindsey and called Archie. “Where are we with the dump on the phone Cruz brought in this morning?”
“Smartphones take about eight hours, which of course you know.”
“I need text data as soon as you have it. I’m trying to figure out where my vic spent her final hours.”
“Will get it to you as soon as I have it.”
“Thanks, Archie.”
“While I have you, I need to schedule a time to get your squad trained on the new tablet system we’ll be implementing this month.”
“What tablet system?”
“Do you read your email, Sam?” he asked with a laugh.
The men in her life were amusing themselves at her expense today. “Occasionally.”
“I sent an email weeks ago to all the squad commanders asking them to schedule their training. I just noticed that you haven’t scheduled yours yet.”
“We don’t need tablets. We’re good with what we’ve got.”
“It’s mandatory, Sam. We all have to do it.”
“Why are we being forced to take on something new that we don’t need?”
“You’re going to love it once you get used to it.”
“No, I won’t. I still have a flip phone, and I like it that way.”
“Ouch,” Archie said with an audible wince. “Take it up with the brass. Until then, email me a couple of dates to get with your squad. I need about four hours.”
“Four
hours
?”
“Gotta go. I’m watching your security film.”
“Fine.”
“Email the times. By tomorrow.”
Sighing, Sam closed her phone and juggled it between her hands. “Did you know they’re making us use tablets in the field now?”
“I can’t wait. We’ll be able to file reports from anywhere, access the system from anywhere, run prints. It’s going to be awesome.”
An absolutely brilliant idea occurred to Sam. People were always telling her to delegate. Normally, she’d push this dreaded task off on Gonzo as her second in command, but since he was out of commission, Freddie was the next best thing. “I’m putting you in charge of working with Archie to get our squad trained on the stupid things.”
He blanched. “Does that mean I have to deal with getting
you
trained too?”
She graced him with her most charming smile. “Yep. Not that I expect to ever use it since my partner is so
excited
about it.”
“Oh my God.”
“Freddie! The Lord’s name! How dare you?”
“You drive me to it.”
“You’ll get with Archie by tomorrow to set it up. Yes?”
“Yes,” he said through gritted teeth.
“Excellent.”
Chapter Eight
Sam called Jeannie McBride. “Where are we with Rex Connolly?”
“There were several of them in the system. I just tracked down the one you need. He lives in Laurel.”
Sam wrote down the address. “Thanks, Jeannie.” She handed her notebook to Freddie. “Put this in the GPS,” she said, reminding him she still hadn’t bothered to figure out that device either. Why should she when he was around to do everything for her? Sam had learned a long time ago that the more she knew, the more she was expected to do. As technology had overtaken their workplace, their workload had tripled, which was why simpler was better as far as she was concerned.
They left Bowie and drove north to Laurel on the parkway. Rex Connolly lived in a run-down row of townhouses that sat so close to the parkway you could hear the roar of traffic from the parking lot.
“What possesses people to want to live right on top of a major roadway?” Sam asked Freddie.
“All they can afford?”
“I guess.” She rapped on the glass
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