“Can’t. Brice wants me to do follow-up interviews with some of those other current and former housekeepers at the Gulf Vista. He thinks there’s a potential for a class-action lawsuit against the hotel for sexual harassment. That place is the gift that keeps on giving.”

“Okay. Then how about a drink? After work tonight?”

“Maybe. Text me when you leave here and let me know where you want to meet.”

Drue stopped at Target on her way home from work and picked out several more coloring books and a Little Mermaid bathing suit and beach towel.

When she got to Yvonne Howington’s house, she saw the Plymouth parked in the driveway. The hood was open and the vehicle, which was missing two tires, was raised up on concrete blocks. Drue got a very intense sense of déjà vu.

“Come on in,” Yvonne said, after Drue knocked on the screen door.

“What’s wrong with your car?” Drue asked, following Yvonne into the living room.

“What’s not wrong with it?” Yvonne said, seating herself in the recliner. “Needs new tires, new battery, new everything. My nephew’s supposed to start working on it, when he gets the time.”

“How do you get to work?” Drue asked.

“Sometimes I get a ride from somebody, but mostly I just take cabs,” Yvonne said resignedly.

Drue handed her the Target bag. “This is for Aliyah. How’s she doing?”

Yvonne accepted the bag without comment. “You want to see her? She’s in the bedroom coloring in that book you brought her. She’s about wore out those glitter markers.”

“I do want to see her, but in the meantime, have you seen the news?”

“No. Cable’s out.” Yvonne leaned forward, a glimmer of hope in her dark eyes. “You got news for me? About my case?”

“I do,” Drue said. “There’s been an arrest.”

“Praise Jesus.” Yvonne raised her hands. “He is good all the time.”

She quickly filled the older woman in on the latest developments, leaving out the more sordid details of Jazmin’s uneasy arrangement with her killer.

“I knew it,” Yvonne said, nodding vigorously. “Jazmin was afraid of that man.”

“Jazmin’s friend Neesa was also arrested,” Drue said quietly.

“That nice girl? I can’t believe she would do that.”

“Herman Byars bullied her into it,” Drue said. “She was just as afraid of him as Jazmin was, but she helped him conceal the crime and lied to the police, so I’m afraid she’s in real trouble.”

“I’ll have to pray for her,” Yvonne said. “But now, what does that mean for my case against the hotel?”