Page 70 of Line of Sight

“And this is your reward for giving me the eye tonight.” I smiled. “What does the Bible say? Something likeIf thine eye offends thee, pluck it out?”

I picked up one of the shoes, grasping it by the toe.

“And I found your eye most offensive indeed.”

Chapter Forty-Seven

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

4:30 p.m.

Takeda Pharmaceutical, Cambridge

RILEY PULLEDout his phone and stared at the screen. “Four o’clock, we said. Who does she think she is, keeping us waiting like—”

The door to the conference room opened, and Jennifer Sullivan walked in, a white coat covering jeans and a beige sweater.

“My apologies, gentlemen. I got held up.”

Dan’s first impression was of a slim, beautiful woman with satiny café au lait skin, high cheekbones, eyes the color of autumn leaves, and lips many women would pay to possess. She wore her brown hair pulled back, and he noted the absence of makeup.

Jennifer didn’t need it.

“Thank you for agreeing to meet with us,” Gary began after first introducing them. “I hope it was a successful trip.”

She smiled as she took a seat. “Yes, it was, but tiring. Now, how can I help Boston PD?”

“We’d like to talk to you about Mark Wilson.”

“Then I’ll admit I’m puzzled.” A frown marred her smooth brow. “Why now? It’s been, what, twenty-one years since he died?”

“He didn’t just die, though, did he?” Dan observed. “Mark was murdered.”

Jennifer stiffened. “Not something I will ever forget, I assure you. I worked with Mark for almost two years. We were close.” She paused. “That still doesn’t answer my question. Why are you looking at his case?”

Dan focused on her body language, noting the hands she kept in the pockets of her lab coat, the faint frown that hadn’t left her since its first appearance.

“His death is one of several cold cases that we’re investigating,” Gary told her.

Riley glanced at his phone. “I remember the results of your work with Mark made headlines. Did your research get you the job with Takeda? I hear they’re really going places.”

She smiled. “I’d like to think their decision wasn’t based entirely on the research. I hope they saw someone who would not merely dovetail into their existing team but would also lead the company in new directions. It always makes me sad Mark never got to see the end result.”

“We managed to talk with some of your professors at UMass,” Dan told her.

Jennifer laughed. “I’m amazed they’re still there after all this time.”

He consulted his notes. “They described you as a very gifted student, with a lot of imagination, the willingness to try new things.”

She smiled. “I’m flattered they remember me.” Then she tilted her head. “But why would you want to ask them about me?”

“We asked questions about Mark too,” Gary informed her.

Dan watched for Jennifer’s reaction. Her face tightened a little around the mouth, but then she squared her shoulders and looked Gary in the eye. “I’m not surprised they remembered him. Mark was a gifted student. That was why I chose to work with him.”

“Your professors said he was the one who could talk a good game.” Gary stared at her. “They also told usyouwere the brains.”

That frown was back. “I couldn’t have done it without him. It was a joint effort, I assure you.”