I paused as the dog peed on a half-dead bush blocking the shared space of Emma's apartment to hers. I wasn't here for Emma, per se, but if she wanted to tell me something important, I'd pretend. "Yeah, I'm working with the police."

It wasn't a full lie. Only a half one.

She shook her head back and forth. "Horrible thing that happened to her. I can't believe the police haven't picked up her killer yet. How hard can it be?"

I stopped by the edge of her patio, where a short four-foot wall separated her cement space from Emma's. The entire row of them, all eight apartments, had the same layout on this side of the building. "I'm sure the police are working hard to figure out who hurt Emma."

She huffed. "Let me tell you. We all know who killed that girl. The police are just lazy, not putting him away yet. They're letting the man roam these streets, hurting other women."

"Who?" I leaned forward to hear better, even though she was speaking loudly enough the entire complex could probably make out our conversation.

"That no-good boyfriend of hers. Everyone in this complex knows he did it."

The boyfriend. Why hadn't Anderson told me about him?

Oh, right. Because sometimes-most of the time-Anderson was a big jerk who never told me anything.

"Did they fight often?"

She rolled her eyes. "Damn near every day. You'd hear them in there just a going at it. Nonstop, but Emma never kicked him out for long. She always let him crawl right back. I told her all the time to find herself a real man, but he had some kind of hold over her. The girl thought she loved him. Love did no one a lick of good."

The dog plopped down beside her on the ground and settled at her feet for a nap. Apparently, he knew the drill. I made a mental note to check out this boyfriend lead.

"Love sucks. You remember this boyfriend's name?"

"Taylor Donovon. She was yelling it all the time at him. I couldn't forget it even if I tried."

I peeked over into Emma's patio space. It was empty except for one plastic reclining chair that people used for lying out in the sun. "Have you seen him around here lately?"

She shook her head. "Not for a few weeks now. Probably ran after he killed Emma."

"Does she have a neighbor with a baby? I heard they were having issues."

"Faith? She's bringing that baby down any minute. Faith wouldn't hurt a fly although she is mighty pissed at Emma." The neighbor leaned in, pulling at the oversized Daffy Duck shirt she had on. "Although, between me and you, I half believe Faith was more upset because Emma didn't give her a discount."

"Discount?" I pursed my lips. "On the babysitting?"

"On the drugs," she said, and her facial expression added the "duh." "She keeps saying she's upset that Emma used little Bailey in a crime, but she gets the loudest about the money. She barely notices the older kids, so I don't know why she's getting upset about the baby. It's not like Emma gave him drugs."

Emma did charge a lot of money. I gave her a hundred dollars and only got a little baggie of coke when she sold it to me. Totally for investigation purposes, obviously.

A door halfway down the row of apartments opened and closed. Ten seconds later, a young woman pushing a black baby stroller walked in our direction.

"Jenny Mae, I wanted to get Bailey here before your soaps start because I know how you hate to miss the first scene," she hollered, pushing the stroller through the grass.

"That's her now." Jenny Mae checked her watch. "I still have thirty minutes," she yelled back.

The bottle blonde who hadn't touched up her roots in at least two months stopped by us without giving me a smile or any eye contact at all.

"This lady is working with the police about Emma," Jenny Mae said as my only introduction.

I raised my hand to shake hers but then thought better of it and lowered it again. She didn't look like she wanted a handshake. "I've heard you were upset with Emma."

The woman's head snapped up. "Hell yes, I was. She charged me full price even though she turned my baby into a criminal. What if the police put this on Bailey's record? What will we do then?"

I bit my bottom lip so I didn't laugh. Anderson and I hadn't talked about it, but I couldn't imagine him listing Bailey as an accessory to a drug deal. They had enough bad press at the station. Plus, it's not like they could put him in baby juvie.

"Who treats a baby like that? I thought we were friends," she continued.

Drug dealers. Drug dealers treated friends that way. But it wasn't my job to point that out to her, so I kept my mouth shut.

"Did you two have a fight once you found out about Emma using your baby in her deals?" I asked.

She nodded immediately. "Sure as hell did, but Emma didn't care. She said I didn't matter because she had bigger problems. What a bitch. Right? She probably charged her boyfriend full price too, and that's why he killed her."

Jenny Mae took over rocking the baby stroller and made a noise of agreement.

"Were you home when Emma went missing? Did you see anything?" I threw in the second question, so she didn't get suspicious. Right now, Emma's neighbor was high on my suspect list. Right underneath Emma's boyfriend.

She shook her head. "I was working at the convenience store in town. Jenny Mae watches Bailey for me now. The oldest watches the others, but they're at their dad's house this month over summer vacation. It's about time he did something for them."

Jenny Mae beamed at the baby. "We watch our soaps together. They're best watched with a friend. That way, you have someone to help you get over the emotional trauma. Right, Bailey?"

The baby didn't respond.

"He's got enough trauma, thanks to Emma. Don't make it worse."

Jenny Mae scoffed and waved her hand at Faith. "You want to come in and watch with us?" she asked me.

My eyes widened, and I twisted my hands together. "Oh wow. Thanks, but soaps aren't really my thing. I couldn't get into them."

Honestly, I never tried, but they seemed important to Jenny Mae, and I didn't want to offend her.

Faith made her goodbyes, and I snuck in on her exit, both of us walking to the parking lot together.

She stopped by me as I unlocked Rachel to get in. "Listen, I'm mad at Emma for the shit she pulled, but I want to see Taylor behind bars as much as everyone else. You catch that bastard and make him pay." Her eyes flashed with vengeance.

I nodded. "If he did it, I'll make sure he's locked up where he belongs."

She gave me a quick nod and continued toward an old black four-door Buick in the parking lot.

I waited until she was out of sight before grabbing my phone and calling Anderson. It rang four times before he answered.

"I'm very busy, Vonnie," he said.

Not a great conversation starter. "Let's make an appointment. I can stop in later this afternoon if you'll give me twenty minutes."

Anderson sighed. "I've got your uncle in jail for running a cross-country drug ring and a dead body with no murderer. I don't have twenty minutes."

"Okay, fine. Give me one question." It was always a negotiation with Anderson.

Someone spoke in the background of his call. I tried to listen but couldn't make out anything more than mumbles. "Fine, one question. Make it quick."

"I spoke with Faith today and her neighbor Jenny Mae. They both pointed fingers at the boyfriend. Said they had an abusive relationship, but Emma wouldn't leave."

Anderson groaned. "It's like you think I can't do my job or something."

"Well..." I paused but then said what I was thinking, anyway. "I have solved like four cases for you."

If we were keeping score. It wouldn't be too wild for me to question their ability to bring in a murder. Not saying I was.

"You almost-" Anderson's voice rose in irritation, so I had no choice but to cut him off. Neither of us had time for one of his rants.

"Can you just find out where the boyfriend was and tell me? Please." There one question and a "please." He couldn't be angry about that.

"No."

What the hell?