Robert Ellis: CITY OF FIRE, Chapter 10

"Sixteen hours ago Nikki Brant stood five feet two inches tall and weighed ninety-eight and one-quarter pounds. Now her small body was laid out on a cold sheet of stainless steel, the ultimate violation complete. Lena watched Lamar Newton take what would be the last photograph of the young woman. When the flash of light died out, the medical examiner moved in, pushing her chest cavity back together and lacing the child-like body up with a heavy black twine as if she were nothing more than an old, worn-out shoe."

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Robert Ellis: CITY OF FIRE, Chapter 9

An art college in Pasadena, California, Midday ...

James Brant’s alibi and story for the brutal killing of his wife have reached crash and burn status before the detectives’ eyes. Lena and Novak drive out to the art college where Nikki Brant taught and learn that she argued with her husband a lot. Nikki was an orphan and wanted a child. James didn’t want children, now or ever. Things get worse when Lena and Novak interview Nikki’s doctor. On the night she was stabbed to death, Nikki was ten weeks pregnant. It would have been a boy …

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Robert Ellis: CITY OF FIRE, Chapter 8

Main Street, Venice Beach, California. Midday ...

THE DREGGCO CORPORATION, FOOD TASTES BETTER IF DREGGCO EATS IT FIRST. Brant claims that at the time of his wife's murder he was working at the lab. Lena and Novak learn from his boss that the lab plays with the DNA in our food. They try to verify Brant’s alibi, but his boss tells them that last night Brant let his assistants go home early. He was alone at the time of his wife’s brutal killing, and has no one to back him up …

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