Playing God by Kate Flora

Salernos, and that Pleasant seemed very smitten. She also says that O'Leary videotaped the evening's festivities."
    "Melia's working on that warrant. You want pizza?" Burgess glanced down at the pizza, saw Dr. Lee's shiny scalpel slicing into Pleasant's stomach, and felt his own stomach turn. "Think I'll pass," he said. "Gotta go see some people about a dead doc."

 
     
     
    Chapter 9

     
    He got a fresh radio and shrugged into his coat. Found Perry and Kyle and Alana finishing the pizza. He nodded at Alana, not liking the easy familiarity of the scene, then motioned for his detectives to step away. "I'm going to pick up some stuff from Jen Kelly, see Pleasant's ex-wife, and pay a duty call on Ted Shaw. You guys can finish up with the ladies—ask what they know about Kevin O'Leary. Keep an ear open for anything about Pleasant and drugs. O'Leary and drugs. O'Leary videotaping sex parties. About the mystery blonde, Karen, who was partying with Pleasant and Alana last night. Then see what you find at O'Leary's place. And Stan?"
    Perry cocked his pen and waited.
    "Give Vince the head's up on the drug angle. Alana says word on the street was Pleasant was a source for Oxycontin. You okay with finishing up here, then doing O'Leary's place?"
    Perry nodded. Still eager. "Assuming Vince can find a judge. Hell of a good thing none of us needs sleep, ain't it?"
    Burgess went in the locker room and got out his razor. If the man glaring back from the mirror paused on a street corner, the cops would pick him up as a vagrant. Sighing, he mowed his chin, combed his hair, brushed his teeth, and threw cold water on his face. He looked so much better he considered giving this all up for modeling.
    Jack Kelly answered the door, one hand on the knob, the other holding the baby, barring the doorway until Burgess identified himself. Kelly was a block of a man, not more than 5' 8" and an easy 200 pounds, but the impression he gave was not of fat but of mass. His curly graying hair had receded from his forehead. He had thick, aggressive eyebrows, a wide and friendly face.
    "Have to be careful, detective," he explained. "We've had a lot of people ringing the doorbell today. Jen doesn't need that." He jerked his head toward the living room. "She's in there. Lying down. I'm a little worried about her." He beckoned Burgess into the kitchen. "Sorry. I didn't want her to hear, and Jen's always had ears like a... like a... hell. I don't know. Doesn't miss much, that's all."
    Kelly settled the baby into a plastic seat on the counter, tucking the blankets carefully around it, the infant tiny in Kelly's big hands. "You want a sandwich or something? I was about to have one. We've got tuna or turkey or ham and cheese subs. I brought 'em myself. Jen doesn't eat and Steve, he was so fussy, it had to be all natural, low fat, low cholesterol, absolutely fresh. She spent half her life finding food to please him."
    "Tuna sounds good."
    "Milk? Beer? Coffee? I brought the beer, too." He unwrapped two sandwiches and put them on plates. "Take a load off, detective."
    Burgess was glad to. He'd been at this so long his eyes ached and he was beginning to feel light-headed. He put his coat over the back of the same chair he'd sat in twelve hours ago. Jack Kelly put the sandwich in front of him, along with a cup of coffee he hadn't asked for, and sat down across from him.
    "I'm worried about Jen," he repeated, leaning forward confidentially. "She seems unconcerned. Indifferent. She's always been quiet, but this is something else."
    "Shock," Burgess said. "She was already worn out—pregnancy, the baby, her suspicions about her husband. I don't know how resilient she is but people need time."
    Kelly passed him some papers. "Here's that list you wanted."
    Burgess scanned the sheets, noting the neat, precise handwriting and the careful inclusion of details. Pleasant had carried a lot of credit cards. "Mr. Kelly, tell me about your son-in-law."
    "He wasn't really my