decided to stay away from him.” She adjusted her sample bag in her arms. “Now I’m glad I did.”
Brenda thanked her and dropped her business card in the woman’s purse. “Call me if you think of anything else.”
Susie hurried toward her apartment, and Brenda considered knocking on the neighbors’ doors. But Jake and Nick appeared outside and glared at her, and she decided she’d better drive to her parents’ for dinner.
Nick and Jake would canvass the neighbors. Then she’d find out what they’d discovered.
Although she could stop by that trucking company on the way to her folks’ house.
After all, her parents had made her wait for answers.
They could wait this time.
Nick took the right side of the building and Jake the left. He caught the woman Brenda had been talking to as she reached her condo.
“Listen,” she said, tucking her sales kit beneath her arm. “I already told the reporter I don’t know anything. I’m sorry about that man’s death, but we weren’t friends. I was never in his apartment, and we never socialized.”
Of course irritating, nosy Brenda had gotten to her first. “Did you see him with any women?”
“A few came and went, but there wasn’t anyone special.”
“What about night before last or yesterday midday?”
“I didn’t see anything. I was at a convention in Knoxville.”
Nick thanked her, then gave her his card and strode to the next condo. He rang the bell, but no one answered, and when he looked inside, the place was empty.
The next unit had a For Rent sign in the yard and was also vacant. He rang the last doorbell and identified himself when an elderly man answered.
The man leaned on his cane. “Eh, sorry, I’m a little hard of hearing.”
Nick nodded. “Sir, did you know Mr. Logger who lived in 112B?”
The man adjusted his hearing aid as he peered around the corner. “No, don’t believe I did. Why? What’s going on?”
Nick debated whether to tell him. He didn’t want to worry the old man. “Just asking some questions.” He showed the man a photo of Logger. “This is Mr. Logger. Did you ever see him with a woman?”
“A what?”
“A woman!” Nick hated to shout, but it was necessary.
“I don’t pay no mind to the neighbors,” he said. “My wife’s been sick, so I stay in taking care of her.”
“I’m so sorry,” Nick said. “Thanks for your time.”
He texted Jake that his canvass had turned up nothing, and that he was on his way to the trucking company, then headed to his car.
Maybe Logger’s boss could offer more information about the victim.
And hopefully forensics would turn up something that would lead to the strangler.
Although he had a bad feeling that the killer hadn’t left any evidence behind.
Brenda parked in the Mountain Truckers lot, noting three eighteen-wheelers and a row of rental moving trucks in a separate fenced-in area.
Sunlight was fading, the treetops shimmering a silver gray. The March wind added a chill to the air, a reminder that winter hadn’t yet left the ridges and peaks of Slaughter Creek.
A metal fence surrounded the property, and the scent of gasoline permeated the air. She crossed the graveled lot, wobbling on the uneven surface. A double-wide trailer served as the office. She climbed the wooden steps, then rapped on the door.
She didn’t bother to wait for someone to answer. She opened the screen, then the wooden door, and stepped inside. A metal desk sat to her left, and the rest of the space was divided into two offices, one on each side. A young girl with bleached-blond hair looked annoyed as she dropped her phone. Judging from the gooey expression on her face, she was obviously texting, not working. The nameplate on her desk read “Tia.”
“Can I help you?”
“I’d like to speak to the manager.”
“You need a rental?”
“No,” Brenda said. “I’m actually a reporter.”
The girl’s eyes widened in recognition. “Oh, right! You’re Brenda from the
Brenda thanked her and dropped her business card in the woman’s purse. “Call me if you think of anything else.”
Susie hurried toward her apartment, and Brenda considered knocking on the neighbors’ doors. But Jake and Nick appeared outside and glared at her, and she decided she’d better drive to her parents’ for dinner.
Nick and Jake would canvass the neighbors. Then she’d find out what they’d discovered.
Although she could stop by that trucking company on the way to her folks’ house.
After all, her parents had made her wait for answers.
They could wait this time.
Nick took the right side of the building and Jake the left. He caught the woman Brenda had been talking to as she reached her condo.
“Listen,” she said, tucking her sales kit beneath her arm. “I already told the reporter I don’t know anything. I’m sorry about that man’s death, but we weren’t friends. I was never in his apartment, and we never socialized.”
Of course irritating, nosy Brenda had gotten to her first. “Did you see him with any women?”
“A few came and went, but there wasn’t anyone special.”
“What about night before last or yesterday midday?”
“I didn’t see anything. I was at a convention in Knoxville.”
Nick thanked her, then gave her his card and strode to the next condo. He rang the bell, but no one answered, and when he looked inside, the place was empty.
The next unit had a For Rent sign in the yard and was also vacant. He rang the last doorbell and identified himself when an elderly man answered.
The man leaned on his cane. “Eh, sorry, I’m a little hard of hearing.”
Nick nodded. “Sir, did you know Mr. Logger who lived in 112B?”
The man adjusted his hearing aid as he peered around the corner. “No, don’t believe I did. Why? What’s going on?”
Nick debated whether to tell him. He didn’t want to worry the old man. “Just asking some questions.” He showed the man a photo of Logger. “This is Mr. Logger. Did you ever see him with a woman?”
“A what?”
“A woman!” Nick hated to shout, but it was necessary.
“I don’t pay no mind to the neighbors,” he said. “My wife’s been sick, so I stay in taking care of her.”
“I’m so sorry,” Nick said. “Thanks for your time.”
He texted Jake that his canvass had turned up nothing, and that he was on his way to the trucking company, then headed to his car.
Maybe Logger’s boss could offer more information about the victim.
And hopefully forensics would turn up something that would lead to the strangler.
Although he had a bad feeling that the killer hadn’t left any evidence behind.
Brenda parked in the Mountain Truckers lot, noting three eighteen-wheelers and a row of rental moving trucks in a separate fenced-in area.
Sunlight was fading, the treetops shimmering a silver gray. The March wind added a chill to the air, a reminder that winter hadn’t yet left the ridges and peaks of Slaughter Creek.
A metal fence surrounded the property, and the scent of gasoline permeated the air. She crossed the graveled lot, wobbling on the uneven surface. A double-wide trailer served as the office. She climbed the wooden steps, then rapped on the door.
She didn’t bother to wait for someone to answer. She opened the screen, then the wooden door, and stepped inside. A metal desk sat to her left, and the rest of the space was divided into two offices, one on each side. A young girl with bleached-blond hair looked annoyed as she dropped her phone. Judging from the gooey expression on her face, she was obviously texting, not working. The nameplate on her desk read “Tia.”
“Can I help you?”
“I’d like to speak to the manager.”
“You need a rental?”
“No,” Brenda said. “I’m actually a reporter.”
The girl’s eyes widened in recognition. “Oh, right! You’re Brenda from the
Similar Books
