least twenty-four hours, but I insisted that they make out a report. The officer said that they couldn’t send someone out that soon, but she would take a report over the phone. Finally, after several calls, they sent someone out two days later.”
Laura hated the present inefficient laws and rules about missing women. “So, let me get this straight. She went missing on what date?”
“September eleventh.”
“So, the actual report was filed on the thirteenth?”
“Correct, I made them date everything back to the eleventh and coordinate it with my first phone call. I watch a lot of those police shows on TV. I know it’s critical to keep times and dates accurate.”
Laura smiled to herself about Sandy’s determination. “You did the right thing for your friend. How long had Tamara been your roommate?”
“Only for about six months before she disappeared, but we had become very close during that time.”
“Can you think of anyone who might want to harm her, or anyone she was afraid of?”
Sandy’s eyes got really big, and she sounded excited. “Yes, she had just gotten out of an abusive relationship when she moved here!”
“Did she ever mention his name, or where she was from?”
“No, she was terrified though. She wouldn’t even give me any references to check. She said she didn’t want anyone from her past to know where she was. To make up for it, she gave me six months rent up front and then still paid me monthly. The six months up front was what she called her security blanket.”
Laura was frustrated. “Did she tell you anything about this guy?”
“No, she said she didn’t want to talk about it ever again. All she said was that it was an abusive relationship. She was afraid of being tracked down, because her ex was a cop. That’s what made me so paranoid when she just disappeared like that.”
“Do you still have her things?”
“Yes, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, because her six month advance recently ran out. I left her room just the way it was, hoping that she would come back. You’re welcome to take a look, if it will help.”
“Thanks, we will. Did you get all of that written down, Murphy?”
“Yep, got it all.”
They went into Tamara’s room and looked around. It was very sparse and impersonal. There was a pink dog’s bed on the floor, with the name Annabelle printed on it. The closet had a few simple clothes, and the bathroom had only bare necessities like soap and shampoo.
Dan frowned. “Hey, did you notice there aren’t any girly things in here?”
Laura laughed at him. “Girly things, Murphy, another leftover from your last girlfriend?”
“No, I’m serious. No makeup, perfume or curling iron. No fancy lingerie hung in the shower. There’s a brush and a hair dryer, but a guy would have that. If I walked into this bathroom and you asked me if it belonged to a guy or girl, I would pick guy, but we know she was a woman. I mean look, I have three sisters, and I’ve had girlfriends that I lived with. I know a woman’s bathroom when I see it.”
“You’re right, and yet that picture in the freezer was like a glamour shot, or something, with fancy hair and makeup. Maybe the picture on the altar is of someone else and not our victim. I don’t remember any makeup on the body, and after seven months in a freezer, her hair wouldn’t have looked that great anyway. I need to see Ralph about this. Also, I am wondering about his connection to terrorists with the choice of that date. After all, he is terrorizing women.”
They went back out to the living room to talk to Sandy, and Laura was curious. “Did Tamara wear much makeup? I didn’t see any in the bathroom.”
“No, Detective Peterson, not a bit. She was very plain and lived a simple life.”
“Where did she work?”
“A little restaurant downtown. I don’t know the name, but I know that they paid her cash under the table, if you know what I mean. She always dealt in cash, because she said
Laura hated the present inefficient laws and rules about missing women. “So, let me get this straight. She went missing on what date?”
“September eleventh.”
“So, the actual report was filed on the thirteenth?”
“Correct, I made them date everything back to the eleventh and coordinate it with my first phone call. I watch a lot of those police shows on TV. I know it’s critical to keep times and dates accurate.”
Laura smiled to herself about Sandy’s determination. “You did the right thing for your friend. How long had Tamara been your roommate?”
“Only for about six months before she disappeared, but we had become very close during that time.”
“Can you think of anyone who might want to harm her, or anyone she was afraid of?”
Sandy’s eyes got really big, and she sounded excited. “Yes, she had just gotten out of an abusive relationship when she moved here!”
“Did she ever mention his name, or where she was from?”
“No, she was terrified though. She wouldn’t even give me any references to check. She said she didn’t want anyone from her past to know where she was. To make up for it, she gave me six months rent up front and then still paid me monthly. The six months up front was what she called her security blanket.”
Laura was frustrated. “Did she tell you anything about this guy?”
“No, she said she didn’t want to talk about it ever again. All she said was that it was an abusive relationship. She was afraid of being tracked down, because her ex was a cop. That’s what made me so paranoid when she just disappeared like that.”
“Do you still have her things?”
“Yes, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, because her six month advance recently ran out. I left her room just the way it was, hoping that she would come back. You’re welcome to take a look, if it will help.”
“Thanks, we will. Did you get all of that written down, Murphy?”
“Yep, got it all.”
They went into Tamara’s room and looked around. It was very sparse and impersonal. There was a pink dog’s bed on the floor, with the name Annabelle printed on it. The closet had a few simple clothes, and the bathroom had only bare necessities like soap and shampoo.
Dan frowned. “Hey, did you notice there aren’t any girly things in here?”
Laura laughed at him. “Girly things, Murphy, another leftover from your last girlfriend?”
“No, I’m serious. No makeup, perfume or curling iron. No fancy lingerie hung in the shower. There’s a brush and a hair dryer, but a guy would have that. If I walked into this bathroom and you asked me if it belonged to a guy or girl, I would pick guy, but we know she was a woman. I mean look, I have three sisters, and I’ve had girlfriends that I lived with. I know a woman’s bathroom when I see it.”
“You’re right, and yet that picture in the freezer was like a glamour shot, or something, with fancy hair and makeup. Maybe the picture on the altar is of someone else and not our victim. I don’t remember any makeup on the body, and after seven months in a freezer, her hair wouldn’t have looked that great anyway. I need to see Ralph about this. Also, I am wondering about his connection to terrorists with the choice of that date. After all, he is terrorizing women.”
They went back out to the living room to talk to Sandy, and Laura was curious. “Did Tamara wear much makeup? I didn’t see any in the bathroom.”
“No, Detective Peterson, not a bit. She was very plain and lived a simple life.”
“Where did she work?”
“A little restaurant downtown. I don’t know the name, but I know that they paid her cash under the table, if you know what I mean. She always dealt in cash, because she said
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