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BILLY AND I STOOD BY the window and watched as Alex sat down on the floor of the office with Raz chewing a bone, his big head in her lap.
“I’m telling you,” Billy said in a somewhat hushed voice. “It was like he knew something was wrong.”
I said, “They say dogs don’t really have a sixth sense. But you have to wonder...”
Alex looked over at me and Billy. “Whoever killed that dog is going to pay.”
Billy walked toward Alex, leaned down and rubbed Raz’s head. “You really think they thought it was Raz?”
Alex gave him a look. “I just gotta do what I can to keep him safe.” She looked around the office. “If that means hiding him here until we find whoever it was...”
Billy reached into his pocket and held out a treat Raz gobbled up in one bite. “Raz can stay as long as he wants. I can take him back to my house tonight.” He looked at Alex. “All three of you can stay over, if you want. Maybe it’s the safest place to be...at least for now.”
I looked at my watch. “I called and told Kayla I was still coming by, but it’d be a little late.”
Alex stood up. “I told Chris the same thing, but he was going to meet with the officers who came by the house, see if they came up with anything.” She shook her head and looked down at Raz. “I can’t get Mr. Greason’s face out of my mind. After his wife died, Kaiyuh was all he had.” Raz got up off the floor and leaned into Alex as she rubbed behind his ears. “All she did was come over to see Raz, like she always did. Poor dog...”
Billy walked toward the door. “I need to get back downstairs. Either of you need anything, give me a shout.”
“I’m meeting my friend downstairs,” Alex said as she looked down at her phone. “He might already be waiting for me.”
Billy nodded toward Raz. “He can sit down there with you. I don’t care if a customer complains...” He started down the stairs, then stopped. “No word on the kid?”
“Nate?” I shook my head. “Nothing.”
Billy continued down the stairs and I turned back to Alex. “Are you going to be okay?”
She nodded, but I wasn’t sure I believed her. Not by the look on her face. “Why would someone shoot a poor dog? I’d rather have them come after me...they want to prove a point or try to scare us.” She walked toward the window and looked out toward the darkness around the river. I could see her reflection in the glass...her arms folded at her chest.
I walked up behind her as she looked straight ahead, then before I could say a word she turned and wrapped her arms around me. “Please...be safe, Henry. We have no idea who we’re dealing with.”
We held each other, and I could feel a tear on her face drip down on my shoulder.
I backed away from her and looked right into her eyes. “I’m going to get whoever it is. I promise.”
Alex walked toward the door and pulled a leash from a hook on the wall. “I should go downstairs. Chris is probably waiting.”
I stood watching her as they headed down the stairs. “I’ll call you later to check-in...”
But I wasn’t sure if she heard me.
––––––––
BY THE TIME I GOT TO Kayla’s apartment, it was close to ten. Nine-forty-seven, to be exact. But before I stepped out of the Jeep, I looked down at my phone. I thought about calling Alex, just to make sure everything was okay. But I didn’t.
I looked up along the front of the building toward the seventh floor balconies. I knew one of them was Kayla’s, but no idea which one.
Some of the apartments were dark, with windows that were pitch black from the outside. Others were well lit from inside the apartments. Voices came from somewhere up above as tenants hung out on their balconies, talking and laughing. But I didn’t see anyone.
I walked under a covered area toward the lobby and pressed the button for Kayla’s apartment, number seven-two-oh-three. There was no sound when I pushed the button, and I assumed it worked. I looked in through the glass doors into the lobby and wondered if someone would walk out and let me inside.
I waited for Kayla to buzz me in.
After a couple of moments I pushed the button again. I pulled the paper from my pocket where I’d written her apartment number to make sure I had the right one.
I had the right place but there was no response.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed her number. It rang four or five times, but then went right to voicemail.
This is Kayla, you know what to do at the tone...
I started my message. “Hey, Kayla? It’s Henry Walsh. I know I’m late but I’m downstairs...outside the lobby. I think I have the right apartment, number seven-two-oh...”
There was a loud pop from somewhere behind me. Screams replaced the sounds of laughter from the balconies as I turned and ran to the edge of the sidewalk. I turned around the corner of the building and right there in front of me, in a pool of blood, was a body.
I looked up along the building and saw the dozens of people staring down from above...many screaming or crying. I yelled, “Somebody call nine-one-one!” then ran and leaned over what was clearly a woman’s body. And within a moment I recognized the hair. There was blood, but I knew the face.
Her twisted legs were on the strip of grass between the sidewalk and the building. The rest of her looked up from the concrete.
I reached down to check her pulse, but I’m not sure why I did.
I knew right away, Kayla was dead.