Still Life, (in the British Museum)

Cassie can not believe it. She and Kendra have just been in London for 24 hours and already they have found a body. A very dead body that she literally walked into!

1 hour earlier

Cassie followed the instruction of the desk clerk by descending down the amazingly shiny and polished marble staircase to the computers on the ground floor of the National Gallery museum. Cassie wanted to get a computer printout of Edgar Degas's Miss La La at the Cirque Fernando, which she just viewed upstairs. Degas had captured a woman in tights showing much more leg than appropriate in society at that time. Miss La La, was also in the cirque, which was another very unconventional occupation for the times. Which made Cassie feel a strong connection to the artwork making it so much more than just a pretty picture. The striking orange walls of the tent against her pale skin was perfect for a room in the house she and Mike were about to rent in Tiburon.

She was surprised when at the landing the lights beyond the computer area went out and a large bang was heard. Cassie jumped, but, then inched forward and pushed on the partially open the door leading into the computer area. As she reached for the light, she wondered how quiet this room area of hallways was, when the National Gallery was filled to the brim today with visitors and with staff? The bulbs flickered and then flooded the room with bright light. Cassie’s foot hit an object on the floor before her eyes adjusted and she threw herself backwards against the wall and then she screamed. To her surprise, no one came. After some deep breaths, she reopened her eyes and it confirmed that is truly was a body. A very young woman, whom had lost a lot of blood. Blood that Cassie was trying to avoid by now leaning against on the wall. Cassie retrieved her cell phone out of her coat pocket and texted Kendra. “Come down here now! And get the police!”

Her hand on the phone was now covered in blood and the phone as well, realizing as well that her coat and hair were now covered in evidence as well, made for a very interesting and revolting taste in her mouth. Trying not to “lose her lunch” all over the crime scene, she shuts her eyes and imagines Daemon, Mike’s Airedale Terrier begging for a walk with the leash in his mouth and his paws on her shoulders. Which immediately made her laugh and drew Kendra to her and away from the pool of blood, which continued to spread along the floor. Leaning against a wall she relaxed, but, feeling that she was not alone.

The door creaked and Cassie opened her eyes and yelled, “don’t come in”! There is a dead young woman…on the floor! Did you call the police? "Yes", Kendra replied, "the desk clerk did and they are", her sentence was interrupted by the crying sirens of the vehicles as they screeched thru the streets of Whitehall and into Trafalgar Square.

The first policeman to enter was running and stepped into the hallway too quickly. As he drew his gun, he stepped into a large pool of blood and slid about 15 feet down the hall as if sliding on ice. Cassie just started giggling and Kendra quickly stepped in the doorway to prevent anymore well meaning, gun waving, “coppers” from sliding into and thru the crime scene. Kendra was met by a security guard and 5 police officers, but, stepping to the front was DCI Jason Hughes. Without a word, Kendra let him pass thru the door. As everyone could hear Cassie giggling, like an infection, the officers and EMT's joined her, which within seconds of seeing DCI Hughes's Sargent sliding down the hallway, all then gave way to raucous laughter, DCI Hughes, was not laughing. With a face and neck that looked like it was going to explode he roared at Cassie, “Who the bloody hell are you?” He yelled.