“I gotta go,” she told her friend with a huff.
“Aye! Don’t be doing that shit to me! I ain’t seen you with a man since DJ crazy ass. So, of course, I’m gon’ ask.”
Niyah smiled. Maybe India wasn’t just being nosy. Maybe her curiosity was simply a show of concern. “It’s nothing. But if it’ll get you off my back, I’ll tell you all about it when I get home.”
After a brief silence, India agreed. “I’ll be at your place when you get home. I’ma make a crab boil.”
“Aww, shit, frieeeend!” Niyah sang.
Dinner cooked for her two days in a row was something she could honestly say had never happened. Sadly, not even growing up.
Seafood was her favorite, and India knew it, which meant she was fully intending on grilling her on her new friendship with Xander. “I should be home by seven.”
“Gotcha. A’ight, later.”
“Later,” Niyah concurred before ending the call.
She stepped outside and inhaled the cool morning air with thoughts of Xander and the night they’d spent together. Although he’d spent the night, nothing had gone down. Tabitha Creed’s son was the perfect gentleman. After eating, they’d watched the game. As soon as it ended, Xander had sent her to bed while he cleaned up after. Niyah hadn’t even realized he’d spent the night until she’d entered the living room and foundhim asleep on the couch. And God help her, he was even more beautiful while asleep. His thick, dark lashes swept just below his eyes, displaying a wholesomeness he must have possessed since he was a boy. Niyah had looked just below his perfectly-structured features to his slightly parted lips and found herself more than ready to feel his lips against hers. But with the strength of Shera, she’d turned around and tore ass outta the living room.
Another buzz from her phone snapped her back to the present. According to the screen, it was from the hospital. Niyah swiped to answer. “This Dr. Reed.”
“Good morning, Dr. Reed. It’s Deloris Young.”
“Good morning, Deloris. What’s up?”
“Two things. First, I have an on-scene investigation for you.”
Niyah frowned. Getting an assignment from the hospital administrator was highly unusual. “Deloris, I’m sorry. Why are--”
“I know it’s unusual for me to call,” said, interrupting Niyah’s inquiry. “That leads me to the second thing. Since the police have sealed your exam room, I’ve set you up in exam room four. I just didn’t want you to be lost upon your return.”
Now, the call made sense. “Thank you, Deloris.”
“No problem. Oh, and I’ve arranged for two new interns,” she added.
New interns almost seemed like an insult to Mario. His body hadn’t even hit the morgue yet. But realistically, If Niyah was expected to do her job effectively, she needed a competent staff. “Thank you, Deloris. Please have one of them send the file to my tablet.”
“Will do.”
Niyah disconnected the call and headed to her city car.
***
Niyah inched up to the crime-scene tape until one of the officers lifted it, allowing her to enter the perimeter. After parking near the west-side address, she hopped out and grabbed her bag from the back seat. While walking up the sidewalk, Niyah noticed not only an unusually large crowd outside the perimeter, but there were also members of the media present. “What the fuck?” she muttered.
Niyah entered the fence and jogged up the steps. “What’s with the news crew?” she asked one of the officers on the porch.
“Apparently, they got tipped off to a pattern. There’s speculation of a serial killer.”
Niyah dropped her head and blew out a frustrated breath. “Fucking drama queens,” she grumbled.
“You said it, Doc,” the officer agreed.
Niyah stepped inside to a small foyer. What looked like a house on the outside was actually a two-story apartment building. “Up or down?” she shouted at the officer.
“Up!” he returned.
Niyah made her way up the narrow stairway and entered the apartment. Inside were two officers that seemed to be working on the preliminary case report. One nodded toward the back of the apartment.
