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Lindy’s eyes were open, staring blankly at the ceiling. It looked like she’d been hit by a heavy object right on her forehead, but I couldn’t see what the weapon might have been.
“Holly!” I called out.
When she appeared from the back of the building, I said, “Don’t come any closer, so we protect the area.” I didn’t say crime scene, but that was clearly what it was. I reached out a trembling hand to Lindy’s neck. I glanced up to meet Holly’s questioning look. I shook my head.
Holly clapped her hand over her mouth, eyes wide.
“Let’s get out of the building,” I whispered.
I used a tissue to open the door, and we stepped outside, both of us gasping for air as if we’d been running.
It seemed like it took the better part of an hour for the police to get there, but I realized later it must have been fewer than fifteen minutes. While we waited, Holly paced nervously at the sidewalk. “What is going on? First Frank, now Lindy? Do you think it was a burglary or something? Something unrelated?”
I shook my head. “I kind of doubt it. It seems too coincidental.” I reached out and gave Holly a hug, and she gave a small sob. “I’m so sorry.”
The police finally pulled up, sirens wailing and lights flashing. An ambulance did the same. I looked sadly at the ambulance, knowing there was no one in there to save, only to transport.
One of the officers came over to ask Holly and me to stay where we were. Others went inside. A minute later, they were out again, stringing up crime scene tape while Holly and I watched mutely.
We were sitting on the curb by the time the police came over to speak with us. One of the younger cops gave us a sympathetic look. “Lieutenant Roberts is on his way over and wants to speak with both of you. Want to sit over there instead?” He gestured to a set of stairs to another business. The steps were in the shade. “You might be more comfortable. It’s getting hot out here.”
Holly and I took him up on it. It was another fifteen minutes before Lt. Roberts arrived, went briefly inside, and then came back out to talk to us.
“How are you doing?” he asked.
It was a good way to open. I was sure Holly and I both looked tired and stressed. I’d thought he might begin by asking us what we’d been doing there. The kindness in his voice made tears slowly streak down Holly’s face.
“We’re okay,” she said finally in a tight voice. “Better than Lindy, anyway.”
Maybe Holly anticipated his next question because she pulled the photo out of her tote bag of a purse. “We were here to give Lindy this.”
The lieutenant took the photo from us, studying it carefully.
“I found it when Ann and I were cleaning out Frank’s place. I thought she might want it.” Holly impatiently swiped at a tear.
Roberts nodded. “Was Lindy usually at the office this early?”
Holly shrugged a shoulder and glanced at me.
I cleared my throat. “I saw Lindy at the memorial service yesterday. She mentioned she didn’t want to work here anymore, but that she was planning on coming in early today to wrap some things up. When Holly mentioned bringing Lindy the photo, I thought we should run by early to make sure we caught her before she left.”
“Which we didn’t do,” choked out Holly.
Roberts took in a deep breath. “I’m very sorry you had to find her like that. Can you tell me about coming into the building? Were the doors open? Unlocked? Did you notice anything out of the ordinary?”
“Besides Lindy, you mean?” Holly’s voice was harsh.
Roberts nodded.
Holly glanced over at me again.
I said, “The door was unlocked. We walked in. The only thing that struck us as weird is that we couldn’t find Lindy. Holly recognized her car, and so we knew she was here. But there was no sign of her.” I hesitated. “I’d never been in the office before, but it looked like everything was in order to me. It didn’t look like someone had ransacked the place, searching for something.”
“Did you move the body?” asked Roberts.
Holly flinched at his reference to Lindy as a body.
I shook my head. “I only felt for a pulse once we found Lindy. We weren’t expecting to see her on the floor, of course.” I swallowed. “But no, we didn’t move her. And, when we left the building, I opened the door with a tissue. Of course, we didn’t do that on the way inside.”
Roberts nodded. “We’re going to need to take your fingerprints so we can eliminate them.”
Holly and I both nodded. But I knew the chances of finding the killer’s fingerprints were pretty slim. It was a dental practice—there were going to be tons of fingerprints on every surface. Plus, the killer might have worn gloves.
Roberts said, “Tell me a little about Lindy. Did you know her well?”
Holly shook her head. “Not as well as I should have. She was my brother’s girlfriend, of course—you knew that, right?”
Roberts bobbed his head to indicate he had.
Holly blew out a sigh. “Their relationship was still pretty new. Less than a year. I was surprised Frank had jumped right into a relationship like that. After all, I thought the divorce process had been rough on him.”
“Your brother missed his ex-wife? June?”
Holly snorted. “No. No, I don’t think he missed her at all. They were sort of an odd couple, I always thought. But the divorce itself was tough. June was trying to get more money and more assets, saying she deserved more. And it all seemed to drag on. I knew Frank just wanted it over and done with.”
“You say they were going out for less than a year? Do you know when he started dating Lindy?” asked Roberts.
Holly considered this. “I don’t exactly know, but I know it’s been months. It wasn’t like he was seeing Lindy at the same time he was married or anything. He was divorced when they started dating.”
“Did that cause any issues at work?” asked Roberts. “Considering they were coworkers?”
Holly said, “Not as far as I know. I’m not sure Carl was thrilled about it. Of course, an office romance isn’t great when things aren’t going well, but Frank seemed happy with Lindy. And she was devastated when Frank died.” Holly’s voice cracked a little at the end.
Roberts nodded. Then his gaze narrowed as a car entered the parking lot.