down at work, but when she played, it was obvious that she enjoyed casual comfort. In the kitchen, I searched each drawer and cabinet in turn, but it was so generic that it could have been anyone’s place, so there was nothing to add to the pile. The living room, the only other room in the apartment besides the tiny bathroom, had few things of a personal nature in it. All I could come up with was a half-finished crossword puzzle, and a well-read copy of
As I walked back into the living room, I saw that there was a blinking light on her answering machine. Out of habit, I hit the play button and heard a man’s voice say, “Cin? Are you there? Call me, this fight is ridiculous.” Who was she fighting with, and why? Hadn’t he heard that she was dead?
This sounded like something Zach should know. I picked up my cell phone and dialed my husband’s number.
He picked up on the fourth ring, just before it went to voice mail. “’Lo?”
“Hey, did I call at a bad time?” I asked.
“No, I was digging into one of the last boxes of evidence, and I couldn’t hear my phone. What’s up? Are you still at the Glass place?”
“I am,” I said. “I promised Barton I’d stay as long as I needed to.”
“Is he there with you?”
“No, he came in with me, but he couldn’t take it. I’m collecting a few things for him, and I was walking past the answering machine when I noticed that the light was blinking, so I hit the play button.”
“You shouldn’t have done that,” he said. “We’re in the middle of an active police investigation.”
“You’re the one who gave me permission to come here, remember?” If he was going to use that tone of voice with me, he was going to get it right back.
“Sorry. You’re right. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that. I’m just tired, I guess. What did it say?”
“Evidently she was fighting with someone, and he called to make up with her.”
“If he killed her, he had to know she wouldn’t be getting the message.”
“I thought of that.” I said. “But what if he’s trying to make it look like he’s innocent? That call might help him, if a jury hears it. Shouldn’t you trace it?”
“It’s probably innocent enough, but I’ll have Joe look into it. He’s the guy who drove me over here today. Hang on.” He covered the mouthpiece, but I could still hear some of his conversation.
A minute later, he asked, “Is there anything else?” “I’m not sure I want to share the rest of it with you,” I said.
“Come on, give me a break, Savannah. I’m up against the wall here.”
My voice softened. “Did Davis give you a hard time today?”
Zach snorted. “He never showed up for our meeting, and no one’s seen him around here all day.”
“That’s a good thing then, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know about that. When the police chief bails out on you, it can’t be good.”
“How about Grady? Have you spoken with him?”
“Nobody knows where he is, either. He told his assistant that he was taking the day off. Who knows, maybe the two of them are off somewhere conspiring.”
“Slow down, Zach. Don’t let the paranoia get to you.”
He sighed. “I know. I’m just whipped.”
“I am, too. I found a photo of Cindy and a man in her lingerie drawer.”
“Really? I looked there, but I didn’t see anything.”
I kept my comment about my husband going through a woman’s lingerie drawer to myself. He didn’t need to hear me teasing him at the moment. “It was in the back, wedged in. I’m not sure it means anything. The guy’s face has been ripped out of the picture.”
“Wrap it up in your handkerchief and don’t touch it any more than you have to. I’ll get it from you tonight. What else did you find?”
“It’s what I didn’t find that’s bothering me. Do you know if the investigating officers collected any personal correspondence from her place?”
“Sure, I don’t even have to look. There’s a box of letters she kept, along with some photos that might be significant, and a few other things. Why?”
“Did they find a silver chain with a cow pendant on it?”
He paused, and then said, “I don’t think so. Hang on; let me grab the inventory list.” I could hear him pull out some papers, and then he said, “No, nothing here about that. They took some photos of her jewelry box, but they didn’t take it as evidence. Does it matter?”
“It must to Barton. It’s the main reason he wanted to come here tonight.”
“Well, we don’t have it,” Zach said. “How much longer are you going to be?”
“I’m just about finished. Why? Are you ready to come back to the hotel?”
“I wish I were, but I’m afraid I’ll be here half the night.”
“Should I come join you?” I asked.
