Jasmines mouth turned down. I dont know it. I never asked for their address. She works uptown at some art gallery, though.
Yes, we know. Frustration knocked at Pauls ribs.
Hed have to wait until Lacy came in to work tomorrow to interview her. He flipped his notepad closed. Sorry to have bothered you.
No bother. She smiled, two dimples appearing near her mouth.
Maam, Id suggest you have a stern talk with your daughter about opening doors to strangers, Andy stated. We wouldnt want to have to come back to find you both raped or murdered.
Jasmine paled. Yes. Yes, Ill do that.
Paul stared at Andy. He wasnt usually so harsh.
Just as they were stepping into the hall, Paul thought to ask, Where were you this evening?
She blinked, her gaze shot up to the right. Here. Here with Susie.
She was lying.
She was about the right height, blond and blue-eyed, as Rod described. But Rod hadnt mentioned the dimples and they were hard to miss. Looked like Paul would be revisiting Figaros. Thank you. Good night.
Back in the sedan, Paul gave his partner a sidelong glance. What was that about?
What?
You know what. You deliberately tried to scare that woman. Paul had been just as bugged by the lack of child safety, but Andys blunt words had taken Paul by surprise.
Andy sighed. When my sister was about eight, she opened the door. She wasnt as lucky as those two were tonight. Alesha cant have kids now from the attack and shes still plagued with nightmares.
Oh, man. I didnt know. Empathy for Andys pain dug at Paul. Nothing like that had ever touched Pauls life. At least not here in the States. Hed seen more death and destruction during Desert Storm than hed care to think about.
Yeah, well. Life goes on and all we can do is try to help others not make the same mistakes, Andy said, his voice grim.
You got that right, Paul agreed. Fighting in Iraq had been hell on earth. But the war they fought every day in New York City, trying to keep their piece of the world safe, was just as fraught with heartache and devastation as a battlefield.
Sometimes Paul missed the military life. At least then he knew who the enemy was supposed to be. Herethe enemy could be a blue-eyed art curator with a propensity for cleanliness.
Lets head to the station. I think weve let Ms. McClain cool her heels long enough, Paul stated.