I said, “I don’t know, sir. She looked lost. I was about to pull over to help her when it happened.”

“This car …”

“Actually, it was an SUV.”

“Did it … Was it gunning for her?”

I refrained from sighing. “It’s anyone’s guess. It happened so fast, I didn’t get all the details. Maybe later … if I think about it, something new will come to me.” I bowed my head. “I’m so sorry.”

He nodded, not daring to make eye contact.

Hayley said, “Did she know anyone else besides you who lived outside the Fordham Center?”

“She might have. My sister didn’t talk to me about her private life. And when she did … I didn’t listen too carefully. She was a typical teenage girl … only she was twenty-four. But she still had the teenybopper mentality—boy crazy, for one thing. Mostly movie stars. She talked about meeting them one day. She lived in a fantasy world and I zoned out half the time.” He started pacing. “This is too awful. I’m grateful that my parents aren’t alive to deal with this blow.” He regarded Cindy. “When can I bury her? The thought of her lying on a slab in cold storage is sickening.”

“We’ll let you know as soon as the ME is done.”

“What in the world is there to find out? She was massacred by some crazy or careless motorist. What will an autopsy tell you that you don’t already know?”

“It’s just procedure, sir,” Oliver told him.

He drew his hands down his face. “I have to start making funeral arrangements.” He checked his watch. “I don’t suppose anyone’s open at five in the morning.”

“You might have to wait a few hours.”

I said, “You won’t mind if we check your phone records?”

“Of course. Anything that would help. She’s been with the center over ten years. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to hurt her.”

“Has she been having any trouble with anyone there?”

“Not that I know about.”

“Has she talked about anyone specifically?”

“Like a boy or a man? No. Or if she did, I’m sorry to say I didn’t pay attention.” Again he checked his watch. “When can I make the identification?”

“How about if I take you down?” I offered. “See if we can speed up the process.”

“I’ll come with you,” Hayley stated.

“We can all go,” Oliver said.

“You have farther to travel to get home, sir,” I told him. “We can handle it, Detective.”

“We’ll all go,” Oliver insisted. “That way, it’ll be done by the book.”

I was in no position to argue.

Seniority had spoken.

21

By the time Terrance had identified his sister and we were finally done, it was half past six. Hayley offered to buy us breakfast, but I was too nauseous to even think about eating.

“Besides, I should see how Koby’s doing.”

Oliver’s shoulders tensed. “I’ll take you to his house after I drop off Marx.”

Hayley said, “I’ll take her, Scott. This is girl time, okay?”