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“Ms. North?” Winston caught her outside her front door as she locked up to leave.
She stepped off the porch. “May I help you?”
“I’m Detective Winston Lewis, homicide. May I speak to you for a moment?”
“I was just heading out.” She pointed toward her car with her keys. “Is this about Autumn?”
“Yes.” He squinted from the sunlight. “It’ll only take a few minutes.”
“Isn’t this Detective Wilks and Quarter’s case?” She gave him a once-over.
“I’m helping out.” He smiled. “Can we talk?”
She sighed, sliding her purse from her shoulder. “I only have a minute.” She sat on the green loveseat.
“I’d like to ask questions about LJ Witt.”
“LJ?” Her forehead puckered.
“He lived at Autumn’s before she moved in.” Winston pulled his pants up at the thighs and sat. “He was thirty-two, black, worked at the hardware store—”
“Yeah, he was a tenant.” She frowned. “What are you asking about him for?”
“What happened to him?”
“Um, he left.”
Winston got out his notepad. “Do you know where he went because from what I’ve seen he disappeared off the face of the earth.”
“He went back home to Illinois is what he told me.” She scratched the side of her head. “Why are you asking about LJ?”
“Where in Illinois?”
“I don’t know which city, but I think his mother was sick or something.”
“That would’ve been a year ago?”
She swallowed loud. “Yes.”
Winston wrote on his pad. “Can you tell me anything about his mother or his relatives?”
“No.” She grimaced. “We weren’t friends or anything. I had nothing to do with him except getting the rent.”
“Is there anything else you can tell me—”
“I’m sorry, Detective.” She jumped up. “I gotta go. Is there a reason you’re asking about LJ? Does it have something to do with Autumn’s murder?”
“His name came up during research, and we have to check any angle, that’s all.”
Nelda pushed her curls underneath her tam. “I know nothing about LJ besides what I told you.”
“I’ll let you go then.” Winston stood, smiling. “Have a nice day.”
****
“Nelda claims LJ went home to Illinois or something.” Winston opened a can of grape soda in his living room that night. “She seemed kinda tense.”
Grayson sat on Winston’s plaid couch, studying the picture of the light-skinned, buff black man with his hair in small twists. “Weird how someone just disappears.”
“I spoke to the manager of the hardware store where LJ worked.” Winston gulped soda and let out a loud breath. “He said he didn’t know what happened to him but he never came back.”
“It’s not normal for someone to leave and not tell their boss.”
“Well, the manager said LJ was kinda flakey and often would not show up for work without calling so he wasn’t surprised he left telling no one.” Winston sat beside Grayson and took the photo. “I’m gonna talk to Hart Carroll tomorrow.”
“Who is that?”
“He owns the property where LJ and Autumn stayed. Owns tons of property on that side of Baltimore.” Winston propped his foot on the coffee table. “Maybe he can give insight into what happened to LJ.”
“Why does this even matter? You think LJ’s disappearance is connected to Autumn’s murder?”
Winston took a long sip. “Possibly.”
The doorbell rang.
“I’m not expecting anyone.” Winston left the living room, reached the front door and checked the peephole. “Oh, it’s my baby.” He opened the door and pulled Dee into a smothering kiss. “To what do I owe this fabulous surprise?”
“Why’s Grayson’s car outside?” She sashayed past Winston and into the living room, her tight indigo jeans hugging her delicious hips.
“Shit.” Winston rushed behind her.
“What’s this?” Dee pointed to Grayson. “What’s going on here?”
“Let me explain,” Winston said.
“Oh, I want to hear this.” She wobbled her head, ponytail waving. “Why in the world is my ex-boyfriend in my current boyfriend’s living room?”
“Why are you always so paranoid?” Winston sat on the couch. “There’s no big conspiracy, and it’s got nothing to do with you.”
“Then what does it have to do with?” She rolled her eyes, lips pursed.
“I’ve been helping Grayson.” He got his soda and sipped it to avoid her tense glare.
“I’m confused as hell.” She laid her purse on the table.
“I didn’t attack Nelda or do any of the other shit she said,” Grayson said. “You didn’t believe me so Winston offered his help.”
“Oh, he did, did he? Why are you sticking your nose in my case, Winston?”
“Because I hate to see an innocent man dragged through the coals. Come on, Dee. Grayson wouldn’t kill anyone.”
“Nor would I attack a woman.”
“I don’t wanna believe Grayson did those things,” she said. “But, why would Nelda lie?”
“That’s what I’m trying to find out,” Winston said. “I found out about a tenant of hers named LJ Witt.” He passed Dee the photo. “He lived in Autumn’s place for three years prior to Autumn and a year ago, just left. Didn’t return to his job or anything and Nelda says he went home to Illinois to be with his sick mother.”
“So?”
“Doesn’t that seem odd to you?” Winston asked. “It seems like he disappeared. At least that’s what his friends are saying.”
“That is strange.” Dee studied LJ’s photo. “But, sometimes people have to leave quickly.”
“But, to never call your friends or to tell your boss you won’t return?” Grayson asked. “It makes little sense.”
“What does this have to do with Autumn?” Dee tossed the photo on the table and sat by the entertainment system.
“Heard of Hart Carroll?” Winston asked.
She rubbed her forehead. “No.”
“He owns the property Autumn stayed in,” Winston said. “I’m going to see him tomorrow and ask him about Autumn and LJ.”
“The hell you will.” Dee batted her eyes. “Connie and I will see him tomorrow. Stay out my case, Winston. I mean it. Let me handle this.”
“Okay.”
Grayson’s face lit up. “Thanks, Dee.”
She stood. “Don’t thank me yet.”
****
The next day, Dee and Connie waited in the empty parking lot of a desolate, white building with tinted windows and chains across the doors.
Dee surveyed the 9000-square foot structure from her car window. “Didn’t this used to be a strip mall back in the day?”
Connie looked at the sign where half the letters had fallen off. “Where is Carroll?” She checked the clock on the dashboard. “It’s nine fifty, and he said he’d be here by nine.”
A shiny, black Porsche Panamera turned into the lot, jamming 80’s soft rock music.
“Man.” Connie whistled. “Look at that car.”
“That must be him.”
The car came to a smooth stop and a lean man around 6’5 with sleek brown hair and long sideburns stepped out of it.
“He’s huge,” Connie whispered.
“Are you the detectives?” He wore a light-blue shirt with a red tie and suspenders.
“Yes, we are.” Dee opened her door. “Hart Carroll?”
“Yes, Ma’am.” He strutted toward them in cherry-brown, leather wingtips. “How are you?” He took his shades off when he approached, his eyes widening. “You’ve got to be the best-looking cops I’ve ever seen.” He did a deep laugh that shook his small belly.
“Thanks.” Dee introduced herself and then Connie. “We appreciate you taking time to talk to us.”
“No problem, Pretty Lady.” He hooked his shades on his pocket. “I hope you don’t mind meeting me out here. I plan on purchasing this property and have a meeting with the current owner here in a few minutes.”
“We won’t take up much of your time,” Connie said.
“Believe me, Cutie.” He leaned into her, his ivory skin shimmering in the sunlight. “I wouldn’t mind if you gals took all day.” Another obnoxious laugh escaped him. “Woo, you’re both something else.”
Dee sighed, playing off her dislike for Carroll. “Let’s get to Autumn Stuart.”
He nodded with lips tight. “It’s horrible what happened to her.”
“We read the statement you gave to the other officer. You said you have no dealings at all with your tenants, Autumn included?”
“None. Don’t even know their names. Detective Quarter, I own tons of commercial properties and rental homes. I have many managers who handle that side of things for me so I’m never involved with the tenants.”
“Why did you and LJ Witt have that big fight?” Connie cocked her head to the side.
Dee smirked at Connie’s attempt to trick Carroll.
“I never had a fight with LJ.” Carroll frowned, teeth showing. “Who the hell told you that?”
“So.” Dee rocked on her heels. “You at least know some of your tenants’ names, huh?”
Carroll’s eyebrows creased. “That was clever, Detective.”
Connie smiled.
“LJ left without paying his rent so I’m familiar with him.” He pulled at his collar. “I never had contact with him but Nelda says he was an okay person. Isn’t this about Autumn?”
“What did Nelda tell you about why LJ left?” Connie asked.
“Hm.” He slid his fingertips through his greasy hair. “Said he left to be with family.”
Dee nodded. “Some people say he disappeared.”
He let out a nervous chuckle. “What does LJ have to do with Autumn when he was a tenant before she even moved in? I’m confused, Brown Sugar.”
“Excuse me?” Dee did a double take. “Who you calling ‘Brown Sugar’?”
He gaped, batting his eyes. “Sorry.”
“You called us ‘gals’ before, and I should’ve checked your ass then.” Dee exhaled. “Watch it, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Put your shades back on, Mr. Carroll,” Dee grumbled. “We’re done here.”
“Are we?” He touched his top lip with his tongue. “Before you two head off would you like a snack? I could use a chocolate and vanilla swirl right about now.” He winked at Connie. “Made with a scoop of you two and me in the middle.” He cackled, putting on his shades. “Yeah, I’d like that very much.”
Connie gasped. “How dare you?”
“Mr. Carroll, don’t you ever talk to us like this again,” Dee said. “You got that?”
He stopped smiling.
Dee poked his chest. “When female detectives question you about a murder it’s best not to be a sexist, horny pig.”
“I apologize.” He straightened his tie.
“And, you wouldn’t have a chance with either of us in your dreams so don’t even go there,” Connie said.
“Whatever you say, Blondie.”
Connie scoffed, gripping her gun. “Did you call me ‘Blondie’? Dee, we gotta get out of here. I’m about to lose it.”
“Apologies again.” That slimy smirk still on his lips. “When I see beautiful women I lose my manners.”
“If we see you again,” Connie said. “You’d better have found them.”