Free An Apple for Zoë ~ The Forsaken by Thomas Amo

as the heavy breathing grew louder and closer. Seconds later a very winded Richard Grantham appeared at the landing. James felt relieved when he saw that it was the manager.  
    "Damn these stairs are going to be the death of me. Sorry to keep you in the dark, Inspector. Detective Kirkland told me you needed power restored to room 1219. I'm sorry I didn't realize it was out when I was up here earlier."
    "No worries, you did have quite a shock. You going to be okay to go in there again?"
    "Actually I won't have to. The fuse box for rooms 1219, 1220, and 1221 are all tied together in room 1221."
    "You still use fuses?"
    "Only in this part of the hotel. This is one of the original wings built in 1905. I'll have you up in running in just a few minutes," said Grantham as he made his way down the hall to room 1221. James watched Grantham walk along the far wall, avoiding the side that housed room 1219. Hesitating at room 1221, Grantham turned back to James.
    "Inspector James."
    "Yes?"
    "Don't let Jessalee see her sister like that."
    "Don't worry, we'll take good care of her," said James as he watched Grantham disappear into room 1221.  

    *

    Kirkland sat on the edge of Grantham's desk trying to think of how he was going to break the news to Jessalee.  
    "So, alone at last Mike. You finally gonna ask me out?" joked Jessalee as she plopped down on the leather couch opposite of Kirkland.
    Kirkland wanted to join in on the joking, and tried to be lighthearted.
    "What about Grantham?" he quizzed.
    "What about Dick?" she retorted.
    Well, that's direct isn't it, thought Kirkland to himself? "So things aren't going so well between you guys?"
    "Never was much between me and him, Mike, literally," she quipped with a quick hand version of a rim shot on the desk corner. "Oh she's on today!" said Jessalee, admiring her own clever quick wit. Kirkland smiled and squirmed a bit. "Thank you folks, I'll be here all week," she added as her levity subsided, but she couldn't help noticing Kirkland's silence. "So what's up Mike, since I know you didn't really ask me into Dick's office to show his fake leather sofa—a good time. What the hell happened here?"
    Kirkland nodded, and forced a fake smile. "Valerie's dead." There he said it. Two short words— could they change someone's life in an instant?
    "My sister?" said Jessalee as if she misunderstood him.
    Apparently they can , thought Kirkland. "Yes, Jessa. I'm sorry."
    "What happened?"
    "We really don't know, but I have to take you off this case."
    "Is she upstairs, Mike?"
    "Yeah."
    "Can I see her?"
    "Not yet Jessa, it's really bad. I'm not going to lie to you."
    "Did the same thing happen to her, as everyone else?"
    "No, your sister was murdered."
    Kirkland watched Jessalee closely. So far no quivering chin, no silent scream, no tears. She's strong , he thought. She won't break down until she's alone . He looked for anything that would allow him to help her during this moment.
    "We're going to need your help Jessa, because neither James or I have ever seen anything like this."
    "Okay, I'm listening," she said remaining calm.
    "Your sister has a tattoo."
    "No, that's not right. Valerie hated tattoos. She used to give me shit for mine. How do you know it's her?" she asked, biting her lower lip.
    "Richard identified her."
    "Richard? He's never even met my sister?" she exclaimed.
    "Are you sure? I mean he knew her right away. He told us, his words exactly were: it's my girlfriend's kid sister, Valerie Rivera."
    "He couldn't have met Valerie. Valerie and I haven't talked to or seen each other in three months."
    "Why?"
    Jessalee looked around the room as if she was searching for her answer.  
    "Why Jessa?"
    "We had a fight."
    "You had an argument?"
    "No a fight, you know a hair pulling, bitch slapping smack down."
    "Isn't that a bit extreme?"
    "No love like sisterly love," she said, still trying to keep her sarcasm in tact. "Look Mike, the truth of the matter is, Valerie and I never really got along