Fifi. She hoped he was being gentle. The only thing worse than having a zombie Pomeranian in the apartment would be having zombie Pomeranian parts in the apartment. “There’s coffee,” Nathaniel said without taking his attention from his playmate. Well, there was one bit of good news.
After they’d gotten home the night before, they’d stayed awake until dawn poring over the files, looking for any leads but hadn’t had any luck. The problem was, most of the families hadn’t seen the girls in months to years and most of their friends had proven decidedly unwilling to talk to the authorities. Generally the first step in a murder investigation was rebuilding the victims’ lives, looking for connections. Thus far they’d found precious little.
She shuffled into the kitchen, poured herself a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter as she took the first long swallow. The bitter liquid burned her throat going down but did little to chase away her fatigue. “What’s on your agenda for today? Besides playing with zombie mutt?”
Nathaniel tossed the rope bone he’d been playing with to the side and stood up from the couch. He stretched, arching his back and groaned. He sounded like an old man. Then again, considering his age, she supposed he was. Ancient by human standards. Her lips twitched at the thought and she hid her smile behind her coffee cup. If he knew what she’d been thinking, he’d make her life miserable for at least the next century or so. “We’ve been trying this covert shit and it’s not working. I’m going to take the pics around to some of the local places, see if we get a hit. I’ll play concerned relative, not nosy cop.”
“Just keep it out of Lust. They know you there. I’m going to keep doing the covert shit as you so eloquently put it.”
***
It hadn’t taken long for Juliana to learn that only a couple of the girls wore their uniforms into work. Everyone else got there early and changed in the back. She’d just finished changing and was lacing up her boots when Candy sat next to her. Juliana looked around like she didn’t want to be overheard though she really didn’t care one way or the other. She leaned toward the other girl as if she was about to impart some great secret. “So, the girl that I replaced, what happened to her?”
A look of surprise flashed over Candy’s face, then she shrugged and turned away. “What would make you think anything happened?”
“Because that’s the kind of answer I keep getting. If nothing happened you’d just tell me that wouldn’t you?”
Candy looked over her shoulder with narrowed eyes. “You know you’re too smart to be working in a place like this. Too smart for your own good anyway.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means people who ask questions get into trouble. You should let it go.”
“If you think that’s going to get me to drop it, you’re mistaken.”
Moisture pooled in Candy’s eyes. “Cheryl’s gone and she ain’t coming back. I like you Jenn. Don’t dig where you aren’t wanted. It was sad and no one here wants to remember it.” With that she got up and left the dressing room without changing into her uniform.
Juliana glanced around to make certain the room was empty before making sure her knives were still in place in her boots. While she did so, she mulled the conversation she’d just had over in her head. Candy’s reaction seemed odd. Juliana could understand not wanting to talk about your coworker being killed, but it was more like Candy was warning her away for her own safety. Maybe they were closer to this than she and Nathaniel thought.
When Juliana started working the floor, she didn’t have time to dwell on what had happened. As usual Lust was packed. She and Candy were splitting the floor. Everywhere she went, every drink she delivered, Juliana listened to conversations. Watched for anyone looking too intently at the other girls. As usual she heard little of
After they’d gotten home the night before, they’d stayed awake until dawn poring over the files, looking for any leads but hadn’t had any luck. The problem was, most of the families hadn’t seen the girls in months to years and most of their friends had proven decidedly unwilling to talk to the authorities. Generally the first step in a murder investigation was rebuilding the victims’ lives, looking for connections. Thus far they’d found precious little.
She shuffled into the kitchen, poured herself a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter as she took the first long swallow. The bitter liquid burned her throat going down but did little to chase away her fatigue. “What’s on your agenda for today? Besides playing with zombie mutt?”
Nathaniel tossed the rope bone he’d been playing with to the side and stood up from the couch. He stretched, arching his back and groaned. He sounded like an old man. Then again, considering his age, she supposed he was. Ancient by human standards. Her lips twitched at the thought and she hid her smile behind her coffee cup. If he knew what she’d been thinking, he’d make her life miserable for at least the next century or so. “We’ve been trying this covert shit and it’s not working. I’m going to take the pics around to some of the local places, see if we get a hit. I’ll play concerned relative, not nosy cop.”
“Just keep it out of Lust. They know you there. I’m going to keep doing the covert shit as you so eloquently put it.”
***
It hadn’t taken long for Juliana to learn that only a couple of the girls wore their uniforms into work. Everyone else got there early and changed in the back. She’d just finished changing and was lacing up her boots when Candy sat next to her. Juliana looked around like she didn’t want to be overheard though she really didn’t care one way or the other. She leaned toward the other girl as if she was about to impart some great secret. “So, the girl that I replaced, what happened to her?”
A look of surprise flashed over Candy’s face, then she shrugged and turned away. “What would make you think anything happened?”
“Because that’s the kind of answer I keep getting. If nothing happened you’d just tell me that wouldn’t you?”
Candy looked over her shoulder with narrowed eyes. “You know you’re too smart to be working in a place like this. Too smart for your own good anyway.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means people who ask questions get into trouble. You should let it go.”
“If you think that’s going to get me to drop it, you’re mistaken.”
Moisture pooled in Candy’s eyes. “Cheryl’s gone and she ain’t coming back. I like you Jenn. Don’t dig where you aren’t wanted. It was sad and no one here wants to remember it.” With that she got up and left the dressing room without changing into her uniform.
Juliana glanced around to make certain the room was empty before making sure her knives were still in place in her boots. While she did so, she mulled the conversation she’d just had over in her head. Candy’s reaction seemed odd. Juliana could understand not wanting to talk about your coworker being killed, but it was more like Candy was warning her away for her own safety. Maybe they were closer to this than she and Nathaniel thought.
When Juliana started working the floor, she didn’t have time to dwell on what had happened. As usual Lust was packed. She and Candy were splitting the floor. Everywhere she went, every drink she delivered, Juliana listened to conversations. Watched for anyone looking too intently at the other girls. As usual she heard little of
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