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he’d be fun – ”
    Kirsten flung a silent “get a life” eye roll at the females. If they looked beyond the broad shoulders and wavy black hair that curled carelessly around Walker’s neck, they’d find the cold-blooded shark swimming inside that skin. Those women only saw deep blue eyes, not the calculating mind behind his laser gaze.
    Kirsten had grown up around the media and knew exactly what that rascal smile hid. Riley was no different than every other newsman in search of the next big story that would push up ratings.
    Like he really cared about Sally Stanton’s death or Kirsten’s caseload? He only jabbed at her to spin her off balance.
    And she’d let him, blast it all.
    “Massey.”
    At the sharp sound of her name, Kirsten turned to face her chew-on-my-ass boss. Her muscles constricted, preparing for another battle.
    Now that the media had dissipated, DA Cecelia Van Gogh covered the stretch of hallway from her office to the pressroom on long legs beneath the skirt of her tailored navy blue suit. How she walked in that pair of ice pick stilettos all day was beyond Kirsten. She’d never be a slave to fashion over comfort.  Before she could say a word, Cecelia started in on her.
    “What have we got on the Germantown murder?” 
    “Not much more than we released to the media until I get the final report from Philly PD.”  Kirsten shifted the stack of documents in her arms. “I plan to speak with Sally Stanton’s neighbors today.” 
    “When am I getting the full report?”
    Kirsten squelched the hit of irritation at Cecelia’s I-want-it-ten-minutes-ago abrasive tone. “Soon as I can. Takes time to sift through all the information, but you know that.” 
    “We’re on a deadline here, Massey.”  Cecelia’s lips rippled like a petulant librarian discussing an overdue book instead of a dead woman. “The Mayor wants these domestic killings out of the news before his address on the state of the city in six days.”
    Did the mayor really think this case would just fade away with the other urban killings because he had a speech to give? Or was this all Cecelia? 
    Kirsten stuck to the issue. “A deadline? To solve a murder? You’ve got to be kidding. What’s this all about?” 
    “Do I look like I’m joking? We’re on a deadline to get this out of the news.”  Cecelia paused for affect, head tilted to emphasize her point. She wore her honey-blond hair twisted in an attractive upsweep style intended to show off her chiseled beauty.  “He’s hosting an early reception for reps of several major corporations at the international business symposium next week. Two national brands are looking at Philly as a possible city for relocating their headquarters.” 
    “That’s all good news for Philly, but I don’t see how that should affect the way our PD solves cases.” 
    Cecelia tightened shoulders already soldier straight. “I do not want this Stanton case blown out of proportion in the media because the body was dropped at Berringer’s house.”
    “I haven’t even seen the police report – ”
    “My assistant got the bullet points by phone for the press release. Preliminary ME evaluation is the body had been killed somewhere else then dropped on Berringer’s yard. Probably someone the judge had put away killed his girlfriend of the week then decided to dump her on Berringer’s lawn to screw with the judge. Similar killings have happened before. Berringer’s squeaky clean, one of the most respected judges in the country. He’s the true victim in all this. The sooner you get humping and put this murder behind us the sooner he and his wife will get their life back.”
    Put the murder behind us? Kirsten managed not to snarl at the obvious meaning beneath Cecelia’s words – deep six Sally Stanton’s death as just another unavoidable mishap amongst Philly’s less fortunate.
    Not until Kirsten was convinced this was domestic violence.
    Cecelia gave her a look that was the