DARK JUSTICE

ke, my morning run completed, breakfast of

carrying none of the satisfaction

ithout preamble. "Natural causes, looks like, but the wif

ung up and allowed myself one

sfully unaware of the death on the seventh floor. The uniformed offi

ive Bla

Chen. S

wife called worried he wasn't answering his phone. Male

to transition fully into Detective Blackwood, to bury Vivian and whatever had happened

ryone present. Even when death comes quietly, as it had for David Coleman, that energy re

without looking up. "You're s

x gloves-different from the ones I'd worn

s gestured to the bed where David lay, exactly as I'd left him. "No defensive

room, noting details I already

r. Wedding ring in his pocket." Santos

the w

esk says the room was registered to a Vivian Mills, paid in cash, but security

against my exit strategy. "Classic case

Officer Chen added from t

ic examination of the room, careful to avoid the areas I kne

oor were glitching last night. Just

job, creating just enough digital noise to make facial recognitio

een, though it's probably clean. These middle-aged guys

s old as time. Wife's

ly, documenting each detail. "No one wants to believ

erence room the hotel had provided. Red-rimmed eyes, trembling han

ctive Blackwood. I'm ve

h someone." Her voice cracked. "Th

. "Mrs. Coleman, I understand this is difficult. The

ently. "We have a good marriag

he other me. The unshakable belief in fidelity despite evidence to the contrary. I w

ed to ask some difficult questions. Had your husban

. Annual physicals, everything norm

heart disease

heart attack, but he

this from my research. "And last ni

er face. "Yes. A client em

t emergencies lately? Late

would start remembering other clues she'd dismissed-unexplained receipts, passw

own at her wedding ring. "Do you

edical emergency during a... private encounter." I handed her my card. "If you thi

ive James Mercer, joined me in the

create paperwork hell," he grumbled, sli

problems according to the grieving wid

sue the mystery woman? C

Unlikely. No signs of foul play, nothing missing from hi

," Mercer agreed. "Poor ba

y how quick it had been. Seventeen minutes from in

out that task force they're putting toge

t in briefin

Says your closure rate mak

estigation I could guide from the inside. Another op

re," I said, gathering my notes. One case c

atural causes. No signs of foul play. Awaiting toxicology, but likely cardiac event during sexual activit

ok. Tonight, I would open it and cross David Coleman's name off my list. Then I would turn

e Elise Blackwood, and I ha