well. Yeah, they made up, and they made out. They practically had sex in his kitchen, against the wall. Damn it. She tried to clear her head.
"I guess he realized there was no truth to the gossip."
"Don't be surprised if he makes a move on you next."
She swung her head around in shock. It felt like she nearly sprained her neck. “What!"
"Come on, Pellino. Don't tell me you didn't notice the way he was looking at you. That you didn't feel his eyes on you when your back was toward him?"
Jerry shook his head. She stood speechless.
"You're out of practice. You've conditioned yourself to ignore any signs of interest from cops and firefighters for so long that you can't even notice when one's interested."
She was silent, as he held the door to the main entrance open for her. Her mind was stuck on the realization that Jerry could be right. Was she oblivious to the signs? If she had noticed, she would've never went to Luke's apartment alone. He probably thought she was flirting with him, asking for it. Oh, shit!
"Hey, what's wrong with you?"
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."
They stood outside of the apartment.
"What did you say this girl's name was?” Jerry asked.
"Janelle."
"Who lives here?"
"Their friend Casey and two other young women."
"All Ecuadorian decent?"
"I don't know. Why?"
"Just asking. It's a pretty shitty building, no security, easy access from the entrance, no cameras, and look at this door, the bolt is rotted to shit."
"What's your point? Half the damn places around this area of town are no different."
"That's true.” Jerry knocked on the door.
A few minutes later, they were in the apartment speaking with Janelle and her friend Casey. Janelle appeared to have a bit of an attitude. Diana's gut told her the women didn't trust them. She couldn't blame them for feeling that way.
"Do you recall if Lee seemed afraid or concerned that someone may be after her?” Jerry asked.
Janelle remained silent, then glanced at Casey.
"We're trying our best to find the person responsible for this. Please cooperate,” Diana said, in a soothing tone.
"I'll be right back. I have to check the stove.” Casey headed toward the kitchen, a mere twenty feet away from the living room. Diana exchanged glances with Jerry. Her partner seemed to read her mind. She stood up and headed to the kitchen while Jerry continued questioning Janelle.
"That smells delicious. Are you making locro soup?” Diana asked.
Casey looked surprised that she knew the soup. “You ever eat it?"
"Sure have. Ever go to Galapagos Cuisine downtown?"
"They're okay. If you like good Ecuadorian cuisine, you should try the little place around the corner."
"Louis'?” Diana asked.
Casey nodded yes.
She continued to speak with Casey about the food. She loved locro soup. It was an odd combination made with cheese, avocado, and potato. So delicious.
"Their empanadas are great."
"Lee loved their food.” Casey got all quiet.
"We'd been trying to get her out of that apartment to come live here with us, but she didn't want the extra four block commute."
"That's understandable. Guthery's is more than ten blocks from here. Did she walk or take mass transit?"
"She did both, but mostly walked. If she moved in with us here, she probably wouldn't have been able to afford the bus or the subway."
"Casey, I'm sorry about Lee. We're trying our best to figure out what happened and who is responsible. Can you think of anything that may help us? Did Lee mention anything to you? Did she seem scared or frightened?"
Casey stayed silent a few moments. Diana allowed her some space. Trust wasn't something that came easy.
"She mentioned the interview she did on television, and how some guy said that maybe that other clerk, Barbara, was killed because of her attitude. It was sick and Lee was so upset."
Casey closed her eyes a moment, then looked in the living room at Janelle. The two girls exchanged glances.
"What is it?” Diana asked.
"Lee remembered seeing some
"I guess he realized there was no truth to the gossip."
"Don't be surprised if he makes a move on you next."
She swung her head around in shock. It felt like she nearly sprained her neck. “What!"
"Come on, Pellino. Don't tell me you didn't notice the way he was looking at you. That you didn't feel his eyes on you when your back was toward him?"
Jerry shook his head. She stood speechless.
"You're out of practice. You've conditioned yourself to ignore any signs of interest from cops and firefighters for so long that you can't even notice when one's interested."
She was silent, as he held the door to the main entrance open for her. Her mind was stuck on the realization that Jerry could be right. Was she oblivious to the signs? If she had noticed, she would've never went to Luke's apartment alone. He probably thought she was flirting with him, asking for it. Oh, shit!
"Hey, what's wrong with you?"
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."
They stood outside of the apartment.
"What did you say this girl's name was?” Jerry asked.
"Janelle."
"Who lives here?"
"Their friend Casey and two other young women."
"All Ecuadorian decent?"
"I don't know. Why?"
"Just asking. It's a pretty shitty building, no security, easy access from the entrance, no cameras, and look at this door, the bolt is rotted to shit."
"What's your point? Half the damn places around this area of town are no different."
"That's true.” Jerry knocked on the door.
A few minutes later, they were in the apartment speaking with Janelle and her friend Casey. Janelle appeared to have a bit of an attitude. Diana's gut told her the women didn't trust them. She couldn't blame them for feeling that way.
"Do you recall if Lee seemed afraid or concerned that someone may be after her?” Jerry asked.
Janelle remained silent, then glanced at Casey.
"We're trying our best to find the person responsible for this. Please cooperate,” Diana said, in a soothing tone.
"I'll be right back. I have to check the stove.” Casey headed toward the kitchen, a mere twenty feet away from the living room. Diana exchanged glances with Jerry. Her partner seemed to read her mind. She stood up and headed to the kitchen while Jerry continued questioning Janelle.
"That smells delicious. Are you making locro soup?” Diana asked.
Casey looked surprised that she knew the soup. “You ever eat it?"
"Sure have. Ever go to Galapagos Cuisine downtown?"
"They're okay. If you like good Ecuadorian cuisine, you should try the little place around the corner."
"Louis'?” Diana asked.
Casey nodded yes.
She continued to speak with Casey about the food. She loved locro soup. It was an odd combination made with cheese, avocado, and potato. So delicious.
"Their empanadas are great."
"Lee loved their food.” Casey got all quiet.
"We'd been trying to get her out of that apartment to come live here with us, but she didn't want the extra four block commute."
"That's understandable. Guthery's is more than ten blocks from here. Did she walk or take mass transit?"
"She did both, but mostly walked. If she moved in with us here, she probably wouldn't have been able to afford the bus or the subway."
"Casey, I'm sorry about Lee. We're trying our best to figure out what happened and who is responsible. Can you think of anything that may help us? Did Lee mention anything to you? Did she seem scared or frightened?"
Casey stayed silent a few moments. Diana allowed her some space. Trust wasn't something that came easy.
"She mentioned the interview she did on television, and how some guy said that maybe that other clerk, Barbara, was killed because of her attitude. It was sick and Lee was so upset."
Casey closed her eyes a moment, then looked in the living room at Janelle. The two girls exchanged glances.
"What is it?” Diana asked.
"Lee remembered seeing some
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