The Bloody Mary Diet: The Detective Adele Series Book 1 by Caroline Stuchlik

and I turn just in time to see Prof. Roberts start to fall. I lower him to the pavement as best I can but I know he is gone. His eyes are blank.
    I push the button on my radio, identify myself and ask for back up. Address, civilian down, witnessed arrest, starting compressions. I drop my radio and begin CPR. I know it is too late. I know he is gone. It wasn’t his heart that killed him but it is no longer beating. So thirty compressions and two breaths for what seems like forever. I know who will come first. I can hear the Alfa Romeo over the sirens.
    From the time I place the call to the time the medics are on scene is four minutes but only because they have to get by the fire equipment that is at the house.  My call came in second. It is a very long four minutes.
    That bitch killed him. I felt her do it and if I wasn’t more powerful then she is she would have killed me too.  She reached in and crushed his heart and then she turned on me. I shoved her back hard just seconds before the car pulled away. She was in that car. Her anchor was in that car. I know it but you can’t charge a ghost with murder so I am going to have to find her before she kills and dumps this one. Trevor is here. I show him what I saw in my mind and we move together toward the burning house. 
    The roof is engaged on one corner but the fire seems to be burning itself out. The smoke is almost gone. By the time we get to the drive Trevor has called Michael s for back up and asked for forensics as well. I know better than to argue when he gets that look. In addition to being crazy violent Michaels is smart and fair. He won’t fuck you up unless you deserve it but if you deserve it you will be properly fucked. Count on it.  I have no idea how old he is or how he knows Trevor but every time I have ever had real trouble they both have showed up at about the same time in separate vehicles without any call from me. I don’t know what the link is, just that there is a link. He is also the hottest guy in the city next to my husband.
    Michael is the fastest driver on earth anyway and we only have a minute to talk. Trevor points at the driveway. It is at the opposite end of the house from the fire and it leads to the backyard gate. A muddy shovel leans against the garage door and muddy foot prints go in and out and down the drive. It has been raining all day. These are new.  I take out my phone and start taking pictures. The drive, the shovel, the open gate.
    Michael shows up with the bugs and worms guys and we all go into the backyard together. I am the only witch but you would have to be in a coma to not feel the evil coming from this place.  She was here and in some way still is.  There is a hole by the far fence. A hole about the size of a shallow grave. One of the forensics guys holds up a muddy women’s shoe. We tape off the backyard and declare it a crime scene.
    We all head back to the station to wait for the forensic reports. I need to call around and find out what the official cause of death was for Gretchen McNeil. I am starting to feel like this might be even worse than I had initially thought. If Christine Vail was the real vic 1 then Gretchen McNeil might have been the real vic 2. If I can tie Christine Vail to Gretchen McNeil then we have two fifteen year old cold case murders as opposed to one and Prof. McNeil knew about it this whole time. I wonder if Creepy Carl would have the records. I don’t know how long they keep these things on sight.
    I need to make one call before I head to the evidence room. Yesterday, I can’t believe it was just yesterday, Trevor had managed to get an old phone number from the roommate. It had belonged to her parents and it was 15 years old so it is a long shot but I decide to try. A woman picks up on the third ring. My number comes in on caller ID as San Fran PD and I always identify myself as a police officer. She responds in a much put out tone, “And how can I help you.”
    “I have some questions