The Murder Book

"No, just the two of them."

"Walking, not driving," said Schwi

"Janie didn't have no license. I got one car, and it barely drives. No way was I go

Unaware of Janie's downtown rape? If so, the guy was being truthful about one thing: Janie had been lost to him for a long time.

"Some what?" said Schwi

"Some- you know," moaned Ingalls. "Getting picked up- some stranger."

The death snaps were back in the envelope, but Schwi

"Me? No," said Ingalls. "She was like her mother. Didn't talk- gimme that beer."

When the can was empty, Schwi

Ingalls thought. "Jeans and a T-shirt- red T-shirt… and those crazy black shoes with those heels- platform heels. She was carrying her party clothes."

"Party clothes."

"When I woke up and saw her going out the door, I could see part of what she had in the bag."

"What kind of bag?"

"Shopping bag. White- Zody's, probably, 'cause that's where she shops. She always stuffed her party stuff inside shopping bags."

"What did you see in the bag?"

"Red halter the size of a Band-Aid. I always told her it was hooker shit, she should throw it out, used to threaten her I'd throw it out."

"But you didn't."

"No," said Ingalls. "What woulda been the point?"

"A red halter," said Schwi

"That's all I saw. Probably a skirt, one of those microminis, that's all she buys. The shoes she already had on."

"Black with big heels."

"Shiny black," said Ingalls. "Patent leather. Those crazy heels, I kept telling her she'd fall and break her neck."

"Party outfit," said Schwi

Red-and-black party outfit, thought Milo. Remembering something that had gone round in high school, boys sitting around pontificating, pointing with glee: Red and black on Fridays meant a girl put out all the way. Him, laughing along, pretending to care…

Bowie Ingalls said, "Except for the jeans and T-shirts, that's all she buys. Party stuff."

"Speaking of which," said Schwi

The rest of the apartment was two cell-sized bedrooms separated by a windowless bathroom stale with flatulence.

Schwi

Janie's room was even smaller, with barely enough space for a single mattress and a nightstand of the same synthetic wood. Cutouts from teen magazines were taped to the walls, mounted at careless angles. A single, muddy-looking stuffed koala slumped on the nightstand, next to a soft pack of Kents and a half-empty box of Luden's cough drops. The room was so cramped that the mattress prevented the closet door from opening all the way, and Schwi

He winced, stepped out, and told Milo, "You do it."

Milo's size made the task excruciating, but he obeyed.

Zody's was a cut-rate barn. Even at their prices, Janie Ingalls hadn't assembled much of a wardrobe. On the dusty floor sat one pair of te

On the top shelf were bikini underpants, bras, panty hose, more dust. Everything stank of tobacco. Only a few pockets to search. Other than grit and lint and a Doublemint wrapper, Milo found nothing. Such a blank existence- not unlike his own apartment, he hadn't bothered to furnish much since arriving in L.A., had never been sure he'd be staying.

He searched the rest of the room. The magazine posters were the closest thing to personal possessions. No diary or date book or photographs of friends. If Janie had ever called this dump home, she'd changed her mind sometime ago. He wondered if she had some other place of refuge- a crash pad, a sanctuary, somewhere she kept stuff.

He checked under the bed, found dirt. When he extricated himself, his neck killed and his shoulders throbbed.

Schwi

Milo found himself craving a drink.

When he joined Schwi

Schwi

Ingalls looked up. "About what?"

Schwi

"I already told you everything."

Milo said, "Was there anywhere else Janie mighta crashed?"

"Like what?"

"Like a crash pad. Somewhere kids go."

"I du

"Okay, thanks. Sorry for your loss, Mr. Ingalls."

Schwi

Basic question, thought Milo, but he hadn't thought to ask it. Schwi

"Short, big tits- built big- kinda fat. Blond hair, real long, straight."

"Voluptuous," said Schwi

"Whatever."

"And she's Janie's age?"

"Maybe a little older," said Ingalls.

"A sophomore, too?"

"I du

"Bad influence," said Schwi

"Yeah."

"Do you have a picture of Janie? Something we could show around?"

"I'd have to have one, wouldn't I?" said Bowie, making it sound like the answer to an oral exam. Pulling himself to his feet, he stumbled to his bedroom, returned moments later with a three-by-five snap.

A dark-haired child around ten years old, wearing a sleeveless dress and staring at a five-foot-tall Mickey Mouse. Mickey giving that idiot grin, the kid unimpressed- scared, actually. No way to co

"Disneyland," said Ingalls.

"You took Janie there?" said Milo, trying to imagine that.

"Nah, it was a school trip. They got a group discount."

Schwi

"I should have something," said Ingalls, "but hell if I can find anything- if I do, I'll call you."