Page 76 of The Liar

I held up my badge. “Detective Joanna Lee. Chicago PD.”

He opened the door wide enough to reveal a skinny, wrinkled face with deep-set eyes and hardly any teeth. “What business do the police have dragging an old man out of bed?”

“We’re sorry to have woken you.” West stepped up beside me, his charming smile firmly in place. “We just have one or two questions, and then you can head straight back to bed. Is that all right?”

The man grumbled but nodded.

“Do you know the woman who lives next door?” I asked.

He grunted. “Sweet girl. Shows too much skin though. What’s this about?”

“She’s missing,” I informed him.

His jaw dropped, and the haziness vanished from his eyes in an instant. “What?”

“I want you to think hard.” I paused to give him a chanceto process. “Have you heard or seen anything unusual tonight?”

He was quiet for a long moment, his bloodshot eyes flicking back and forth. Eventually, his face lit up.

“There was a commotion,” he said. “A few hours ago. A bit of bashing and crashing. I didn’t think much of it. Assumed someone was moving furniture.”

In a way, he was right to assume that.

“What time was this?” I asked.

He pulled a face. “Around ten. Maybe eleven. I was in bed, but I don’t sleep well. My memory isn’t great either though, so I don’t know how much stock you want to put in that.”

“Thank you.” For now, his guess-timate was all we had. “Anything else?”

“I don’t think so,” he replied regretfully. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Not right now, but someone will be by in the morning to take a statement. Have a nice night.”

He grumbled and seemed reluctant to close the door, but he must have realized that there really wasn’t much he could do.

“That’s something, at least,” West said as we passed back in front of Portia’s door to try the neighbor on the other side.

I knocked, then knocked again and called out, but it was completely silent within. Perhaps whoever occupied the apartment worked the night shift.

When we tried the door across from Portia’s, a young woman opened it, rubbing her eyes. A sleeping baby was tucked against her side.

“What is it?” she asked wearily.

“Did you know the woman who lived opposite you?” Itook the lead again, knowing that West would prefer to remain in the background.

“Portia? Of course. Why?”

“Her apartment has been broken into.” I spoke softly, so as not to wake the baby. “We can’t find her. Have you seen her today?”

“No.” She frowned. “I hardly ever do. She keeps strange hours.”

Disappointment sat like lead in my gut.

“Have you heard or seen anything out of the ordinary tonight?”

She shook her head. “Sorry, no. I’ve been crashed out hard.”

“What about earlier today?”

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