her, she was lying face down on the tile. That would make sense if the person got her from behind.
Laurie gave a big shiver, and pressed her face against her knees.
“Laurie,” Casey said, “were you and Andrea close?”
Laurie gave a little sob. “No. I only knew her from classes. She was younger than me. She had her own friends. Her own life. So much ahead of her. It had nothing to do with me. None of it did.” She took another shuddering breath. “She didn’t deserve to die. Not like that.”
“Of course not. No one does.”
Laurie sniffed harshly, and slowly turned her head toward Casey, resting her cheek on her knees. A strange little smile fluttered on her lips, and her eyes looked almost manic for just a moment before she blinked and her eyes dimmed again. “No one does. That’s right. Of course.” She pushed herself up, leaning against the wall for support. “I’ll just…I’ll just go.”
“Let me help you.”
She flapped her hand at Casey. “No, no, I’m fine. I’ll be fine. You go on. You do…whatever you need to do.” She walked to the elevator and punched the button continually until the doors opened, and she got on.
“Now that was just creepy.” Death stood beside Casey in a light yellow uniform, complete with rubber gloves. An embroidered patch on the breast pocket said, Eternally Clean. For that Spotless Finish. The name under the logo read, Enma Daiou. “Did you see the way she turned her head and looked at you? It was like The Exorcist all over again, except she’s a lot older. And her head didn’t spin around.”
“It was weird, like she was trying to convince herself Andrea shouldn’t have died. Or at least that they weren’t friends. I’m thinking there’s more to their relationship than we know.”
“So Andrea’s death really didn’t have anything to do with Krystal, after all?”
Casey shrugged. “Andrea was a strong woman on her own. Krystal couldn’t have overshadowed everything. Could she?”
“But if what you’re saying is true, then Andrea had her own darker secrets. If Laurie wanted her dead.”
“She didn’t actually say that. She just protested a little too much that she and Andrea had nothing to do with each other. It could just be she’s sad she wasn’t better friends with her. Almost like she wished she had been. Or at least that she would have been young like her, and moving in her circles.”
“Which means we should find out exactly what went on—or didn’t go on—between them.”
“Right.” Casey sagged against the wall. “But right now I need another power nap. I’m going to my room.”
“And miss all the fun?”
“What fun?”
“As we speak, the cops are on their way to take another look.”
“Then I’ll let them do their job.”
“You don’t want to watch?”
“I’ve already seen it, L’Ankou. I don’t want to see it again.” In fact, the mere idea of going back into the locker room with Andrea’s blood still on the shower floor made her queasy. “You stay if you want. I’m going to bed.”
“Don’t forget to set your alarm. You have more personal training in an hour.”
“Yes, mother.”
The elevator clunked, signaling the arrival of the police.
Casey ducked into the service stairwell and trudged up to her apartment.
Chapter Thirteen
Casey did, in the end, forget to set her alarm, and woke up only because someone was banging on her door. She rolled out of bed and stumbled to her living room, her right leg asleep from the awkward position she’d lain in.
“I thought you might be here.” It was Sissy. Her nose was red, and her eyes swollen, which seemed to have become the uniform look around the building. She wore a subdued maroon pantsuit and clasped a well-used handkerchief in her hands.
Casey rubbed her eyes, not really awake. “What is it?”
“It’s two-o’clock.”
“Two—” Casey shot a look at the clock. “I’m missing water aerobics.” She turned to get her swimsuit, but Sissy grabbed her arm.
“I told the class all sessions would be canceled today, even though the pool is open.”
“I missed some personal training appointments, too.” Casey groaned and sagged onto a chair. “I’m sorry. First day on the job and I’m letting you down.”
“No, no.” Sissy shut the door and sat down across the table from Casey. “I should be apologizing to you. You came here and got dragged into something awful that had nothing to do with you.” She pierced Casey with a look. “Right?”
Casey closed her eyes, trying to make sense of what Sissy was saying. “Right what?”