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Grime Beat (Grime Fighter Novella Series) (Volume 1)

By Marji Laine

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Dani Foster edged into the parking lot of her friend’s apartment complex. She roamed the three rows of cars, searching for her friend’s Nissan in the ebbing daylight. Not a white sedan in the bunch. Parking near the center of the lot, she eyed the second floor apartment.

If only Tasha would answer her phone. Dani had left a zillion texts and messages. Yet her calls were still answered with that same out-of-character recording. “I’ve gone dark. Deal with it.”

The girl everyone dubbed “Sunshine” would never be so callous. Dani pictured her friend in her mind. Natasha Sanderson had a vivid smile, an enormous mane of blonde curls, and the enthusiasm of a perpetual cheerleader.

And the dependability of a postman.

That girl never missed work. Never. Oh God, please don’t let anything happen to Tasha.

She parked in a spot and started to grab her sweater. Near sunset in mid-January, she’d normally need it, but a southern breeze had kept the weather warm since Christmas.

Dani left the layer behind and rushed up the stairs to the second floor apartment. “Tasha, are you in there?” She knocked on her door. How many times over the past four months had she climbed those same steps? Usually with a big bag of chips for Tasha’s delicious chili con queso.

She eyed the welcome decoration that hung beside the door and absently adjusted the burlap material on the bow. The knots in Dani’s stomach that had initially formed over the irritated conversation they’d shared on Friday tightened further. She pushed the door buzzer several times. An annoying sound, but not loud enough to her way of thinking. If only she’d been able to reach her during the weekend, to clear the air between them.

Instead, her concern turned to full-fledged worry from Tasha’s silence. With her no-show this morning, that knot from the weekend threatened a stranglehold around her throat. Help me find her, Lord.

Dani pounded her fist against the cheap wood. The top edge gave a little with each contact. The lock held, but it wouldn’t take much to break through. She called out again.

The door across the landing opened, and what must have been Hulk’s sister advanced from within. “You wanna can that racket?”

Dani took a step backward. Then another. “Sorry. I’m looking for my friend who lives here. Have you seen her or heard anything from this place?” She laid her hand against Tasha’s door.

The woman scowled and reentered her apartment.

“Does that mean no?” Dani clapped her hand over her mouth. Talking without thinking was going to get her busted one of these days. Probably would have at this point if the woman had heard her sarcasm.

She turned back to the door to knock again. She halted her hand in mid-pound and eyed the closed door of the neighbor. No sense in inviting further conflict.

Maybe she could get in through the window? The blinds were drawn and the room beyond dark. Dani tried to work her nails into the crack at the bottom of the metal strip. It wouldn’t budge.

With her molars clamped together, she willed herself not to give up. There had to be some way to find out what was going on. Especially with the ugly images that were starting to take root in her mind.

She trotted down the steps and around to the side of the building and looked toward the second floor. Blinds drawn at one window and frosted glass in the bathroom kept the interior secret. A hollow space grew in her chest.

She couldn’t go home now. She’d never sleep. Not with the images of Tasha hurt or sick trolling around in her imagination. She walled against worse scenarios. Something had happened. That much was clear.

I know You know what’s going on, Father. And I know You don’t have to tell me. But could you please take care of Tasha, right now? And let me find some way to help her?

Part of her Bible reading from a few weeks back revisited her mind. “I will not leave you comfortless.” The rest of the verse eluded her, but that part gave her the encouragement to keep searching. She wasn’t alone.

She skirted to the back, sticking to the shadows. A little dog from the apartment under Tasha’s started yapping. Sounded like a terrier. A sliding patio door opened, and Dani froze. This wasn’t the type of companionship she needed right now. The barking volume increased, and the door slid into place with a click, leaving the dog scratching at the high patio fence.

Dani retreated several steps into the landscape, eyeing the enclosure. That really was a high wooden fence. Looked sturdy. She glanced to the top floor. The upper level held more of a balcony with a waist-high rail and pickets. And she could reach the bottom of them from the top of the lower porch.

She moved to the next apartment. Same structure here. And no animals. The loud-mouth next door was still throwing a fit, but at this angle its owners wouldn’t see her if they looked out their patio door.

This was worth a try.

Backing up several feet, she took a running jump to the top edge of the wooden fence. The lifting and toting she did at work paid off. She pushed her arms straight over the rail, anchored there like a gymnast on a bar, and peered through the open drapes of the unit. The apartment appeared vacant. No lights, and no furniture.

She glanced at the whirling ball of black and brown fluff in the porch next door. Hard to believe so much noise came from such a tiny thing.

She swung her legs to catch one foot on the top of the rail and used the false stones at the side of the building for balance. Standing, she wrapped her hands around the bottom of the pickets on the upper floor.

The warm day had mocked her with visions of an early spring. Now, a chilled breeze with the smell of a cold, January rain caught her bangs and sent a shiver across her shoulders. Served her right for leaving her sweater in the car.

She inched over to the farthest point and climbed to the next level as soundlessly as possible, using the rock facing. Reaching the porch next to Tasha’s, she hugged the corner. This unit wasn’t empty or dark. A couple of boys lay on their stomachs with some sort of metal machines fighting on the TV in front of them. It could be worse; the TV could be near the patio door and they’d be looking right at her. Or it could’ve been Hulk’s sister’s apartment.

Knowing any minute, the kids could turn around, she shuffled across the narrow rail. She took a giant step across to her friend’s balcony and held onto the roof. Sunset orange streaked the sky. And she still had to get herself down.

Later.

First she had to check on Tasha. Keeping a firm hold on the edge of the eave, she ducked her head to find drapes completely covering the closed door. Blah. She’d hoped to at least find the curtains cracked. They’d always been wide open whenever she visited, showing a stunning view of a little park and the rest of the complex on the other side.

She leaned forward and hopped off the rail. The sliding door was secure, and no lights showed through or around the curtains. Dani knocked against the glass. The sound echoed through the interior, and the dog beneath her upped his volume another decibel.

No response. This had been a waste of time. A patio chair next to her leaned against the wall. She righted and straightened it to be parallel with the rail. Moving forward, she leaned against the wooden beam and scanned the brown grass beneath her. What now? With all of her knocking, Tasha surely heard her. If she was there. Unless….

The line of thought she’d refused to entertain poured through her mind and iced her spine. She put her palms over her eyes. Would this place be the next crime scene she had to clean up, with the blood and ruin belonging to her dear friend instead of a tragic stranger?

She wiped her eyes hard. No. Tasha was fine. Just an unexpected trip. Or a new job opportunity. Goodness knew she could find a better environment in which to work. Surely, some hint of where she’d gone was inside the apartment. There had to be. If only Dani could find a way to look inside.

People like Tasha didn’t just disappear.

But then, hadn’t Dani done the exact same thing—left without a word or explanation? Had any of her friends tried to find her? She shook the troubling thoughts away. No reason to revisit that. Tasha couldn’t be experiencing the disaster Dani had.

Besides, her friend couldn’t keep a secret if she tried. If she had any, they wouldn’t have stayed hidden for long. Especially since Dani was practically her only friend here. With both of them arriving in Dallas about the same time, they had bonded like sisters, often together at her place or Dani’s. They always got along. Always agreed. Even finished one another’s sentences. And that fact made Friday’s argument even more disconcerting.

Wait. Didn’t Tasha have a skylight in her kitchen? Clear glass even. And she often propped it open to cool her home. Dani climbed back onto the corner of the porch rail. Using the rocks as a brace, she stood and peered over the edge of the soft incline. Sure enough, the remains of the sunset reflected off the glass about halfway up to the incline.

She planted her hands on the roof and lifted until her knee was firm on the edge. She thought to scramble up like a playground slide, but the shingles cut into the palms of her hands as she crept toward the glass. Though she was likely ruining her black jeans, the climb got easier the higher she went. Good thing she’d left her hair in a bun.

Upon reaching the skylight, she gasped. “Oh my gosh.” Dani’s shadow took out some of the illumination filtering in, but the empty refrigerator offered enough on its own.

Cans, pots, broken glass, and dishes covered the kitchen floor. Several cabinets next to it appeared as empty as the fridge. Likely their contents littered the beige tile along with the broken milk jug, smashed eggs, and a decimated loaf of bread.

What happened? She tried to peel the window from the frame. She didn’t remember it ever being locked, but if it wasn’t, it was much heavier than it looked. Much more than a normal window.

After two torn nails and a scratched fingertip, she finally accepted defeat. There was no way she’d be getting into the apartment without actually breaking something. And she wasn’t prepared to go that far. Yet. She scanned the edges of light but couldn’t make out any details beyond what sat directly in front of the fridge. The pantry and stove area cowered in deep shadows. Someone could even have been standing there looking at her, and she wouldn’t have known.

Creepy thought. She backed away. If only she’d brought the flashlight from her car. Turning over, she sat and focused on the last hints of light on the horizon. Speaking of needing a flashlight ….

Sirens sounded in the far distance. From her vantage point, a good part of the suburb spread out before her. Could have been a pleasant view if she wasn’t so torn on what to do next.

She slid down on the roof, likely making her behind look just as bad as her knees. She needed a way… uh, down. Dani’s throat went dry as the realization of her plight took hold.

Yikes. How had she come all this way? Resisting the urge to dig her fingernails into the shingles, she scooted back up. Going down from a climb had always been the scariest part. How was she supposed to navigate the descent in pitch black? Okay, not pitch, but dark enough to make getting back to solid ground impossible.

The sirens neared. Several of them from the sound of things. She scanned the horizon for a flame. Too dark to spot any smoke. The cloudless, moonless dusk illuminated nothing, but whirling lights appeared on the main thoroughfare not far from her. Police SUVs, ambulance, ladder truck. Must be something big going on somewhere.

They turned in to the lot next to her.

Oops.

The thought occurred that she might have better luck on the other side of the roof. Before she could move that direction, a spot light found her. Someone with a bullhorn cleared his throat. “Miss, stay where you are. Lift your hands and keep them up.”

She obeyed. What had she gotten herself into this time? She’d been ordered to maintain a low profile. Stay out of sight. Don’t stir up trouble. Yet here she was in the thick of it all again.

Mere minutes passed before the top of a ladder clunked against the roof. The dog below went berserk. His barking probably earned the call to the police. Beasty ball of fluff.

The vague image of a policeman appeared. “Don’t move, Miss. You are covered. Are you armed?”

What? Covered. Did that mean he had a gun? “Of course not.” She didn’t even have her phone with her.

The cop shined a flashlight into her eyes. “Scoot to your right.”

She slowly lowered her hands and shoved her bottom across the harsh surface several times.

He kept the light trained on her. “Do you live in this complex?”

“No, I was looking for my friend. She lives in the apartment just below us but she’s disappeared.” She had as far as Dani could tell. “Someone wrecked her place.” She stopped and lifted her hands again.

He lowered his light and looked down. “Looks like she’s okay.” He descended the way he’d come.

“Wait, you can see the wreck yourself….” Wasted effort. And her arms were beginning to chill, even with her long-sleeved tee shirt.

Less than a minute passed before a fireman’s helmet rose above the edge of the roof. “Just stay put and we’ll get you down.” He kept coming and stepped onto the roof. An older guy with a nice face.

“Meow?” Dani mustered a half giggle.

“Excuse me?”

“I figure you usually work with cats stuck in trees. Thought a good meow might make you feel at home.” She smiled.

The man didn’t bite.

She sighed and cleared her throat. So much for finding humor in strained situations. “Can I put my hands down, now?

He nodded. “Are you hurt?”

“No, sir, but I’m better at going up than down.” Dani pointed to the skylight. “See, I was worried about my friend. She’s missing.”

He stepped up the roof and peered through the glass. “Seems there’s a reason to worry.” He patted her shoulder. “Why don’t we tell the fellows at the bottom about it after we get you back to firm ground?”

Another helmet appeared at the edge of the roof. The first guy guided her onto the ladder and helped her get her balance.

She clung to one post for a moment. Don’t look down.

Despite her positive self-talk, she looked anyway. Epic fail.

The guy beneath her must have caught a whiff of her panic. “Keep your eyes on the rung in front of you. Just keep stepping. You won’t fall.”

Easy for him to say. He probably trained for hundreds of hours on these things. He helped her take the last long step to the base of the ladder where it rested on the back of the truck. Almost as tall as an eighteen-wheeler. She paused. “Quite a view from here.”

The fireman came down behind her. “Not as good as the one you had up top, but it’s safer down here.”

With the first guy already on the cement, she climbed down the back of the truck.

A cop took her by the upper arm. “I’m going to have to arrest you for trespassing, young lady.” He pulled her hands behind her back and snapped on hand-cuffs.

The cold metal dug into Dani’s wrists. “Wait a minute. You don’t understand.”

The fireman who had helped her onto the ladder stepped close and said something to the cop, though his helmet blocked Dani’s view of his face, and she couldn’t hear anything more than a baritone mumble.

After the fireman walked away, the officer took her by the elbow. “I’m guessing, since you don’t have any stolen items on you, that you weren’t able to break in.”

“Oh, I could’ve broken in, but I didn’t want to break anything. I was more trying to see in.” Wait, that didn’t come out the way she meant. Her shoulder twitched into a spasm from the angle of her arm. She gritted her teeth.

“Really. Brings a new realm to window peeper I guess.” He led her to an SUV with swirling lights. “Your name?”

Twisting her wrist against the cuff hurt like the dickens but relieved some of the pressure on her shoulder. “Dani Foster. But you have to help me. The place in there is trashed.” She tried to point, making her shoulder ache again.

“It’s none of your business how people keep their homes.” He opened the back door.

“Didn’t the fireman tell you about it?” She halted and spotted the engine as it roared to life and pulled away.

“He said it was messy, but there’s nothing that proves you didn’t create the vandalism yourself.”

“Vandalism?” She was really in for it when her security agent got wind of this.

The policeman hesitated, but only for a moment. “If nothing else, lady, you’re under arrest for trespassing. We’ll see if there was a break-in.”

“But there was. There had to be. Tasha’s apartment was always neat.” She squirmed as he tugged her toward the back seat.

“You know the resident? Maybe you had a fight and wanted to get back at her?”

“Yes, I mean no. I do know the resident. Tasha. Natasha Sanderson. That’s what I’m trying to tell you. My friend is missing.” Dani sighed. Finally, she’d gotten out the most important detail. Maybe he’d unlatch the horrible chains around her wrists.

“We’ll check it out at the department.”

“No. Please.” She couldn’t be arrested. The records would uncover too many dangerous details.

He put his hand on her head and shoved her inside.

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