of the locker room as the earlier classes, and went right in to shower and change.
Tamille came up to Casey, sucking on her water bottle. “What’s your schedule this evening?”
“I work till four-thirty, then I’m off until eight.”
“Want to do dinner?”
“Sure. Where?”
“There’s a Japanese place just down the block. Kyoto’s. Meet me there at six?”
“Do I have to eat raw fish?”
Tamille laughed. “I can’t see anyone forcing you to.”
“Then I’ll be there.”
“Great. Now I gotta hustle back to work. See you later!”
Casey had to hustle, too, and went into the locker room so she could change into her swimsuit. The women from the class were talking and laughing, and one was even using the shower where Andrea had been found.
Short attention spans? Or an inherent toughness? Casey wasn’t sure. She ducked into her office and made sure both doors were locked.
“Try the key!” Death perched on the edge of the desk like a vulture, draping over the side.
Casey knelt beside the drawer and slid in the key. It turned. She opened the drawer.
“What is it?” Death leaned over so far Casey had to scoot to the side so she wouldn’t get chilled.
The drawer was empty.
“Oh, man,” Death said. “What a letdown.”
Casey tried to take the drawer out of the desk, but it wouldn’t come all the way out. She felt all around the sides, under the lip of the front, and up on the top. Her neck was just starting to complain about the awkward position when her fingernail snagged something in the very top, front corner.
She pulled it out.
Death groaned. “Another key?”
“Yeah, but look at it. This one belongs in a bank.”
“Ah. Safety deposit box.”
“I wondered why nobody had just forced this lock. Now we know they probably did, but couldn’t find anything. The only other place they could think of, if Brandon had left anything behind, would be in my apartment.”
“But they came up empty?”
“I guess. Because they don’t have this.”
Death clapped. “And we’re going to the bank later, right?”
“You got it. As soon as we can after class lets out this afternoon. But now I have to get to work.” So Casey slid yet another key onto her key ring, and headed for the pool.
Water aerobics was a different sort of class, comprised of women who never set foot in the regular aerobics room, except perhaps to use the lockers. They cheerfully talked amongst themselves, and followed Casey’s directions the best they could. When class was over some of them stayed to swim laps, while others hung out in the shallow end to talk. Casey climbed out of the pool and dried herself off as she walked toward the locker room.
“Daisy?” Laurie was sitting on a chair at the side of the room. Her hair was flat, and her skin blotchy. She clutched the edge of the chair like she would fall off, otherwise.
Casey stopped beside her. “Hey. You doing okay?”
“Not really. Do you have a minute to talk?”
“You can come with me to the locker room. I need to change and get ready for some personal training appointments in fifteen minutes.”
Laurie chewed her lip. “I don’t…is the locker room…did they clean it up?”
“Yes. The last class used it.”
She hugged herself. “I don’t think I can go in there yet.”
“Okay. Give me a few minutes, and you can meet me in the weight room while I wait for my next client. Will that be all right?”
Laurie nodded.
Casey changed as quickly as she could, and hustled to meet Laurie in the weight room. Laurie wasn’t there.
Rosa was back again, folding towels, and smiled at Casey.
“Ola,” Casey said. “Have you seen Laurie?”
Rosa shook her head, but Casey thought it was because she didn’t understand what Casey was asking.
“Laurie?” Casey held her hand up to about Laurie’s height, and Laurie’s hair length. “Teaches classes?”
Rosa shook her head again.
“Okay. Thanks.” Casey looked around at all of the stations in the room, and back out in the hallway. Maria was waiting at the elevator, a stack of papers in her arms.
“You seen Laurie?” Casey asked her.
Maria shook her head. “Not since this morning. I need to talk to her, actually. She’s been skipping her classes, and we need to get back on schedule.” The elevator came and she got on.
Casey walked around the corner, toward the aerobics room, but Laurie wasn’t there. She opened the door “Laurie?” But there was no answer. She knew Laurie wasn’t in the locker room, because besides Laurie’s aversion to it, Casey had just come from there.