| |
11:30AM
I left the Stapleton’s residence heading toward the newly developed shopping district that contained the Mall. A real estate developer had built apartment complexes nearby. I could hit the mall and the apartment complex in the direction of downtown and the station. I drove into the parking lot of Woodbridge Apartments finding the leasing office in the center of the property. A newer Mercedes was parked outside. The manager of the complex appeared to be playing a game on her tablet.
“Excuse me are you the manager?”
“I am how can I help you?
“Detective Roman Lee of the Kirkwood PD Mam.”
She immediately put down her tablet.
“I would like to look at Melissa Stapleton’s apartment if I could.”
I walked with the manager across the parking lot to building H. She rapidly entered in the passcode disarming the lock on the exterior door. We walked down a flight of stairs to the garden level. She opened the door to the apartment with her master key.
She started to smell the air escaping from the empty apartment.
“I knew it.”
“Knew what?”
“A cat or a pet I smell animal of some sort. I thought I saw a cat sitting in her window the other day. We do not allow pets.
“Mam, can you please step outside I’ll be out in just a minute or so.” I glanced around the apartment taking a quick mental inventory. Melissa appeared to have been neat and organized. There were no dirty dishes, everything was clean. There was a small litter box but not a cat in sight unless it was hiding somewhere. I saw a laptop and a Tablet. I would get the forensics team down here later to retrieve those. I exited the apartment and closed the door.
“Did she have a car registered here?”
“She does and it’s still parked in the carport. Reminds me I need to pass out expired plate notices.”
I called the tow company because I needed to impound the car, I gave instructions to the dispatcher to take it to our evidence lot. I texted Lonnie to tell him that I was stopping at the mall and would be back shortly. He replied I thought you were just going to the Stapleton’s. I texted back what I had done so far. Got it he replied. The Mall was one of the best in the State and recently advertised the addition of some new upscale stores. 21’s was located in the middle of the mall. I walked into the store to the greeting of some retro club music. The bass amped up so much that the speakers were fighting for their lives.
“What brings you in today a small petite brunette in her twenty’s purred.
“There a manager around?”
“No but I’m the Assistant manager.”
“I’m here regarding Melissa Stapleton.”
“We cannot stop talking about it. She was such a great person everyone liked her.”
“Any idea who saw her last when she worked?”
“I did Detective. We made the night drop at the Bank and she drove off.”
“Did she seem upset in any way or act strangely like something was bothering her.”
“Not really. She did mention that she had a financial situation but was confident she had a way to resolve it.”
“Anyone hanging out near the store and bothering her.”
“Not really no.”
“Take my card. Call me if you or anyone else can think of something that might be significant. You can also text or email.”
She took the card and put it in her back pocket.