himself distracted. It was amazing; after their long day, she still smelled good.
“Keenan!” she said suddenly. She, apparently, hadn’t been distracted.
“Yeah?”
“There, right there. Across the way. There’s something on that little store...looks like a pawnshop!” she said excitedly.
“You may be right.”
He started across the street. She would have followed him; he stopped her.
“Hey, wait, please, for the food? I can find out—I mean, even if they have one, it may not shoot far enough, though it isn’t a big street...”
His words trailed as she nodded and went back inside.
The pawnshop was closed, but it did indeed have a security camera. He could only hope it surveyed the street—and that the camera was taking footage and wasn’t up just for show.
He pulled out his phone and called Fred Crandall, explaining where he was and what he had found. “Figure you might have had a run-in with the proprietor or questioned him at some time, seeing as how he’s across the street from where Jess lived.”
Fred made an unhappy sound. “We didn’t get anyone to talk enough to even tell us where she lived. When the women in the area saw us coming, they scattered. You understand, of course, that sex workers aren’t generally pleased when they see the police coming.”
“Even when someone has been butchered and they’re terrified.”
Fred laughed. “My friend, I figured you were on to something when that scuzzball pimp made it on down to the station. Are you coming in for paperwork?”
“You can hold him overnight without it, right? We could have filed federal charges, but the timing wasn’t right. Needed to be where I was, and I knew that your guys would be there in seconds.”
“Yeah. We can hold him twenty-four hours before charges. And trust me, we will. And I’ll have video—if it exists—for you first thing in the a.m.”
“Thanks, Fred. Talk to you then.”
Keenan headed back across the street and to the apartment.
Stacey was sitting there, handing out various containers and plastic dining implements, chatting all the while, smiling easily, and getting them all to talk.
“By the way,” she said, “I know that Jess was being secretive—hoping that things would work out for her, and maybe all of you—so we assume this man she went with had some kind of money and influence.”
“Oh, I’m sure!” Candy told her. “I’ve never seen Jess so... Like a teenager going on a first date! She checked her clothing and her makeup and hair over and over again.” She hesitated. “She was so excited. She hugged me so warmly before she left.”
“But she didn’t say a name?” Stacey asked.
Candy shook her head. She stopped speaking, taking a bite of her Italian food.
“Oh, this is good!” she whispered around the mouthful. She looked up at Keenan and said softly, “Thank you!”
The echo of her words went around.
“My pleasure,” he said, glancing over at Stacey.
She arched a brow slowly to him.
Looking at Candy he said slowly, “You said that she was excited about getting dressed, and obviously, that clothing is...gone. But what was she wearing before she started getting ready for her date?”
“Jeans and a shirt.”
“Do you still have them?” Stacey asked.
“In the closet. Stacey, if you want to look in there with me?” Candy asked, reluctantly putting down her fork.
“Sure. Thank you.”
Stacey followed Candy through to the bedroom, which had a double mattress on the floor and another bunk bed. Because it was an old building, the room also had a fireplace and hearth. The small closet apparently afforded space for all the women’s things.
She emerged with a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, handing Keenan the jeans. He went through the pockets as she studied the T-shirt.
The jeans were empty.
He saw Stacey’s expression change as she found something in the tiny pocket that was sewn into the chest area of the T-shirt.
It was a tiny scrap of a napkin—torn, as if Jess had meant to discard the entire thing, but that bit had ripped off and remained in her pocket.
It bore just three letters.
I T H
But he knew what they were both thinking.
Smith.
Congressman Colin Smith.
“You’ve found something!” Nan said breathlessly.
“Not really, just initials,” Keenan said easily. “But hey—we will look at absolutely everything. And I swear, we will do everything in our power to find out who did this.” He glanced at Stacey. “Ready to go?”
“Yes, yes, of course. And you have our cards,” she told the women. “You’ll be careful, promise.”
“Oh, you bet!” Nan said. “But...”
“Yes?” Stacey asked.
Nan looked at the others.
“He’s going to kill again!” Tiffany said.
“And...it