Bit by the Bug (Matthews Sisters 1) (10 page)

Kat reached down and repositioned the tray of insects. She stood on the table, her camera pointed down. The photographs would come out better when she positioned her camera in such a way. Aside from photographing, she really didn’t have too many more duties. Occasionally the phone rang and she would answer it when Vincent didn’t.

Kat had convinced Vincent to give her a key so she could lock the front door when she left each night. It was better than trying to haul her equipment back and forth everyday for fear it would be stolen.

Checking the camera’s focus, she added, ‘I’ll bet he’s in Lab Two. He’s always in Lab Two.’

‘Hmm, I’ll just go check.’

Kat blinked in surprise as Ella jumped off the table and made a move for the door. Curious as to what would happen if Ella disturbed Vincent’s little sanctuary, she didn’t try to stop her sister as she moved to watch the encounter. Kat had wanted to bother him at work often, but she didn’t unless she had a great excuse.

Ella stopped and knocked on Lab Two’s door. Glancing over her shoulder, she winked audaciously at Kat and called out in a no-nonsense voice, ‘Dr Vin?’

It took a few tries, but the door finally opened. Vincent looked out in confusion. ‘Are you looking for me, madam?’

Ella thrust her hand out and teased, ‘Hi, I’m Margaret, don’t you remember me? I’m your assistant.’

Vincent’s expression turned from slightly confused annoyance to acceptance in an instant. ‘You don’t look a thing like Margaret.’

Kat frowned. Now how come he knew Ella wasn’t Margaret?

‘I’m teasing. I couldn’t resist. I’m Ella, Kat’s sister. I wanted to meet you. Hey, I hear you’re milking spiders in here. That’s just too cool. Please tell me I can watch. I promise not to get in the way unless you say I can help. In fact, I’ll take a vow of silence for as long as I’m in there. Please let me help.’

Vincent glanced over Ella and smiled, though he did look at a loss for words. Ella had that affect on people when she went into super hyper mode. She pushed past him in enthusiasm, not giving him time to consider refusing, as she went where Kat wouldn’t dare to go – in with the live bugs. The door to Lab Two shut as Vincent moved to follow Ella. Kat hurried forwards, pressing her ear to the door to listen.

‘Oh, wow!’ she heard Ella exclaim. ‘Can I touch them? I mean, do they need to eat off human blood of something? Don’t you ever get tired of letting them sting you?’

Kat frowned, standing up straight. Why was she suddenly jealous of her tomboyish younger sister? Then, she heard Vincent laugh. Kat gasped. He never laughed around her, not even when she made a joke. What was going on? Ella was in his presence for two seconds and suddenly he’s laughing and being nice? She couldn’t even get him into her presence long enough to strive for another date, let alone a whole conversation.

Slowly, she backed away, not wanting to hear anymore. Almost bitterly, Kat went to work. Thank goodness it was Saturday and she’d have tomorrow off. She definitely needed a break from Mr Scientist.

Kat jumped in surprise as she heard the sound of a ringing bell. Looking around the collection’s room, she frowned. No one was with her, but the sound had to come from somewhere. She listened closely, a frown on her face.

She was already in a bad mood because Ella hadn’t come back out of the other laboratory. Kat had crept up to the door to eavesdrop more times than she would ever admit. Each instant, she’d only gotten madder as she heard the two of them laughing together.

‘Why can’t he be human around me?’ she grumbled in jealousy. ‘I get Mr Moody, and Ella gets Mr Cool.’

Kat hopped off the table where she was sitting. She’d refused to work, thinking that if Mr Science Freak was going to be rude enough to pay Ella more attention than his own employee, then she’d just sit around on the clock as revenge. He could pay her for doing nothing. However, sitting around made the hours go by slowly and she was bored out of her mind.

‘Hello? I’m looking for Katarina Matthews?’

‘Megan?’ Kat said instantly, recognising her older sister’s voice. She went to the door and opened it, excited.

Sure enough, there was Megan, looking like some movie star detective straight out of a suspense thriller. Her dark-brown hair was pulled back into a tidy bun at the nape of her neck. She wore a black stretch cotton shirt with raw-edged strip insets down the front and double button cuffs, and matching black wool stitched trousers cut to complement her long, lean figure.
Sun-glasses were pushed up on her head, the only accessory to her sister’s ensemble other than the shiny badge at her slim waist.

‘Oh, Megs, I missed you so much!’ Kat rushed forwards and hugged her sister. ‘It took you long enough to get in touch with me. I called you nearly two weeks ago.’

Megan laughed, briefly returning the embrace, though more standoffish than Kat’s enthusiastic greeting. Kat took no offence, as Megan was always more stoic in nature. They all assumed it was a side effect of her gruesome job. Seeing the effects of homicide all day had to wear a person down.

‘You know, it would serve you right if I called mom and dad and told them you really were getting married,’ Megan said. ‘You didn’t actually think I would believe such a thing. Kat getting married, ha!’

‘You’re getting married?’ Ella gasped, behind her. Kat turned to the youngest Matthews. ‘Kat! How come you didn’t …? Oh, no, it’s not Jack is it? I thought you said you were no longer seeing him.’

‘Whoa, easy.’ Kat lifted up her hands. ‘Slow down. I’m not getting married.’

‘What, then who . . .?’ Ella looked expectantly at Megan and then instantly gave a look of dismissal, as if the very idea of Megan being engaged was implausible.

‘You broke up with Jack? Really?’ Megan asked. ‘When did this happen?’

‘Few weeks ago,’ Ella offered.

‘Yes, no, yes,’ Kat said. ‘I don’t know.’

‘Kat didn’t tell me you were coming today,’ Ella said to Megan. ‘I thought dad said you were working on that one case.’

‘What one case?’ Kat asked.

‘Really, Kat, the huge one. Don’t you ever read the papers? It’s been on the front page.’

‘No,’ Kat answered.

The door to Lab Two opened and all three girls turned to see Vincent approaching.

‘Hello,’ Vincent said, brushing past Ella as he joined them in the hall. He held out his hand to Megan. ‘You must be Detective Matthews. I’m Dr Richmond. We spoke on the phone this morning.’

‘Oh, yes, hello, Dr Richmond,’ Megan said in her ‘all business’ tone. ‘Thank you for seeing me. I’ll only take a moment of your time.’

‘It’s no problem, I assure you,’ he answered. ‘I’m happy to be of service.’

‘What?’ Kat asked, before she could stop herself. How did Megan know her Dr Science? ‘You called him to check up on me, Megs?’

‘Excuse me?’ Vincent asked with his normally confused look.

‘Oooo,’ Ella said childishly, clicking her tongue as if a fight were about to start.

‘No, I’m here to talk to Dr Richmond on police business,’ Megan said. ‘Dad mentioned you were working here and some of the guys down at the station said Dr Richmond was the person with whom to talk.’

‘But, I thought you came to see me,’ Kat pouted.

‘I did. And to see Dr Richmond,’ Megan said, unapologetically. ‘He’s helping me on a case.’

‘You two know each other?’ Vincent asked, glancing between the two women.

‘She’s my sister,’ Kat said, solemnly. Then to Megan, she added, ‘Why didn’t you just call me? I could’ve arranged for you to come in.’

‘Kat, please, I have a victim with no ID and a desk full of case files. Don’t start with the whole jealousy thing. I’m here to see you, as well as to see Dr Richmond. Don’t be mad because I’m being concise with my time.’ Megan turned to Vincent. Kat said nothing. How could she protest when Megan put it like that? ‘Can I buy you
lunch? The photographs I was talking about are in my car.’

Kat bit her lip, knowing Vincent would refuse. He never left the office to eat.

‘Sure, I’d be glad to. Just let me grab my wallet,’ he said.

Kat gasped as he walked away, disappearing into the back office.

‘Can we come?’ Ella asked. ‘Please. I’m starving and Kat doesn’t have any food at her place.’

‘I said we’d go see Zoe later,’ Kat said, feeling guilty because Vincent hadn’t paid her yet and she really didn’t have food at her apartment.

‘Sure,’ Megan smiled, as if Kat hadn’t spoken. ‘Of course you can come with us. I assumed you would. Though, I think Zoe’s off today so we’ll have to go somewhere else.’

‘How do you know all this?’ Kat asked. ‘You’re always busy.’

‘Dad faxes me family reports,’ Megan said.

‘Let’s go,’ Ella insisted. ‘I wanna eat.’

‘I’ll get my purse,’ Kat said in dejection.

‘What’s up with her?’ Megan asked as Kat walked away.

‘She’s been trying to get ol’ Dr Vin on a date. He won’t even leave the office with her,’ Ella said, with candour. ‘She’s probably just jealous he said yes to you.’

Kat flinched but kept walking. She knew Ella purposefully said it so she could hear but so Dr Vincent couldn’t, just as she knew Megan would answer just as loudly.

‘She has?’ Megan’s tone was full of amusement. ‘But, he’s not her type.’

‘Oh, well, I’ll have to fill you in on all of that stuff later,’ Ella said in a hushed tone that was still audible. ‘It’s not something mom and dad know, so it wouldn’t be on your report. But, we can’t discuss it now.’

Kat went into the collection room, still frowning. Vincent had spent several hours with Ella and now was
bit by the bug agreeing to have lunch with Megan. What was that? She was here every day and already her sisters had gotten further with him than she had in two weeks!

After she grabbed her purse, they all piled into Megan’s nondescript black car the department had given her to use. The plain vehicle was as boring as Megan’s wardrobe choices. Vincent sat in the front next to Megan and Kat was with Ella in the backseat. Pretending to stare out the window, she looked at Vincent’s messy pouf of hair through the corner of her eye.

Ella poked her in the side for most of the trip, trying to pretend she wasn’t doing it as she looked innocently out the driver-side window. Once, Kat managed to grab her finger mid-poke and Ella started laughing. The sound was odd in the quiet vehicle.

‘I hope this is all right,’ Megan said, turning the car into a parking lot.

‘Yes, fine detective, thank you,’ Vincent answered.

‘Mmm, diner, rock on,’ Ella said, getting out of the car.

Kat was slower to follow. Megan pulled a briefcase up that had been by Vincent’s legs, and started to get out when he reached for it and said, ‘Please, allow me.’

Kat suppressed a gasp of disbelief. He never offered to carry her camera bags for her. What in the world was going on here? Was he attracted to Megan?

The diner looked more like an overgrown mobile home without wheels. It had silver siding and bright neon flashing lights that read, ‘Roxie’s Place’. The front exterior wall was dented, as if a car had crashed into it at one point in its long history. By the design alone, it was apparent the place was old, probably built in the 1950s.

Kat took a deep breath, trying to relax.

OK, try and perk up, she told herself. There is no reason to be jealous of Megan and Ella. They’re your sisters and it’s not like you are in love with Dr Vincent. The dreams don’t mean a thing.

Kat had never been to this particular diner before, but
it reminded her of the others she’s been to in the city. Inside, dark-green booths ran down one wall by the windows and a long bar was near the other, set back to make room for the seating area. Rounded green barstools were bolted down to the floor, spaced beside the long countertop. The kitchen was in the back, visible through a high opening where plates of food sat under heat lamps.

The smell of hamburgers and grease from the deep fryer permeated the air. Megan led the way to a booth and Ella slid in beside her older sister. Vincent glanced at the empty seat, cleared his throat and motioned for her to scoot in first. Kat took a seat, moving over to make room for him. Ella winked at her, trying to look sneaky. Kat wanted to groan, hoping Vincent didn’t see the secret ‘you-go-girl’ signal.

A waitress approached and Megan said, ‘Three coffees’, as she motioned towards her sisters.

‘Same,’ Vincent said. ‘Coffee. Black.’

‘Make mine water instead,’ Ella corrected. Megan arched a brow. ‘Gave up caffeine. It was a dare. Don’t ask.’

‘Cream for mine,’ Kat said as the woman walked away. She wondered if the waitress even heard her.

‘You mentioned something about needing help on a case?’ Vincent said, getting right to the point. Kat studied him. He wasn’t looking at her as he studied Megan, his expression all about the matter at hand. Did the man never loosen up? ‘As I told you on the phone, forensic entomology is not my field of specialty.’

‘According to the guys in our lab, you’re the man to talk to when it comes to anything with more than four legs.’ Megan dug through her briefcase before pulling out a file. The waitress came back, setting the drinks on the table. Before she could speak, Megan ordered, ‘I’ll have the chicken salad sandwich, light on the mayo, potato salad.’ Pointing at Ella, she continued, ‘Ham-bit
by the bug burger, no tomato, no onion, fries.’ Then, motioning to Kat, she said, ‘Grilled chicken, side of fries, side of ranch.’

‘You always do that,’ Kat said, making a face as she poured three little containers of liquid creamer into her coffee, turning it more white than black. ‘What if I don’t want grilled chicken?’

Megan lifted a brow. The waitress looked at Kat expectantly and stopped writing the order on her pad.

‘Yeah, she’s right,’ Kat mumbled in dejection, picking up the sugar shaker. The waitress looked unimpressed. Megan suppressed a grin. ‘Don’t look so smug. You know, some day I’d like to order for myself like an adult.’ Without stopping to stir her concoction, she took a sip of the coffee.

‘Just saving time,’ Megan said. ‘I can’t help that I’m always right.’

‘Um, I’m not really hungry. Thank you.’ Vincent lifted his coffee cup and blew lightly along the dark surface.