The Hunt

Three

"So, what was that urgent call about? I will have to ask Mark to leave us alone on our dates?" Jack left his book aside the moment I arrived home "By the way," he turned suddenly serious "there was a message from your sister, she asked you to call her at this number." He handed me a piece of paper with a number in it.

"Ellen? Did she say what kind of mess was she in now? "

"Not a clue. Listen, whatever it is I bet it can wait. You look tired, now go to bed and try to rest." Jack put his arm around my shoulder and I rested my head on it 

"Mark is thinking of quitting the force and maybe he's right, I feel like I'm neglecting Jordan. I'm never at home."

"I don't think so, you know he loves bragging about his policewoman mummy." Jack laughed "And now it's the moment of sleeping and forgetting about any other thing than your bed."

"Amen to that, I really need it. " I left my clothes on an armchair and went to bed. Less than a minute later, I was heavy asleep.

"Morning Mummy!" Jordan, my nine year old son,  came running into my room and jumped into my bed.

"Morning sweetheart!" I hugged him close to me and kissed his blond curls "

"Breakfast's ready." Jack appeared carrying a heavy tray in his hands and we made some place for him to leave it "We have to do this more often, but next time I will need help with the tray. This one's too heavy for my back." And he mockingly complained.

"I agree, " I took a look at my cell phone "but I should go to shower now,  Mark and I have to talk to Daniel and at we have an appointment at noon."

"Mummy, you're always in a hurry." Jordan said .

"I know and I'm sorry. Listen, I can't right now but when I solve the case I'm working on now we'll all go to Disneyland, okay?" 

"We adults are always in a hurry, Jordan. And now, young man, it's you who should hurry up or you'll be late to school." Jack said while he tickled Jordan "Dana, don't forget to call Ellen!" He reminded me as I went to the bathroom .  "It's me, I have to shave." He yelled a moment later above the pouring water "What were you saying tonight about Mark?"

"Reach me the towel will you? He wants to quit the force, Kellie has a good offer from the New York Times and they're considering it. And I can't say it surprises me if they finally go."

"And missing all the show? I don't think Kellie wants that, she's a terrific political journalist and it's here where all things happen. ."

"But he family lives there, so it makes sense. Will miss Mark if they finally move, but I understand their point."

"I know, I will miss them too. Did I shave well? "Jack asked me,

I ran my fingers through his cheeks "Soft as a baby's skin, honey. I gotta be going, see you later." I kissed him and got ready for job.

*****

"What can you tell us, Daniel?" Mark took the report from the coroner's table 

"You were right about the poisoning, he was injected estricnine. He was knocked out with something, look here," he pointed at his head "This left him unconscious so the killer could inject him. And he had a sexual relationship right before being killed. It probably was a romantic date turned bad, considering what he had in his stomach "Caviar, lobsters...all kind of seafood. He had expensive tastes."

"What time did he die?"

"About eight thirty or nine. I read you said his girlfriend found him at nine thirty, right?"

"That's it. We're talking to her in a while, will press her a bit further. The timeline is too tight, maybe she's hiding something. Thanks, Daniel. Send us the final report when it's done." I took out my gloves and Mark and I left the coroner's office.

"You'll have it in a while. See you."

"This sucks, "Mark said as we walked to the elevator "Do you think the girlfriend knew something about this other relationship Bennett had?"

"Or maybe she's the one who killed him, we'll need a DNA sample from her. Fuck, I almost forgot. Ellen called yesterday, she left a number to call her back ."

"Your sister? It's quite a long time since she contacted you for the last time, right?"

"Almost two years now, since my mother died. Wonder what she wants." I sighed. Ellen and I had never been as close as sisters should be, and when she turned eighteen she went away from our house. I was fourteen by then, and from that moment on, I barely saw her once a year, in family gatherings. I was curious about her knowing when and where those gatherings were, until my mother told me Ellen had kept in touch with her. Only with her. 

I sat by my desk and took the paper Jack had given me. It was a Californian phone number 

"Western Región Detention Facility?" A male voice answered the phone.