Chapter 7

The police station was crowded, so Richard had a harder job than usual to collect the materials of the case together. The wonderful the day started did't alleviate the terrible feelings he felt over his situation at the moment. It wasn't enough that he was stripped from his case, but he had to deal with a lot of new faces from now. But he had to admit, a crisis team was the only useful idea that his boss ever had. These morose thoughts were disturbed by the sight through the window door of the neighboring office. There She was. She. Charlotte, with a young deputy, who wrote down her evidence. Richard would like to kick himself because of his earlier acts, but he couldn't deny that he had enjoyed that kiss. He was angry because it seemed like he was using her, but he didn't know why he couldn't resist her. She even wasn't his type!, he thought. He liked blonde women with long legs, not the short, dark haired girls. Not those, whose hair smelled even in the early morning hours, like jasmine, and whose faces shined after a hot shower with a lovely shade of pink. The ones, who were more attractive in a simple long, light pink skirt, and a slightly décolleté white top, than any…

"Go to hell, Avery!"

He was stopped, when the voice of the deputy from the previous night disturbed him. She was shouting at one of he colleagues. He knew that man. And didn't like him. He was an arrogant, disgusting cop, but one of the best. The one who made the crime solving statistics jump. Avery Burton.

"Calm down, honey! You don't have to bite!"

It was clear that he had again started his little plays with the women around him, but this time he had chosen his victim badly. Richard wasn't up to another fight, so he came in.

"Deputy Finnegan!"

The girl weighed her opposite with her eyes one last time, before she obeyed the call.

"Yes, sir."

"In an hour there'll be a meeting. A crisis team will stand up. Inform Professor Challenger in the laboratory and ask him to collect his reports. And bring me back the new ones from last night."

"Yes, sir" She was about to start, when he continued.

"And Deputy…"

"Yes, sir?" She turned again.

"I also need your excellent report."

It was a hard job on Richard's part not to smile, when the girl's face become bright with pride. Such a naivety, such strength… He was amused as she went on her way with her head held high.

Detective Redgrave wanted to arrive first into the conference room, but to his surprise he was overtaken. He found his boss, T.T. Tribune, with a foreign man speaking.

"Ah, Detective Redgrave, please let me introduce your new colleague, Special Agent J. R. Roxton."

The tall, brown haired agent offered his hand with a friendly expression and added,

"In my opinion, I'll be a silent observer, considering your work on profiling. I've read them, and I know who I'm working with."

As hard as Richard wanted to hate him, he simply couldn't. He answered calmly,

moreover politely, "Unfortunately, my knowledge is only useful when there's any trace."

"You'll search for them!!" The sheriff interrupted, not caring if Roxton had any other reply. "Whose presence shall we expect?"

"Professor Challenger from the laboratory will analyze the examinations and the results of the autopsies. Veronica Malone from CSI, and Deputy Finnegan, who is our only witness from last night."

"Any other?'

"We'll need someone who deals with the press. This case has caused big trouble here," the special agent said. "Do you know anyone reliable?"

"There's that journalist, that Malone," said Tribune with disgust. "Redgrave knows him."

"Yes, I do."

"He'll do. Call him! Others?"

"That's all, sir."

"I must correct you!"

All the three men turned to stare at the slim women standing in the door. Her discreet make up made the others concentrate on the green sparkling of her eyes and the elegant line of her lips. She wore a perfect suit, with narrow dark skirt, that emphasized her hourglass shape. Her black, curly hair was held back on the back of her head, with a simple pin.

"Marguerite! What are you doing here?" Tribune cried.

"Come on, Theo, you didn't believe that I'd stay out of the play!" She came closer with steps reminding them of a great predator's.

"She won't take part in the investigation, will she?" Roxton asked in mocking style.

The woman held her head high, laid her stylish briefcase on the nearby table, and with a self confident expression asked.

"And who are you?'

The sheriff cleared his throat.

"Special agent J. R. Roxton, she's Marguerite Krux from the public prosecutor's department. You and the detective know each other."

"Of course, Richard." She smiled briefly at the detective, who answered with a short, "Marguerite". Knowing the lady well, he stayed quiet, and chose the tactic of waiting her out.

"F.B.I.! I should have known." She observed him with a bored expression. "But I can't let the good citizens be living in fright, because a madman is killing young women around here. And be happy it's me and not the major, who came."

With that, considering the argument finished, she sat down, took her documents from her briefcase, and started to organize them. When after a time still nobody spoke, she looked up and asked:

"When shall; we start ?

Did you liked the "new" characters:)))9