Heart of Gold - B.J. Daniels Page 0,31
her in a way that sent fissures of pleasure through her. “Your face is more interesting.”
Charlie laughed nervously. “Okay, I’m going to take that as a compliment.” She put down the newspaper article without reading it. She knew what had happened. Well, enough of what had happened. She’d lived with it every day for fifteen years. “I’m sorry, but how is this going to help?”
“I’m not sure, but I have to start somewhere and I need to know all the facts.”
“I already told you what happened.”
“You didn’t mention that you told the police she didn’t have a boyfriend. Did she?”
“What? You think I lied to the police? She didn’t have a boyfriend. Did she have a crush on someone?” She shrugged. “But there wasn’t any boy who took her out on dates, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Was there anyone at school who was interested in her?” Shep asked.
“Other than Andy, the boy I liked?” Charlie thought for a moment. “There was this one boy she argued with a lot at school. This can’t have anything to do with her death though.”
“Tell me about this boy.”
“Fletcher. I’ve forgotten his first name. Everyone just called him Fletch. I saw Lindy with him a few times, always arguing. Lindy said all the boys at school were too immature. She couldn’t wait to graduate and find a real man. Fletch,” she repeated as he came into view in her memory. “I remember this one time, he grabbed her arm roughly. She fought back and got him in trouble. He was kind of a bully. I thought they were perfect for each other.”
“I’ll check him out. What about boys in the neighborhood?”
She shook her head. “There weren’t any. Not boys anyway. There were some guys in their twenties around that older man’s house down the road. I did see Lindy wave to them once, just fooling around. She liked to think that any man alive would want her. It was probably true.”
“Did you ever meet the twentysomethings?”
“I know it seems strange, but Lindy didn’t have time for boys—or men. Her full-time job was making my life miserable.”
“It certainly sounds that way. I’m sorry.” He surreptitiously shoved some copies of photos under a pile of newspaper articles.
“Are those the autopsy photos? Let me see them.”
He shook his head. “You will never unsee them, trust me.”
“They’re that bad?” She shuddered. “I heard my foster mother talking about the murder. I knew it must have been awful.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” he said.
“You and I will always disagree about that. If I had just opened the door—”
The buzzer sounded. “Another date with what’s-his-name?” Shep asked.
“His name is Daniel and no, not until later.” She frowned as she moved to the intercom. “Yes?”
“Hey, I’m starved. I thought you might have finally gotten to the store?”
“I’ll be right down.” She turned to look at Shep. “He’s going to get suspicious if I keep sending him away.”
“I’m not leaving you alone in this apartment. I promised the judge I would find out what was going on and make sure that nothing happened to you. Why don’t you just tell your boyfriend about Lindy and that I’ve been hired to investigate?” He grinned. “You don’t have to tell him that—”
“Tell him that you’re a middle school math teacher?”
“True, but I’m good at it and I have other talents.” He sounded defensive enough that it made her smile.
She remembered some of his other talents. He’d probably picked up a few more in the past fifteen years too.
“I think we’d better keep your...talents a secret for now.” With that she was gone, slamming the door after her.
* * *
SHEP SWORE TO himself as she left. But she did have a point. Did he really have any idea what he was doing? He’d gone into this as if it was a math problem. So far, he hadn’t figured out anything. At least by staying in her apartment and dogging her every step, he could make sure she was safe. If there was another Lindy sighting, he would be there.
He wondered what was happening downstairs. He moved to the window and peeked out—first across the street. No Lindy. Below the window he could make out Charlie and Daniel talking.
She was right. Her boyfriend was suspicious. He could tell they were arguing. Daniel was all wrong for her anyway. But Shep didn’t want to see her hurt. If she had real feelings for this guy...
He stepped away from the window and picked up the newspaper article with Lindy’s