I prayed we would find some answers . . . because it didn’t seem like we had that many options right now. Velma’s life depended on us being at our best.
I couldn’t bear the thought of letting her down.
Two hours later, the three of us had hit every door at the complex.
No one had seen anything.
Only a couple people even knew who Velma was and had met her. Several people looked interested and concerned but knew nothing. One seemed hungry for gossip and kept asking questions.
But as Oscar, Michael, and I stood in the parking lot, I felt the defeat hanging around us.
This wasn’t the outcome any of us wanted. The outcome of no progress. No forward movement. No direction.
I crossed my arms and leaned against Oscar’s BMW, not ready to give up yet. “There has to be something else we can do. I just can’t go home now and sleep like nothing happened.”
“Me neither.” Michael hovered beside me, looking equally as concerned.
Oscar let out a long breath, sweat sprinkled across his wide forehead. This was the most work he’d done in a long time, and it was good to see him sweat.
“We can keep talking to people but, without any other clues, I’m at a loss as to what else we might be able to do.”
I hated to admit it, but so was I. The timeline might help us in the long run, but it wouldn’t help us to find Velma now. And that was what we needed to do.
The only thing that comforted me was knowing that the killer didn’t usually kill his victims right away. He kept them alive, for some reason.
I shuddered to think what that might mean. But, if I understood correctly, most of the victims hadn’t been mutilated. I supposed that was good news.
“How about this?” Oscar straightened. “We go our separate ways now. We can each brainstorm on our own tonight. When we come together tomorrow morning, maybe we’ll have some more ideas.”
Michael and I both stared at him. I’d wanted more leadership. More guidance.
But that wasn’t what we’d gotten.
Oscar shrugged, as if sensing our disappointment. “That’s all I know to do right now. With no clues . . . our hands are tied.”
I hated to admit it, but Oscar was right. There really wasn’t anything else we could do right now. We needed something to give us direction before we took the next step. No one had seen anything. No evidence had been left. There were no leads we could follow. This wasn’t acceptable.
“On the way home, I’ll swing by and talk to a friend of the fourth victim,” Oscar said. “The other victim . . . the one that was just found last week . . . I’m not sure her family is going to be willing to talk yet. Her death is too fresh.”
“Besides, from what I read, her family is down in Texas,” I added. “According to what I heard, she had no friends here.”
“Which again makes this more complicated,” Oscar said. “Still, she had some coworkers. She had neighbors. We should talk to anyone we can.”
Michael and I both nodded.
A few minutes later, after Oscar drove away, Michael and I turned to each other. We didn’t have to say a word to know what the other was thinking.
This is our worst-case scenario. Our friend had been taken, and we were powerless to help her.
“I have to go pick up Chloe in a minute.” Michael stepped toward me and rubbed my arms. After glancing over his shoulder and checking to see if Oscar was out of sight, he pulled me into a hug. “Are you holding up okay?”
“I guess.”
“Storms eventually pass,” Michael murmured. “It never feels like it when you’re in the middle of them, though.”
I knew he told the truth. I was definitely at the point where I felt as if the storm stretched on for miles and miles. Swirling yet remaining stationary—just like the overwhelming feeling I’d experienced earlier.
Michael stepped back and studied my face. “How about we get pizza and take it back to my house and hang out? We can talk there for a little while and see if we can come up with something. I know Chloe would love to see you.”
I smiled at the sound of Chloe’s name. “That sounds nice. But drop me off at the office first so I can get my car. That way I don’t have to worry about getting home.”
“It’s a plan.” Michael gently pressed a kiss to my forehead before backing away. “Let’s go.”
Chapter Seven
“Henry keeps pulling my ponytail.” Chloe put another piece of pizza on her plate and rolled her eyes. “He drives me crazy.”
I felt a smile tugging at my lips. I loved hearing Chloe’s perspective on life. She was always so full of energy and love. What was there not to love about this little girl?
“I know it sounds strange.” Michael leaned toward her from across the kitchen table, as if sharing a secret. “But sometimes when boys do things like that, it’s actually because they like you.”
Chloe twisted her lips and narrowed her eyes. “That makes no sense.”
“I know,” Michael said. “Life is really confusing sometimes, isn’t it?”
She lifted her slice of pizza, about to take another bite. Before she did, she chirped, “Yes, it is. Do you ever pull Elliot’s ponytail, Daddy?”
He let out a quick laugh. “No, I like doing much more annoying things to her like staring at her until she blushes.”
I elbowed him.
Chloe shrugged, unaffected. “I’m really glad I’m having pizza right now. Especially with the two of you.”
Michael and I exchanged a smile. Michael hadn’t told Chloe yet that we were dating. We were going to get to know each other just a little better before we broke the news to her. The last thing I wanted was for Chloe to get too attached and then for something to happen between Michael and me.
I understood that protecting his daughter was one of the most noble things Michael could do.
“Did you guys have a good day?” Chloe looked back and forth between the two of us with an almost comical look on her face. I was convinced she was a mini adult.
I wanted to tell the girl that things were great. But I remembered Velma, and I knew I couldn’t do that. There was too much at stake right now.
“It was another one of those days where we had to work really hard.” Michael’s voice turned serious. “But that’s what you do when you believe in something, right? You work hard.”
Chloe offered another little eye roll. “You always say that, Daddy.”
“Only because it’s true.”
Before we could talk anymore, the doorbell rang. Michael excused himself to answer. I couldn’t help but wonder who might be here. His parents maybe?
I hadn’t met them yet. Truthfully, I was a little nervous about being introduced. They were the pastors at a mega church in the area, and, from everything I’d seen and heard about them, they were the picture of the perfect Christian power couple.
The problem was that I’d been around long enough to know there was no such thing as the perfect Christian family or couple. Something about seeing people try so hard to fit that image turned my stomach.
When Michael didn’t return after a few minutes, I decided to check on him. Had Oscar stopped by? What if something was wrong?