“We have everything we need and will be going now.”
“Is it okay to clean up?” she asked.
“Tomorrow, sure. You should get some rest tonight if you can.”
She nodded. “I’ll see you out.”
As they went to the front of the house, she said. “Did I mention that there was someone here this morning wearing a black hoodie? Similar to the person I saw running away who threw the brick through my car windshield a few days ago.”
“You did.”
“Okay. Just wanted to make sure. Sitting there I had more time to collect my thoughts and wonder whether the black hoodie might be responsible for all of this.”
“We’ll know more once the ME gives us a time of death on your cat and we’ll have an estimate on when the break-in happened.”
“Sure.”
“I don’t suppose you’re going to stop reporting on the missing women?” Detective Phillips said.
“Not a chance.”
He chuckled. “If you were my daughter, I’m not sure how I’d feel about that, but since you aren’t, keep my card handy.”
She locked the front door and went back into the living room where Sheraton, Grimm, and Logan were talking.
“I’m going to the kitchen to clean up the glass, the rest can wait until tomorrow,” she said. “I have some posterboard in my office and tape. Why don’t you grab that to cover the patio door and windows until they can be replaced, Grimm?”
“I’m on it.”
“You need work gloves to deal with that glass or you’ll cut up your hands. I have a pair of leather gloves in my glove compartment. I’ll go get them,” Sheraton said.
“I locked the front door,” she told him.
She turned to Logan. “I’m not being foolish for not backing down, am I? The police wouldn’t expect a man to do it, so why should I, just because I’m a woman.”
“Not at all,” he said.
“That detective asked if I was going to stop reporting on the missing women and I told him I wasn’t.”
“Good for you. They know there’s a killer out there and he means business. They can’t keep turning a blind eye.”
Sheraton returned wearing the gloves. He took the broom and swept up the kitchen, refusing to allow her to do it. No matter how she protested, she went over and helped Grimm put the poster board on the patio doors.
“Let me hold it while you tape,” she said.
“Sure. Makes it easier for me. And we’ll get done that much faster. I see Sheraton wouldn’t let you sweet up.”
“No. He was afraid I’d get cut. He’s turning into a mother hen,” she said.
“I heard that,” Sheraton said.
“Good.”
Grimm chuckled.
Logan squatted down holding the dustpan for him to sweep the glass into. “Do you have a paper bag or box to put this in?”
“There’s that empty oatmeal container in the trash from this morning,” Grimm said. “It’ll be perfect to put the glass in.”
