Page 25 of Wild Idol

Jack said, “This just keeps getting weirder and weirder.” he paused. “Maybe Emily stole the car to pay off a drug debt.”

At this point, anything was possible.

“Or maybe she was just out for a joyride.”

“You know Brenda’s gonna ID the body eventually,” JD said. “We’re gonna come right back here and tell that woman her daughter is dead.” Jack frowned and shook his head.

We climbed into the Porsche and headed back to the station to fill out reports.

Afterward, we headed back to theAvventuraand called it a night. We’d had enough chaos for one day.

In the morning, we got an early start and headed over to Matthew Langston’s apartment. He lived in the HarborLights Apartments. From that location, you couldn’t see the harbor.

It was a decent complex with a series of four-unit structures, all built around a central pool. The lot was unsecured, and there was no gate around the property.

JD found a place to park. We hopped out and walked the path to unit C204. We climbed the steps, and I put a heavy fist against the door. The amber sun crested the horizon, casting long rays. A few palm trees swayed overhead in the breeze. The grounds were relatively well maintained. The pool was nice and clean, with plenty of lounge chairs and a barbecue grill.

From my research, Matthew was a bartender at Beach. He got popped on a DUI a few years ago and was in the system.

Footsteps shuffled to the door a moment later. His muffled voice spilled out. “Who is it?”

I flashed my badge to the lens and made introductions.

Matthew pulled open the door and wiped the sleep from his eyes. “What’s the problem?”

“No problem. We just need to ask you a few questions.”

He was a handsome guy in his mid-20s with close-cropped brown hair, brown eyes, a rugged jaw, and a dimpled chin. He had a boyish charm about him. Matt’s arms were sleeved in tattoos. He’d answered the door wearing only boxers.

“When was the last time you saw Emily Fowler?”

His brow knitted like it was an absurd question. “Haven’t seen her in a long time. It’s been a few months, at least. Why? Is there some kind of problem?”

“No. We just need to ask you a few routine questions.”

“What kind of trouble is she in?“ he asked, knowing better.

“Do you know where we can find her?”

15

“Have you tried her apartment?” Matt asked.

“She wasn’t there,” I said.

He shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you.“

“Why did you split up?”

“She just changed. I mean, she just wasn’t my girlfriend anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

“She had all that plastic surgery,” he said with a look of disgust. “She didn’t even look like herself anymore. I mean, I don’t even like Sable, and my girlfriend went and made herself look just like her. That’s kind of nuts, if you ask me. What was she going to do? Make a living as a Sable impersonator forever?” His face twisted again. “That was stupid.”

“Was the breakup your idea?”

“Yeah, pretty much.”