The 50-Plus Condo Collection

Chapter 8

EIGHT

After being awakened by police sirens, followed by the ambulance, the entire condo was buzzing the next day about the early morning disturbance. It didn’t take much to get the residents stirred up, but with something meaty to chew on, all bedlam broke out. Anyone who was mobile came into the office for details. Those who weren’t capable of making a personal appearance called on the phone. It was a morning straight from hell for Rachel. And she wasn’t in the best of shape to handle the onslaught.

Rachel had a raging headache. She fumbled around in her desk drawer and tried to locate some Ibuprofen. She really needed something today. Whether this would do the trick, she didn't know. When she looked up, Penelope was coming in the door. Rachel just stared into her eyes.

“Lord, child, you don’t look too good.”

“I’m not good. I found her body.” With that statement out of her mouth, she plopped down in the chair.

“I know. I peeked out the door after I heard the sirens. It wasn’t hard to figure what happened.” Penelope slowly lowered her body to another chair.

“The police will probably want to talk to you,” Rachel said, reaching for the mini fridge behind to get bottled water.

“They already have. I gave them my statement.”

Rachel's eyes looked over at her hopefully. “Did you hear or see anything?” she asked after she swallowed the pill. Once she started to drink, her thirst took over, and she finished half the bottle.

“No, nothing. I was sound asleep until the sirens went off. Even I can hear sirens. Who do you think murdered her?” The woman’s eyes were liquid and full of questions. “It’s a scary thought that one of my neighbors has been murdered.”

“Yes, it is. For all of us. And I can’t imagine who would have killed her, to answer your question.” Rachel was still processing the situation, making an effort to be cordial to all the tenants. She understood they were alarmed.

The office door swung open and Detective France entered. He nodded to the women before he spoke.

“I’d like a word with you, Mrs. Barnes.”

“Oh, I’ll leave you alone now,” Penelope said quickly, realizing she needed to leave. She popped from the chair and scooted out the door. Rachel knew that the old woman was tempted to place her ear on the door from the other side. Hopefully, she’ll think better of that and go back to her apartment.

“Have a seat,” Rachel offered. “Would you like some water or coffee?”

“Water would be nice,” he said, taking a seat across the desk from Rachel.

“It’s the least I can do.” Rachel handed the detective a bottle of water from the fridge. “So, what’s happening?”

“The medical examiner has ruled the woman’s death as a homicide. Her throat was cut after she suffered a beating. It was brutal,” he said, taking a few swallows of water. “The assailant used an object to knock her around before killing her. We speculate that was to weaken her. We did not find that object at the scene. The time of death was probably less than twenty-four hours prior to the discovery of the body.”

“Do you have any idea who could have done such a horrific thing?” Rachel needed to know if the other residents were in jeopardy.

“Not yet. Let me ask you something,” he said, leaning forward in the chair. “Did this woman routinely cage her cats, if you know?”

“I don’t know for sure, but I assume she let them run loose. She was an animal lover, so I don’t think she’d want her cats confined. What would be the purpose in that?” Rachel said. “I also used to receive complaints about noise caused by the cats, so I doubt they were caged.”

“Was she seeing anyone?”

“Not that I know of. And I’m sure I would have known about that.” They were close friends. She would have known. At least that was her thought. “I’m going down to the precinct today to give a complete statement. Joe, too.”

“Did she have enemies?”

“Some people in other shelters, like kill shelters, may not have liked her activism, but I’m not aware she had enemies.” Who could hate Eneida enough to kill her? That was an impossibility to Rachel.

“What kind of activism?”

“She worked to get all shelters to become no-kill, like hers. You see, it can be more profitable to be a kill shelter, but it's not humane. Eneida was all for the kind treatment of animals.”

“I see.” The detective sat back in the chair and paused in thought, his eyes running up to the ceiling. “Was she anxious about anything happening in her life?”

“Actually, things were going very well for her. She had hired a man to run the shelter about a year ago, so she had more free time. I can’t imagine anyone with any significant reason for killing her,” Rachel said, looking wide eyed at the detective. “She was a good person, a friend.”

“Please write down that person’s name and contact information, the man at the shelter,” the detective said, standing. “And the shelter name and address.”

“Certainly.”

“I’ll let you know as much as I’m allowed as the case progresses. I can’t be specific about an on-going case. If you think of anything that might be helpful, give me a call.”

“I will,” she said, writing Jorge’s name and information on a piece of notepaper and sliding it across the desk to him. “When can we claim the animals?”

“Soon. Maybe in two days, I would think.”

“Good.”

The detective left her office, leaving Rachel to puzzle over last night’s events.