there. So they did have serious issues going on, too, especially with guys.”
Binns glanced at Gomez. “We have looked at the bank, of course, but maybe we need to look at that angle a little more.” Back to Casey. “And this petition against you?”
“I don’t know. Her way of dealing with grief, I guess. I’m a likely target.”
“True. Okay, moving on.”
“Real quick, first,” Casey said. “Krystal says she saw me in the aerobics room that night before I found Andrea. You saw her on the security footage near the time of Andrea’s murder?”
“Yes. First of all, she exited the women’s locker room a little after midnight, only minutes before the gloved hand smeared Vaseline on the other camera’s lens. Then, about an hour later, just after you appeared on the tape, she came up the service stairs, looked in the aerobics room and at her watch, and went back the way she came.”
So the door latch Casey heard was probably Krystal, going back into the service stairs. It was just coincidence that it made Casey look in the locker room.
Binns was still talking. “Ms. Patterson showed no signs of blood on her clothes. Her hair, however, was rather a mess, and her shirt was on inside-out.” She raised her eyebrow. “Any ideas how that happened?”
Casey gave a short laugh and glanced at Gomez, who was looking at the floor, his arms crossed tightly across his chest. “I think you can probably figure that out.”
“Any suggestions about who the other person might have been?”
Casey thought immediately of Dylan, but from what he’d said it had been at least three weeks since he’d had a “date” with Krystal. At least until the night before, when they’d come crashing into the training room. “Seriously? How many men are there in the Flamingo?”
Binns nodded. “Speaking of that, it’s pretty obvious that Ms. Patterson is a man magnet. Any chance Ms. Parker had her eye on someone, and Ms. Patterson got in the picture?”
“I really wouldn’t know. And it seems like that would make Krystal the target, rather than Andrea, doesn’t it?”
“Unless the man wasn’t willing to give up Andrea and take on Krystal. Do you know of any men who were interested in Ms. Parker?”
An image of Del’s red-rimmed eyes flashed across Casey’s mind. “Del. He lives here.”
“Last name?”
“Don’t know. But he did cook me dinner last night, and it was amazing.”
Gomez looked up at that.
Binns was interested, too. “He’s a chef?”
“In his heart. During the day he works for an insurance company.”
“And he was after Ms. Parker?”
“I wouldn’t put it that way. He was interested in her, but it sound like his interest wasn’t exactly returned.”
“Hmm.” Again, Binns glanced at Gomez.
“I don’t mean I think he did it,” Casey said quickly. “In fact, I don’t think that at all. He’s one of the good guys. And I would be really surprised if he were interested in Krystal.”
“We’ll check him out.”
Casey felt sick. She didn’t want to get a nice man like Del in trouble, and cause him more pain than he was already in. “Who else are you wondering about?”
“How about administration? Mrs. Williams?”
“Sissy?” Casey wanted to laugh. “I think of her as the fruit basket. She’s cheerful and colorful and joyful. At least, she was until yesterday.”
“Do you think she had anything against Ms. Parker?”
“Not that she told me. I know she’s not crazy about Krystal, but then, a lot of people aren’t. I’ve heard negative comments about Krystal from multiple people, not just Sissy.”
“Such as?”
“You mean the people? Laurie Kilmer. She helps out with fitness classes. And women from my sessions. More people than I can count, actually.”
“And you’ve only been here a couple of days.”
“I hate to say it, but it would’ve made much more sense if Krystal were the one I’d found in the shower.”
“At this point, yes. But back to Mrs. Williams. You don’t think she’d have it in her to hurt anyone?”
Casey considered this. Sissy was a woman with some power here at the Flamingo. She couldn’t be completely fruity and flaky and still get her job done. “Possibly. But I’m not really seeing it at this point.”
“And her assistant?”
“Maria?” Casey was remembering her perception of Maria on her first day. That she thought life at the Flamingo wasn’t always beautiful. That she lived on the other side of town. That she wasn’t happy with the no children policy. “I haven’t seen her much, but I felt some discontent. Not with Andrea, but with this whole establishment.