Whitney nodded.
“She have any family here in town?”
“No. Her mother died last year. I don’t know where her dad is. I don’t think she’s seen him in years.”
"Where were you this evening?"
"I went out on a date with this guy.”
"Does anyone else have a key to the apartment?”
She shook her head. "I don't think so. Maybe Lucas.”
"Who's Lucas?”
“Polly's boyfriend.”
"What's their relationship like?”
She shook a so-so hand. "I think she is…was…about to break up with him.”
"Why is that?”
Whitney shrugged. "I just think they lost the spark.”
"How does Lucas feel?”
Her eyes flared. "Lucas loves her.” She shook her head. "This is gonna mess him up.”
"Was Polly seeing anybody else?”
Whitney hesitated a moment. "Well, she just met this guy, Brett. They’d been talking. I don't think they hooked up or anything.”
I shared a look with Jack, then asked Whitney, "Did Polly know Sydney Hollister?”
Whitney’s face wrinkled. "No. Who's that?”
"Another girl who was killed in the same fashion."
Whitney cringed. "So, this is a serial killer?"
I shrugged.
Whitney burst into tears again and sobbed. "I can't believe she's dead. There was a killer in our apartment,” she exclaimed, frazzled, on the verge of losing it. “How am I supposed to stay here tonight after something like this?”
"You have a friend you can crash with?”
"Yeah, I guess. If anybody will pick up the phone.” She grabbed her purse from the coffee table, pulled out her phone, and started texting people.
We stepped away and huddled.
Jack said, "The assailant waits for her to come home, attacks her as she's entering the apartment, does his business, and leaves. It's exactly the same.”
We stepped outside and approached the neighbor across the hall. She looked mortified. In her mid-20s, she had long straight black hair that hung to her mid-back.
I flashed my badge and made introductions. “Have you seen anyone suspicious tonight?”
"No,” Talia said. “I don’t think so.”
