Ties That Bind

Chapter 23

MADISON TRIED TO REACH HER partner but was having the recurring sensation of déjà vu. His cell kept ringing to voice mail. This morning all the pieces fell together, producing a clear picture.

She pulled the Crown Vic in front of the brick house and waved to Higgins.

"Hey beautiful." He was such a charmer and ever so innocent.

"So you're stuck here again?"

"Again? Still." He smiled. He didn't care. He loved his job. Even shitty details, as he put it before.

Madison's cell chimed notifying her of a new text message. She pulled it out, and it was from Jennifer in Serology. It read NO POISON. LAURA'S BAC CAME BACK AT FIFTY-THREE MG.

The only thing about the Lab Rats was most of them spoke a variation of the English language. Madison knew BAC as blood alcohol concentration but didn't know what fifty-three mg meant.

She'd have to call Cynthia for clarification. Right now, she was focused on something else. She was clipping her cell to her waist when it rang again. Identity showed Cynthia.

"I've got to get this."

"By all means." Higgins smiled at her.

She answered her phone. "Knight."

"Imagine. Considering I called her cell phone."

Madison detected the smile in her friend's voice. "You're so difficult to get along with."

"Only 'cause it's like dealing with yourself."

Madison smiled. The woman had a point.

"Okay, I have some news for—"

"I hope so or you're wasting my time."

The line fell silent for a moment. "Maddy, you're the only one I'd put up with all this shit from, you know that?" Cynthia paused. "The trace from the Laura's fingernails showed the normal things such as food residue, hair products, but there was also a trace of epithelial not belonging to the victim."

"Does it match?" Madison paused a second. "Right, the stupid machine is down."

"I'll be sending it over to the lab this morning."

"Speaking of the lab, any update on the towel?"

Cynthia went quiet.

"What aren't you telling me?"

"Happy this is taking place over the phone."

"Cyn."

"Uniqus lost the towel."

"What?"

"They assure me they have everyone looking for it."

"That's a line of bullshit they feed you when the honest translation is, it's gone for good."

"Don't know what else to say."

"Guess there isn't much. Shit..." She'd have to figure out another way to identify the man in the photo. Their conversation had paused for a few seconds before Madison continued. "I just got a message from Jennifer about Laura's blood alcohol being fifty-three mg."

"That means she would have been feeling pretty good."

"So she was drunk. It doesn't tell us a whole lot." Madison sighed. "All right, well, I've gotta go." She hung up, glanced at the house, and then back at Higgins, who raised his eyebrows.

"I'm guessing that wasn't good news."

"You could say that." Madison felt paralyzed. How could they lose the towel?