by Deanna Lee
Several pairs of eyes jerked toward the back of the room. “Yes, ma'am?"
"You'll be staying, as well."
He sat back down, and most of the class flooded out. He looked to be about twenty-three, with dark brown hair that fell down his shoulders in layers. Samuel Killian had a poetic look about him that was startling, and Kyra was sure that he used his looks to their full advantage. He must have turned Donna LaRoux's head easily.
Kyra looked over the two young women who had stayed, and then to Sam. She wasn't surprised that he seemed nervous. Most people found one reason or another not to trust cops. She pulled out her p-pc and engaged the recorder. “Okay, ladies, we'll start with you."
Both of them stood and moved to seats directly in front of Kyra. The blonde spoke first. “When she came into class that day, she was nervous, sort of upset."
"Did she tell you why?"
"She'd had an argument with her brother.” The answer came from the other girl. Her hair was up in a series of tiny braids, and glasses perched on her nose with the appearance more of fashion than actual function. “That Monday was a project day. We have lectures on Tuesday and Thursdays...” She paused as if she realized she was about to start rambling. “She spent most of the class working on her graphic design."
"Your names?"
The blonde pushed hair over her shoulder. “I'm Denise Willis."
"Monica Sales."
"Okay, Monica, do you know what the argument was about?"
Monica shook her head. “No, she just said he needed to learn to give her space."
"He was protective of her, had been ever since their daddy died.” Denise leaned in. “He had a heart attack."
Monica nodded. “Yeah, about a year ago. Very sudden. Donna didn't talk about it much."
"Their father walked in on the two of them fucking."
The answer had come from Sam. Both girls jerked and turned to face him. He'd remained in his seat in the back of the room. Sam stood up slowly and walked down the stairs to the front. “They were stepbrother and -sister, but I imagine you know that, Inspector."
"Yes.” Kyra watched him sit down in a desk behind Denise.
"She broke up with him the day the stepfather died. Said she couldn't take the stress of their relationship anymore. Donna felt guilty for what happened to her stepfather, but William didn't."
Kyra pulled out two cards and handed them to Denise and Monica. “If you ladies think of anything she might have said or done that day that was unusual, I want you to call me."
They took the cards and hurried out of the room. Sam watched them go with a smile that would have been amused if he hadn't looked so sad. “Donna was messed up."
"I'm getting that picture, Sam."
"Her relationship with her stepbrother bothered her and made her feel guilty. At first, I think she was just as angry as he was over the fact that their parents got married. They both worked very hard to convince their parents that their relationship was no longer romantic. Then things changed. She loved her stepfather and grew to accept him in her life. When she did, she began to question her relationship with William. That's when he pushed her into sex. I'm not saying he raped her, just pushed and pushed at her until she didn't know what to do."
"And the day she died?"
"I forced her to break up with him, again. I mean, not forced, but made her understand that she would never get what she wanted out of her life if she let him always make choices and decisions for her. Apparently, he was furious with her and refused to accept it. When she came to class, it looked like she'd been crying."
"Have you ever met William?"
"No."
"Did he know she was involved with another man?"
"Not from her. Donna loved William a great deal; she wouldn't have wanted to hurt him. She was just ready to live her own life."
"You liked her a lot."
"Yeah, it was pretty hard not to. She was beautiful, smart, and she had a great laugh. Donna had a lot to offer the world. I wanted to be a part of her life. I knew if she could get past her relationship with her stepbrother, we had a chance at something special. I knew she had a lot of issues, but hell, in the world we live in, who doesn't come with a ton of emotional baggage? I was willing to wade through all of it. She was special—bright, like a diamond."
* * * *
"So?"
"She didn't know her well. I guess with a class that size, there isn't time for a lot of personal instruction.” Phil browsed his p-pc as he spoke. “Donna was a good student, always on time, did well on assignments, and participated in class. It was obvious she spent a lot of time with her course materials."
Kyra nodded. “Yeah."
"What did the kid have to say?"
"William's father died of a heart attack. He walked in on the two of them having sex, his anger induced a heart attack, and he died."
"Shit."
"Yeah.” Kyra grimaced. “He also said that Donna broke up with William the day she died. Call a unit; I want him picked up and brought in for more questioning."
She focused on the road while Phil input the request via his p-pc. Traffic was heavy enough to keep her attention, and she was glad. Kyra didn't want to think about that soft, dewy-eyed look on Sam Killian's face another minute more than she had to.
"Is that all?"
"He was in love with her. However, more than that, she was a victim. A victim he wanted to save and protect. He views William as some sort of predator who used sex to keep Donna close.” She remembered the look of pity and remorse on Sam's face.
"You don't agree?"
"I don't.” Kyra shook her head. “You know what? Not one person I've questioned had anything bad to say about her."
"So?"
"So, do you know a single person who is perfect?"
Phil shook his head. “No."
"Neither do I. Put in a call to Samantha Rivers. I'm going to want to meet with her before William."
* * * *
Samantha Rivers was down at the station before they arrived. Kyra was surprised and a little wary of her. An eager witness always put her on edge. She entered the interview room and looked briefly toward the mirror. Phil was in the observation area.
"Samantha."
Samantha Rivers flashed Kyra a friendly smile and then grew serious. “Inspector Moray, I'm sort of surprised I didn't hear from you sooner. Donna and I have been best friends since the fifth grade."
"I'm beginning to discover William wasn't exactly forthcoming about Donna's friends."
"Donna didn't have many friends.” Samantha shrugged, rolling an empty water cup between her hands. “William didn't like her spending much time with anyone but him. That's why she enrolled in college the moment she had enough money saved to pay for a semester."
"To get away from William?"
"To get space,” Samantha corrected. “She loved William, though I can tell she was very worried that her mother would find out about them, especially after her stepdaddy died."
"He caught William and Donna having sex."
"Well, he walked in on William having a meal, if you get my meaning."
Kyra almost laughed at the girl's droll tone. “What about Samuel Killian?"
"That hot guy she had class with?” Samantha pulled a piece of chewing gum from the tiny purse on the table and unwrapped it. “She had seriously wet panties for that boy. But I don't think she was brave enough to go for it."
"Because of William?"
"Well, yeah, and her mom."
"Her mom?"
"Oh, yeah, you know ... the hand that rocks the cradle sort of thing. Cecilia LaRoux ruled Donna's life. The only time she got to leave the house was for work and school, unless she was going somewhere with William."
"What about dating?"
"Cece wouldn't take with that. Donna was pure as the driven snow, as far as her mother was concerned. She didn't date, didn't want to date, and never would date."
"That's a little unrealistic.
"
"Well, I never said her mom wasn't a crazy-ass wench, did I?” Samantha popped her gum. “Heard she attacked you when you told her about Donna."
Kyra had to laugh at that. “As a matter of fact, she did.” She touched her jaw but knew the bruising was gone. “What would you say about Donna's personality?"
"Oh, well, Donna was very good at getting what she wanted from people. She led William around by the nose. She says jump, and he asks how high while he was in the air. She had a pretty small comfort zone though."
"How small?"
"Well, ya know that hot-ass guy at school? Maybe she would have hooked up with him if she thought he could be controlled. She liked to be in control."
* * * *
"You were right."
Kyra frowned as she sat down behind her desk. “Look at our victim, Phil; she's young, pretty, smart, and manipulative. She isn't that much different from any other young woman starting out in the world. She wanted to be in control of her life and her destiny. Maybe she took it too far, but experience would have smoothed those edges. She might have always been something of a man-eater, but there's nothing about her that sticks out to me."
"Man-eater is a little harsh."
"She was fucking two different men and pretending for all the world that she was innocent.” Kyra shrugged. “Donna had a plan, and I think only she knew what it was."
"So, she's the ordinary girl starting out in the world. Not too pretty, not too smart, and a little selfish,” Phil muttered. “She's got two guys stringing along after her ass like she's the next-best thing to artificial gravity. So, why did he pick her?"
"He knew her. Maybe William and Sam weren't the only guys she was stringing along.” Kyra stood. “I want you to do the questioning on William this time. When you have him all soft and comfortable, I'll move in for the kill. He's got a lot of explaining to do."
Kyra followed Phil out of their office and down the hall to the interrogation room where William was. He stood the moment they opened the door.
"Hey, kid, take a seat."
William's gaze darted from Phil's smile to Kyra's stare. He swallowed. “Did you find out something?"
"Yep.” Phil sat down. “You lied to us, kid. We need to clear up a few things."
Kyra almost smiled. She loved Phil's version of good cop. She sat down in a chair away from the table and crossed her arms as William stuttered his way through a denial.
"Now, denying it is just going to piss me off,” Phil admonished.
"Just tell me what you want me to say,” William snapped.
"Donna wasn't allowed to date. She could only leave the house for work, school, or an activity with you."
William grimaced. “That sounds bad. That wasn't how it was."
"Really? Because it sounds like Donna had no escape from you or her mother. She was either with her mother, who smothered her with attention, or she was with you, her stepbrother, who pushed her into sex."
"I didn't push Donna into anything,” William insisted. “I loved her and she loved me."
"Did she?"
"Look, I've tried to be honest with you guys.” He looked almost helplessly at Kyra, but one look at her expression told him he'd get no help there. “You act like Donna was a prisoner, but she wasn't."
"Tell us about the day your father died."
William flushed and his gaze dropped to the table. “He had a heart attack."
"Did he?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
Dead silence followed that question.
Kyra stood from her chair and walked around the table once before putting a file folder down between them. “What, William, you don't want to admit that your daddy walked in while you were servicing your stepsister and the shock of it killed him?"
She sat down in a chair on the end of the table and opened the folder.
"It wasn't ... aw, Christ.” William rubbed his face. “My dad was furious. He came into the room and started hitting us. The next thing I know, he's clutching at his chest and falling onto the floor. He was dead before the ambulance even got there. That kind of thing isn't supposed to happen, you know?"
"That event upset Donna a great deal. So much, in fact, that she tried to end your physical relationship."
"No."
"It took her a year, but she finally managed to break up with you the day she died."
"No, it wasn't like that."
"William, I need the truth. The absolute truth, if we're going to reconstruct Donna's last day. It's the only way we're going to catch the bastard who did this to her.” Kyra put a full body shot—Donna lying in the alley—in front of William. “You don't want him to get away with this, do you?"
William stared at the picture for a long time, his face pale. With a small tremor in his hand, he pulled the photograph closer. A visible shudder swept over the length of his body. “No. No. This is horrible."
Kyra was silent for a moment as she studied him. She knew the moment he saw it. “What?"
"Do you have a closer picture of her left shoulder?"
She pulled the picture out that depicted the single wound to Donna's body. “As far as we can tell, he kept the skin."
William swallowed audibly and closed his eyes. “She had a tattoo there."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. It was a tiny black cat with its tail wrapped around its front paws. It had bright green eyes.” He shrugged. “Cute, and it certainly suited her."
"Where did she get it?"
"I don't know.” He frowned and then sighed. “She got it one night during Mardi Gras after we argued. She stormed out of my place, and the next time I saw her she had it. I never learned who did it."
"The day she died?"
"Yeah, we argued. She was sort of combative that day, like she wanted me to get angry with her. When I didn't, she told me we were finished, then she left. I was so pissed, I took a shuttle-bus to see my grandparents."
* * * *
The Smythe House was in dinner mode when Kyra arrived. Professor Willie's words had pushed at her as she crossed town to the halfway house.
"Inspector Moray."
She turned from her place in the entryway of the dining room and looked toward Neal Valteau. “Neal, where's Willie?"
"He's taking his meal upstairs."
"Has he bottomed?"
"I've had a doctor come through and check him over. We're pretty sure that he's not an alcoholic at all."
Kyra's mouth dropped open. “Neal, I've never seen him on the street sober."
Neal motioned towards the stairs. “Come on, I know it doesn't make sense, but he doesn't have the shakes, hasn't gotten violent, and not one single request for a drink. He just sits in his room and reads. Reads to the others if they come in and sit with him."
He took her down a narrow hall. The last door was Willie's. She glanced at Neal as she knocked; she didn't know how to deal with what he'd told her. If Willie wasn't an alcoholic, why had he spent so much time on the street? She'd never believed him to be mentally unstable, just depressed and drunk.
Willie opened the door and looked down into Kyra's face with a smile. “Inspector Moray."
"Professor, may I come in?"
"Sure, sure."
Neal grinned. “Remember the rules, Willie. No female visitors after eight p.m."
Kyra laughed as Neal disappeared down the hall. She shut the door and turned to Willie. “I need to ask you a question, Professor Barnes."
He raised an eyebrow and sighed. “I guess Neal told you."
Kyra glared briefly. “Oh, trust me, we'll be getting to you shortly. Tell me what you know about the murder."
"Don't know much."
"You said he took something from her."
"Yeah."
"You saw the body before it was found."
"I was there in the alleyway when he laid her out. I didn't see his face, and he didn't see me at all."
"Tell me what you saw."
"I've
already told you all that I saw."
Kyra forced herself to lean back in the chair she'd sat down in. “So, why pretend to be a drunk and live on the street?"
He was silent for several minutes. Finally, he just shook his head.
"One day soon, Professor Barnes, you will tell me why you've spent twelve years of your life on the street."
* * * *
Kyra left the Smythe House disgruntled and mildly irritated. She hated the waste of life that Willie Barnes represented. Once in her transport, she drove across town and back into the French Quarter. She had a date with Glory, and it wasn't going to be pleasant. She honestly didn't know how Glory would react when she found out about Jerry and his sudden break from reality. It was yet another mystery in Kyra's life, and she hated unsolved mysteries.
Glory's salon was in a chic and recently remodeled area of the French Quarter that was bustling with activity and traffic. She had to admit, when Glory had first mentioned opening the salon/spa, she'd been skeptical. Still, she was proud of the little place her friend had carved out for herself.
She found a parking spot and swung out of her vehicle. She hated delivering news like this to a friend. She opened the door to Sweet Glory and grimaced at the smell of chemicals. It must have been a heavy perm day.
"Kyra!"
Kyra bit back a sound of dismay as Glory's assistant manager penned her with a decisive eye. “Levi."
"Don't take that tone with me!” He shook his head and sighed. “Look at your skin."
"I promise I'll come in soon, and you can cover me head-to-toe in whatever you like.” Kyra held out a hand as he approached. “Where is Glory?"
"In the back office.” He twirled his finger in a circle, and Kyra obligingly spun around for him. “That ass is wasted on you, girl."
"Fuck you.” Kyra laughed and shrugged out of her jacket.
She found Glory in her office, her eyes glued to a compu-station screen. “Does your employee insurance plan pay for ass implants? Levi's jealousy of mine could get out of hand."
Glory looked up from her figures and grinned. “Honey, we're all jealous of that ass."
Kyra tossed her jacket over the back of an empty chair beside Glory's desk. “Okay, so I'm just going to spit it out.” She paused. “Jerry went loony last night in lockup and is at St. Martin's."