Hothouse Orchid (Holly Barker 6)

“It seems likely.”

“Well,” Teddy said, “we made love last night, so you might very well find my DNA on her… person.”

“Thank you for that information, but what we need to learn is if someone else’s DNA is present, and we’ll need your sample for differentiation.”

“Of course,” Teddy said. “I mean, I watch those forensics shows all the time. I understand. Go ahead and take your swab.”

Lauren uncapped the tube, removed the swab, ran it around the inside of his cheek and replaced it in the tube.

“When did you move in here?” Jimmy asked.

“Three days ago. I had found Adele’s name on the Internet, and we had had a phone conversation about what I was looking for. She met me at the airport on Wednesday afternoon and drove me here.”

“Which airport, sir?”

“Vero Beach. I fly a small airplane.”

“Where is it parked at the airport?”

“At SunJet Center; I arranged in advance for tie-down space there.”

“Is that your Toyota parked outside?”

“Yes, I bought it the same day from the local dealer.”

The detective was writing in his notebook. “Name of the salesman?”

“Ah, Meadows. Leonard Meadows.”

“What sort of work do you do, Mr. Smithson?” Lauren asked.

“I’m retired. I’m sort of an engineer. I invent small gadgets, the kind of thing you see on infomercials late at night.”

They asked a few more questions, then thanked him and left.

Before they drove away, Jimmy called the airport and the Toyota dealer. “His story holds up,” he said.

“He certainly looked shocked when we told him she was dead, and our perp’s MO doesn’t include having dinner with his victims before he kills them. I don’t think Smithson is our guy.”

“Neither do I,” Jimmy said.

Teddy lay down on his bed and rested. He was disturbed that Adele seemed to be the latest victim of a local criminal. And he was deeply angry.

23

Holly had just finished lunch when the phone rang. “Hello?”

“Hi, it’s Lauren Cade.”

“Hi, Lauren. What’s up?”

“We’ve got another victim, a real estate agent named Adele Mason, last night, Jungle Trail.”

“Oh, shit. Well, I’ve been expecting another one.”

“So have I.”

“Was there anything at the scene that would tell us something different about the perp?”