Heat Rises Read Online Free PDF

go screen that security tape. Let’s see when he came in there and with whom.”
    “Not to mention, in what condition,” said Raley.
    “Especially that. And pull stills of everyone who came and went before and after, right up to the first responders.” Her marker squeaked “Security Vid” in neat block letters on the whiteboard. When she was done underlining it, she said, “While Raley’s on that, let’s try to find out if our victim had a history in the lifestyle. Ochoa, Rhymer, Gallagher, Hinesburg—you’ll be canvassing the clubs and known Doms, masters, mistresses.”
    “Yes,
sir
.” Hinesburg saluted, but she didn’t get any laughs. The others were already on their feet, heading to work.
    Minutes later, Nikki hung up her phone and called across the bull pen. “Ochoa, change of plan.” She crossed over to his desk, where he was going over a printout of clubs in Manhattan’s infamous Dungeon Alley. “ ECU called in from the rectory. The housekeeper is saying it looks to her like things have been moved around and items are missing. I’ve got the manager of Pleasure Bound and her lawyer waiting for me in Interrogation, so why don’t you head on up there and see what’s what.”
    Hinesburg caught Heat’s eye. “If I ask nicely, any chance I can forgo the kink circuit and handle the rectory?”
    Since Hinesburg seemed to be back-door apologizing for her snarky episode, Nikki weighed the benefit of responding in kind and siphoning off some of the tension. “You have a problem with that, Oach?”
    “Let me see . . . ,” Ochoa held up his palms as if balancing a scale, “. . . church or sex dungeon, church or sex dungeon.” He dropped his arms. “Light a candle for me while you’re there, Sharon.”
    “Thanks for that,” said Hinesburg. “And I apologize I busted you for sounding all bitchy. I didn’t realize you were dealing with . . . ,” she tilted her head conspiratorially at Heat and said, “. . . other issues.” When Nikki gave her a puzzled look, the detective held up the morning edition of the
Ledger
, folded open to “Buzz Rush,” the celebrity gossip section. “You mean you haven’t seen this?”
    Heat’s eyes actually blinked at the picture. Right under a photo of Anderson Cooper at a charity function was a quarter-page candid shot of Rook and a stunning woman coming out of Le Cirque. The caption read, “Happy client? Eligible superstar journalist Jameson Rook and his lit agent Jeanne Callow are all smiles after a swank
tête-à-tête
at Le Cirque last night.”
    Ever the sensitive one, Hinesburg said, “Thought you said Rook was off doing an article on arms dealers.” Nikki heard the words but couldn’t take her eyes off the photograph. “Coldest winter since 1906, and she’s sleeveless. When he said he was going to be chasing guns, betcha didn’t think they’d be like those.”
----
    They needed her in Interrogation. Nikki walked there on autopilot, still reeling from the knockdown punch. She couldn’t grasp it, didn’t want to believe it. Rook was not only back but out on the town while she waited for him like some Gloucester sea captain’s wife pacing the widow’s walk, searching the horizon for a mast. No beard, no sweat moons, he was scrubbed, shaved, and had his Hugo Boss sleeve laced through the elbow of his hot gym-rat agent.
    Detective Raley caught up with her at the door to the Observation Room as she was preparing to go in, and Heat shoved Rook out of her head, even though she still felt brittle from the shock. “Not so good news on the security cam,” said Raley. He was holding a banker’s box with a Chain of Evidence form taped to the side.
    “I assume that’s the tape, right?”
    “Tapes, yes.
The
tape, no. When I unlocked the cabinet, the one in the deck had run itself out and the label was dated two weeks ago.”
    “Lovely,” said Heat. “And nothing from last night?”
    “These tapes haven’t recorded anything for several weeks. I’ll