“I know, baby.” He understood perfectly what she wanted to convey.
“You know just because you have a roof over your head doesn’t make it a home,” she
continued, “I once had a friend say she’d rather live in a shack and be happy, than to live in a mansion and be in hell. From the time I moved out on my own I have done everything I could to live in an environment that makes me comfortable. I didn’t think this ‘mansion’ would ever feel like home, but it does. You know? It really does. And for somebody to go through, destroy, and steal my things…” she left the sentence unfinished, too angry to continue the thought.
“And worst of all, they’ve taken a cheap gold necklace, my only physical link with my
murdered sister. Something I’ve had for twenty years.” She visibly held back further tears from falling.
“Damn, Maya. Baby, I’m so sorry.” Mark shared her loss over the stolen necklace. He
felt helpless, and knew there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to right this wrong.
He wanted nothing more than to catch whoever was responsible for trashing her home,
and he had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach this was no ordinary burglary, that it was connected with the slayer.
“Detective Halstan, we need to get a statement from Dr. Richardson,” the female officer
asked quietly from the doorway. “As soon as you’re able to sir, could you bring Dr. Richardson into the dining room so we can get her statement?”
Mark took a moment to reach over for another tissue and lovingly wiped her face before
turning it up to his so he could look directly into her eyes. “Are you ready to face them? I’ll make sure their questions are brief and we can get you and Dalia out of here.” He watched her carefully. When she nodded her head in assent, he stood with her still held in his arms.
As they walked into the dining room, he noticed this room held little evidence of any
disturbance at all. Dalia sat in one of the chairs with a cup of coffee in her hands, while the remaining two officers stood waiting for Maya and Mark to arrive.
Dalia turned anxious, worried eyes in Maya’s direction. “Maya would you like coffee
little one?”
Maya motioned her back into her seat with a wave of her hand. “I’m fine Dalia, but
thanks.” As Mark guided her into her seat, she asked, “Dalia have you checked your section? Did the burglar get into your apartment?”
“No Sesute. Besides I had my alarm engaged and it would have notified the police if they had tried to force their way in,” Dalia told her without mentioning the obvious fact the same would have been true for Maya, had she turned her own alarm on.
“What about the Johnson’s? In the upstairs apartment?” she clarified. “Has anyone
checked on their apartment?”
“I went with the officers to check with your key while you were with Detective Halstan.
Everything was locked up and looked the same as the day they left. They too had their alarm on.”
Dalia answered the question before the officer’s could.
“Dr. Richardson, Ms. Draugulis tells us the couple and their two daughter’s who live in
the upper wing are away visiting family--is that correct?”
“Yes, they’ve been gone for a few days. Their scheduled to return sometime next month
to give the family, especially the girls, time to settle in before the fall semester begins at the end of August.”
The officers stayed and asked her several more brief questions before leaving her with the
instructions to call them if she needed anything. Although all understood Mark would take good care of her.
After they’d left, Mark turned to Dalia. “Dalia I’m sure everything is fine, but until we
find out more about this burglary I think it would be best if you didn’t stay here tonight. Why don’t you come with Maya and spend the night at my home, there’s plenty of room,” he invited her.
“Thank you, but I think I will decline the offer. I have somewhere else I can stay.”
“Are you sure Dalia? It’s late, where will you go?”
“I have a lab partner who has become a good friend. It will be no problem for me to call
her and stay with her for the night. Trust me, Mark, it will be fine. You take care of Maya for me, and I will worry less.”
Dalia turned to Maya. “Call my cell, when you come back home and I will meet you here
and together we will right your home little sister,” she promised.
“Thank you. Dal, I will. Why don’t we go with you to get your things you’ll need for the
night?”
“Sweetheart you go ahead with Dalia, I need to make a phone call.”
After Maya and Dalia left, Mark made a call to the precinct to request a phone number.
“Hey Officer Meeks how’s it going? This is Detective Mark Halstan,” he greeted the night
officer who picked up the phone after the first ring.
“Slow. Too slow. How can I help you, Detective?”
“I need a number from you. Could you get Special Agent Nicolai Montgomery’s hotel
phone number for me, or his cell number? Whichever one is available.”
“Sure thing, Detective, let me look it up for you. Hold on for a minute.”
He placed Mark on hold before coming back on the line to give him the agent’s hotel
room extension number only. “Sorry, Detective, that’s the only one we have available for him.”
“That’ll work Meeks--thanks.” After he’d hung up the phone, he quickly placed a call to
the agent.
“Montgomery.” The agent answered after one ring.
“Agent Montgomery this is Detective Halstan.” On the other end of the extension Mark
could hear the rustle of fabric, and after glancing at his watch, realized he’d probably woken him from sleep. “I’m sorry I’m calling you so late, I didn’t realize the time,” he apologized.
