Page 76

CHAPTER 74

MY PHONE RANG at half past five in the morning. After fumbling for it in the dark, I pressed the blinking button and said, “Joe? Joe, where are you?”

At first I heard nothing but my own shallow breathing. I said, louder this time, “Joe, are you okay? Joe? Hello? ”

“Lindsay. It’s Cappy. Sorry for the way-too-early call, but I thought you’d want to hear this news right away.”

My thoughts spun. Did Cappy know something about Joe?

“There’s been another ‘I said. You dead’ murder.”

“Oh, no. Oh, crap. Where are you?”

“There’s no need for you to come,” Cappy said, anticipating my next move.

I was already picturing waking Mrs. Rose and bringing Julie and Martha over when Cappy said, “No, really, Linds. CSU is here. We’ll start a canvass when we’ve cordoned off the scene.”

“Cappy, please. What the hell happened?”

“Oh. Sorry. At around 4 a.m. on Pine Street, a manager was bringing trash to a dumpster leased by the apartment building where he works. That’s where the manager found the vic. The ‘I said. You dead’ bit was written on her right forearm in lipstick. We’re taking her body to the ME’s office. Female in her mid-thirties, lying face up. No ID. The manager didn’t touch her and didn’t recognize her. Says he’s never seen her before. Hold a second … Lindsay, Ali wants to talk to you.”

Alexandra “Ali” Barnhart worked the night shift in the crime lab. I gripped my phone and waited out the shuffling sounds and other background noise until she came on the line.

“Sergeant? I’ll know more in a few hours, but I can tell you this: The victim was wearing expensive duds. Like going-out-to-dinner clothes, not party clothes. Her panties were ripped, but her skirt was in place and she wasn’t exposed. Her handbag was present but empty. No wallet, no makeup, no phone, no car keys. I didn’t see any skin or blood under her nails, which were well manicured. I bagged her hands.”

“Cappy’s bringing in the building manager for questioning?”

“Yes. His name is Ruben Burnett. He’s in the car now.”

I heard a grumble of a loud truck motor in the background. It sounded like a garbage truck.

“Is there enough light for good photos in situ?”

“Yes, and I’ll get more when she’s on the table. Sarge, we have got to get the body out of here right now. That’s a flatbed truck you hear, and it’s taking the dumpster and its contents to the lab. I’ll call you later.”

There was a click, then dead air. I had just reconnected my phone to the charger when it rang again. I grabbed at the night table, knocking the phone onto the floor, where it scurried under the bed. I grabbed the charger cord and pulled, begging the universe to show me Joe’s name when I looked at the screen.

But no.

“Linds?” It was Cindy.