has them labelled as number 4796 from the Silky Salves Collection of lipsticks. Verona has nicknamed them "The Call Girl's Delight" for the tacky, unwearable clown-make-up shade of red that could make anyone look like they had just wandered up from the red light district. The lubricant that was unique to the Silky Salves Collection was not mixing well with the pigment. You know how old lipgloss sometimes looks like coagulated blood, two distinct substances forming in one tube? Verona's new task was to find an additive that would prevent the color from separating from the oil. Her gloves snapped as she pulled them on. She pumped up her earbuds with some good, loud music with a strong bass, and got to work. She had her computer nearby in order to log the results. The glyceric sample was just starting to show some promise when she saw a chat box pop-up behind her spreadsheet.
QTπ: U hear bout those dead kids?
Verona laughed to herself. "Nice screen name, Charlie." It was her friend Charlotte who worked a few cubicles over. They'd had lunch almost every day this week and were running out of celebrity gossip. It really seemed like Brad Pitt was going to stay with that hussy Angelina. Verona logged four more samples and then responded.
LabMonkie: Yeah. On the radio.
QTπ: heard they were at Raven's Bane the night they were killed.
Verona frowned as her gloved hand hovered over the sample she was working on. Raven's Bane was an occult shop in town. It was the only store of its kind within a 40 mile radius. The annoying thing about it is that if you were seen there, people knew you were into the stuff. Word gets around town fast. Verona avoided it when she could and preferred to go into New York City for her favorite ritual oils, herbs, and incense.
LabMonkie: 'Lil witchlings looking for trouble? Can't be related to the murder.
QTπ: I have theories. Grab lunch in 20?
LabMonkie: Sure.
The samples in front of her had suddenly lost their appeal. "Now, don't get excited," she told herself, a low mumble over the thumping tunes pounding through her ears. "This isn't a case, this isn't a case, this IS NOT a case," she repeated to herself. She could get a few chemicals from her lab, if she could get her supervisor to approve them to do some tests. Just to borrow. It's not like she wouldn't replace them. She pulled out a supply request slip and wrote "luminol." That would be a good place to start. She knew there was something suspicious about that cop.
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QTπ: U hear bout those dead kids?
Verona laughed to herself. "Nice screen name, Charlie." It was her friend Charlotte who worked a few cubicles over. They'd had lunch almost every day this week and were running out of celebrity gossip. It really seemed like Brad Pitt was going to stay with that hussy Angelina. Verona logged four more samples and then responded.
LabMonkie: Yeah. On the radio.
QTπ: heard they were at Raven's Bane the night they were killed.
Verona frowned as her gloved hand hovered over the sample she was working on. Raven's Bane was an occult shop in town. It was the only store of its kind within a 40 mile radius. The annoying thing about it is that if you were seen there, people knew you were into the stuff. Word gets around town fast. Verona avoided it when she could and preferred to go into New York City for her favorite ritual oils, herbs, and incense.
LabMonkie: 'Lil witchlings looking for trouble? Can't be related to the murder.
QTπ: I have theories. Grab lunch in 20?
LabMonkie: Sure.
The samples in front of her had suddenly lost their appeal. "Now, don't get excited," she told herself, a low mumble over the thumping tunes pounding through her ears. "This isn't a case, this isn't a case, this IS NOT a case," she repeated to herself. She could get a few chemicals from her lab, if she could get her supervisor to approve them to do some tests. Just to borrow. It's not like she wouldn't replace them. She pulled out a supply request slip and wrote "luminol." That would be a good place to start. She knew there was something suspicious about that cop.
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