Dominiquetsked. “Come on, Detective. You know better than to ask me that at this stage. I won’t get toxicology results back for several weeks.”
“I know, I know, but standard drug testing can be done fast. Blood alcohol levels, too. I’m not looking for a full-spectrum analysis. What are the chances I can get my hands on that particular information sooner?”
Dominique didn’t speak for a long minute. “Maybe. I’ll visit the lab on Monday morning and push, but don’t hold your breath. What are you thinking?”
I sighed and sank lower in my seat. “I don’t know. I saw Fatemeh this morning. Navid’s ex-wife. She rubs me the wrong way. Or maybe I rub her the wrong way. She lied to me, but at the same time, she made a plausible suggestion. Navid was a doctor with access to drugs. He could have been supplying Jesse with drugs to sell on campus. Ford was part of Jesse’s crowd. That officer who interviewed those girls three years ago said one of them claimed her drink was spiked. I don’t know. It’s all bits and pieces I’m trying to make sense of.”
“How do positive drug tests on our victims help?”
Resigned, I slumped further. “I’m not sure it does. One more thing. Navid’s autopsy report mentioned that fibers were recovered from his neck. I didn’t see anything mentioned on Jesse’s or Ford’s. Did you recover fibers on them?”
Dominique didn’t speak for a beat. “I can’t recall off the top of my head. I had students working with me on those exams. I’ll need to consult my notes.”
“Have the bodies been released?”
“Not yet.”
“Double-check for me before that happens. Was the fiber analysis completed? I didn’t get a follow-up report.”
“Not sure if it’s back yet. I’ll chase it down on Monday.”
“Thanks.” I exhaled sharply, knowing I couldn’t delay going inside much longer.
“Where are you, Kobe?”
“Sitting in the parking lot at work, avoiding my partner and boss. This case is frustrating. There are too many missing pieces. Sorry if I sound whiny. I’d rather be anywhere else on a Saturday.”
“Think you’ll get to go home at some point?”
“Hopefully. I’ll have to cancel with Émeric. He’s going to be bummed, but there’s no way I’ll be able to catch a movie tomorrow. I hope you didn’t tell Cosette already.”
“I haven’t. Another time.”
A shuffling sounded on the other end of the line before Dominique spoke again. “Will you spend the night?”
“Really? Two in a row?”
“I quite enjoyed having you in my bed.”
I hummed in pleasure. “I have no idea when I’ll be done today.”
“That’s fine. I don’t care when you come over. Say you’ll come.”
“I’d like that. Isn’t my presence interfering with your disgustingly early visits to the gym?”
Dominique chuckled, a sound I wanted to hear more of. “True. I suppose I can’t keep skipping my morning sessions because I have a hot police detective in my bed, can I?”
“I wouldn’t expect you to. You can go if you want. It won’t bother me.”
“What about Cosette?”
“I’ll watch her. If she’s up before you’re back, I now know what to put on the TV to make her happy.”
My comment earned another soft chuckle. “I’ll think about it. I look forward to seeing you, Kobe.”
“Me too. I’d better run before Rue finds me hiding out here and gives me shit.”
As we were about to say goodbye and hang up, a thought struck. “Hey, Dom? Question. You lift weights, right? You’re not racing to the gym strictly for cardio, are you?”
