Hothouse Orchid (Holly Barker 6)

Teddy thought about it. “This is really interesting,” he said. “You’ve had only two suspects, both cops-one is dead and the other is suspected of killing him, plus they’re both suspects in the killing of all those women. You’ve got enough evidence to call Bruno the killer and wrap the whole thing up, but you can’t, because now you think Jimmy is the killer. I don’t think I’ve ever read a thriller with such a convoluted plot.”

“Any suggestions?”

“Yes,” Teddy said. “It’s wrapped up in the papers, so leave it that way and wait for another murder.”

“You think Jimmy would kill again, now that he’s off scot-free?”

“If he’s already killed half a dozen times, it’s because he really, really likes doing it. I predict he’ll kill again, but be even more careful.”

50

Hurd Wallace was sitting at his desk on Monday morning when Lauren knocked at his door. “Come in,” he said. Lauren sat down but didn’t speak.

“Good morning,” Hurd said, to break the silence.

“This is bad,” Lauren said. “The case, I mean.”

“It’s difficult, yes.”

“It’s impossible,” Lauren said, “unless…”

“Unless what?”

“Unless he kills again. Or tries to.”

“I don’t know that I’m comfortable with the idea of sitting around, waiting for Jimmy to murder another woman,” Hurd said.

“I’m not comfortable with it either,” Lauren said. “Not for a minute.”

“We’re in a difficult position,” Hurd said. “We’ve already announced to the press that Bruno committed suicide as well as all the murders, and everybody is just delighted with that.”

“You mean the governor is delighted.”

“I mean everybody: the press, the city council, the public and, yes, the governor.”

“So we can’t issue another press release saying that maybe it didn’t happen that way, that maybe the Orchid Beach chief of polic

e did it all.”

Hurd managed a chuckle. “I don’t think so.”

“And we don’t want to wait for Jimmy to kill again.”

“No, we don’t, but, short of checking his alibis for the killings and waiting for word on the partial print to come back and, in general, continuing to work the case, there’s not much else we can do.”

“I think we should do all of that, but I think we should work on the basis that we’re stuck with Jimmy.”

“Without another alternative, yes,” Hurd said.

“There’s another alternative,” Lauren said.

Hurd shifted in his seat. “I’m all ears.”

“Maybe if I interest Jimmy in me…” Lauren said.

Hurd sat as if frozen and said nothing, just stared at her.

“Jimmy is attracted to me,” Lauren said. “He even asked me out a few days ago.”