“Stephanie Brady was involved in the magic world. At her death site, we found a playing card. Then, at her apartment, we found a weird table we thought was something related to the sex industry. We thought for a moment she might have been an escort.”

“But?” asked Andrea.

“It was a magic apparatus. It was a device for creating the illusion she was being cut in half. A classic magic trick.”

As Josh Chambers had done only an hour before, each officer pieced together the facts as they formed a cohesive narrative in their minds.

Finally, Andrea spoke. “Oh God.”

“Exactly.”

“The killer murdered her using a magic trick.”

“Yes,” said Cael. “I believe he used a piece of equipment similar to the one we found in Stephanie’s apartment. These things usually have fake saw blades in them but the killer must have replaced it with a real one.”

“Can we dig into her employment history?” asked Andrea. “Maybe find out who the victim worked for?”

“Tried,” shouted Trey Herrera from the tech department. “Nothing at all. If she did have a job, she got paid cash in hand.”

“Yeah, most magic gigs would,” said Cael.

Silence fell across the room. No one was sure where to go from there.

“I told you it was front page news,” said Cael.

“No shit,” replied Andrea. “Well, get digging. Find this asshole and then make him disappear. Understood?”

“We’re working on it.”

“Good. If you’re right, then, yeah, the Daily Mail would cream their pants over this. If any journalists try to get your insight into the murder at Epping Forest, none of you know anything, right? As far as they’re concerned, you’re just traffic cops.”

“Traffic. My specialty,” said Cael.

“Oh yeah, you’re here. I don’t know. Just tell them you’re winding down in your old age, Adler.”

“I’ll tell them I’m having an affair with you. That should keep them satisfied.”

“You should be so lucky. Anyway, get out of here. All of you. You have a killer to catch.”

All the officers scrambled out of the room, mumbling to each other as they left. Before the two detectives left the room, Andrea called out to them.

“Oh, Cael? Tyler? Stay there a second. I need you to sign something.”

When every other officer had left the room, Andrea shut the door behind them.

“Gents,” she said, “there’s something you need to know.”


13

 

 

Many years ago, his mentor had told him that a beautiful woman was the most effective form of misdirection.

Assistants weren’t hard to come by. They usually had a simple job and were paid handsomely for their efforts. By many accounts, they were hired for their looks, not their skills.