Page 46 of Her Last Whisper

Both detectives left the vehicle parked on the street and entered through the garden to ascend the stairs to apartment #10.

Katie knocked on the door. They waited only a minute before it opened and a tall blonde stared at them. Her long hair slightly curled around her shoulders and she was dressed in casual yoga clothes.

“Emily Day?” asked Katie.

“Yes,” she replied, her blue eyes wide with amazement that two police officers stood at the door.

“I’m Detective Scott and this is Deputy McGaven. We spoke on the phone. I wanted to ask you a few questions.”

“Please come in.”

The detectives entered the small apartment. Everything looked the same as before, but Katie noted that the blanket was missing from the couch as well as the prescription bottles from the end table. Overall, the apartment was tidy and smelled of a flowery air freshener.

“I don’t know what I can help you with, but please ask away.”

Katie made herself comfortable on the couch; Emily sat in the chair across from her, while McGaven casually wandered around the living room.

Katie flipped open her small notebook and then focused on Emily. The woman appeared nervous. She kept rubbing her hands together and then wiping them down her thighs.

“Ms. Day, we’re trying to retrace Amanda’s last hours. Are you feeling up to it?”

Emily kept her focus on Katie and nodded.

“Amanda’s body was found early Thursday morning at Whispering Pines, and the medical examiner puts her time of death at 2a.m.”

Emily looked confused. “She was here.”

“What do you mean?”

“She was here on Wednesday night—well, she was here every night. I know because I was working at the hospital from 6p.m. to 6a.m.”

Katie made a note just to double-check her story.

“She must’ve left, or maybe someone came by to visit.”

Still shaking her head, Emily said, “No. No way. Amanda was terrified to go out at night. She would have never left.”

“When was the last time you spoke with her?” This was the first time Katie had seen some emotion from Emily. Her voice cracked as she held back the tears.

“It was on my dinner break around 10.30p.m. on Wednesday. She sounded fine and said that she was going to go to bed early and that I would see her in the morning. When I came home after my shift, I saw she wasn’t sleeping on the couch, but I assumed that she had gone running. That was the only time she would ever leave the house, either to go running or to the grocery store.”

“You’re sure about that time?”

“Absolutely sure.”

“Did you call her cell phone?”

“Amanda didn’t have a cell phone. She got rid of hers after the… incident.”

“I see. Did you notice anything different about Amanda?”

“No, she was scared but she seemed like everything was the same.”

“Who else did Amanda talk to?”

“I… I really don’t know,” she said and looked away.

“Emily, if you know something you have to tell us.”