Page 28 of Girl Between (Dana Gray FBI Mystery Thriller #5)

George sat in an uncomfortable metal folding chair in the Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Office, feet propped up on the desk in front of him.

He glanced down at the autopsy report in his lap.

It was from this morning’s cemetery victim.

His attention should’ve been on the conversation he was having with Jake Shepard, but his mind kept drifting back to the notes the medical examiner left.

The victim was drained of blood and missing her liver. That combined with the white dress and mask, seems like some tourists got carried away playing Voodoo and vampires.

Comments like that always made George’s blood boil. Growing up in a Haitian household, Voodoo was a constant and peaceful practice in his life.

It offended him when people immediately jumped to blame anything negative in the city on its local lures and legends.

New Orleans’s association with such things was both a blessing and a curse. It brought people to the Quarter, driving the city’s lifeblood—tourism. But it also brought with it ignorance and misconceptions.

“So, she’s okay?” Jake asked again, drawing George back to the phone call .

“I’d say she’s more than okay,” George answered. “You saw the selfie.”

“Thanks for proof of life.”

“Shepard, I’m not gonna lie to ya. I ran into your girl in the Quarter last night. She can take care of herself. Something it seems you should know considering she’s your partner.”

“Yeah,” Jake grumbled.

George chuckled. “Neither of you are well-versed in articulating your relationship, huh?”

“Why? What did she say?” Jake asked.

George could hear the worry in his friend’s voice. He respected his former brother in arms too much to tease him. “She said it’s complicated.”

A grunt of frustration came from Jake.

“Look, Shepard. I’m not trying to get in the middle of whatever is or isn’t going on between you two, but I’ve gotta ask you something.”

“What’s that?”

“Do you trust her?”

“With my life,” Jake said without hesitation. “Why?”

“Something I saw at her office today. It might be involved in a case I’m working.”

“What is it?”

“I’m not sure yet. I don’t want to get ahead of myself but tell me more about the work Dr. Gray does.”

“She’s an occult specialist. She oversees one of the world’s largest collections of rare books and artifacts at the Smithsonian.

You should see the place. It’s a subterranean labyrinth of everything that goes bump in the night.

I used to think it was all a bunch of hocus pocus, but since the first case we worked together, she’s done nothing but prove me wrong. ”

“How do you mean?”

“It’s hard to explain,” Shepard said. “But the world the Army had us living in isn’t the only one out there.”

George felt his skin prickle. “Are you talking about cults?”

“More like lost practices. Things that exist alongside modern life yet hide in the gray space between what we’re taught is fact and fantasy.”

George couldn’t help his grin. “It sounds like you’re describing Nawlins.”

“I guess it isn’t any wonder why Dana feels at home there.”

“I saw an artifact at her office today when I went to check on her for you. She said it’s her field of expertise. If she’s as good as you say she is, I think she might be able to shed some light on my current case. Do you think she’d be open to assisting with my investigation?”

Jake hesitated, filling the dead air with tension. Finally, he spoke. “You’d have to ask her.”

“You’d be okay with me doing that?”

“I’m not one to stand in the way of justice.”

“That’s not what I’m asking,” George said, solemnly.

“Dana’s life is her own,” Jake answered.

“Yeah, but I don’t want to get in the middle of something.”

“There’s nothing to get in the middle of,” Shepard replied.

“Is that for now or …”

Jake sighed. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

“Well,” George said. “Justice comes first.”

“Hooah,” Shepard replied, lacking his usual gusto.

Still, George gave the obligatory, “Hooah!” in answer, then said, “I’ll ask Dr. Gray what she thinks about consulting on my case. I’ll be sure to keep you in the loop.”

“Thanks,” Shepard said. “Gives me peace of mind knowing she’s in your orbit.”

“Again, I don’t think she’s the kind of woman who needs looking after, but whatever helps you sleep.”

“Thanks, Flynn. I knew I could count on you.”

“I go by George now,” he corrected.

“Right,” Shepard replied. “That’ll take some getting used to.”

“I’ll be in touch,” said George.

After disconnecting the call, George stared back at the open folder on his lap. Pulling his feet from the desk, he sat up and examined the ME’s report once more .

Jane Doe. Mid-twenties. Drained of three liters of blood. Missing liver.

The mere fact that Dana Gray had introduced herself as Jane Doe last night was enough to give George cause to question her about the case.

But her expertise in the study of vampires made her involvement an easy leap.

And that was before he discovered she was studying a death mask that matched the exact one the victim had been wearing.

George wished he didn’t have to ask for her help on this case, because from his brief encounters with her, he had a feeling Dr. Gray’s answer would be a resounding no. But that wouldn’t stop him from doing his job. And right now, it seemed investigating Dana Gray was part of that.