Free Compromised by Lawrence Kelter

“It’s just heart-wrenching—she was such a good kid.” He shook his head woefully. “Sofia just started going back to work. We figured it would be better for her to keep busy.”
    “What does she do?”
    “Housecleaning. Babysitting. Shopping. Whatever she has to do to make a buck.”
    “And you?”
    “I’m a handyman. I do plumbing, electrical, and a little woodworking. Same kind of thing. Anything to make a buck.”
    “Are you in debt to anybody?”
    “I’m in debt to everybody—twenty here, fifty there. No one killed Serafina over a few bucks, Detective.”
    “No. It sounds unlikely. Just looking at every angle. What about you and your wife?”
    Burns wrinkled his brow. “What about us?”
    “The revenge angle. Piss anyone off lately? Anyone who’d want to hurt Serafina to get back at either of you?”
    Burns cocked his head to the side and squinted at Lido. “ What? You’re kidding, right?”
    “Revenge is a common motive for—”
    Burns looked strained. “No. I get that, but do you really think . . .” He stood and began pacing around the kitchen.
    Lido could see that he’d touched a nerve. “Something come to mind?”
    “Come to mind? Uh. No.”
    “The question seems to have gotten you pretty upset. Tell me what’s bothering you.”
    “Nothing. Nothing. I’ve just never been asked that question before.”
    “Really? I’m surprised none of the other detectives explored the revenge motive with you. Someone wants to lash out at you or your wife and figures the best way to do it is to go after your daughter. Some people are real SOBs. It’s coldhearted, but it happens all the time.”
    “Oh shit. Really?”
    “I can see by your reaction that you’re upset. What’s on your mind?”
    “Nothing. You just made me think. That’s all. You’ve got me thinking about every argument I’ve gotten into in the last five years. Do you know how I’d feel if . . . Jesus, you’ve got me feeling guilty over nothing. Maybe you ought to go before Sofia gets home. A question like that might kill her.”
    “I don’t understand why. Anything either of you thinks of might help me apprehend Serafina’s murderer.” Lido placed two business cards on the table. “Well, if anything comes to mind.”
    “I think you should go.”
    “You look jumpy, Mr. Burns. Are you sure you don’t have something to share with me?”
    “No, but thanks for stopping by,” he said and ushered Lido out of the kitchen. “I’ll kick it around with Sofia, and we’ll call you if anything comes to mind.”
    “I hope you will. We only want to see justice served and take a monster off the street. You wouldn’t want something like this to happen to someone else’s daughter.”
    “Of course not.” Burns was practically pushing Lido out of the apartment. He closed the door, leaving Lido standing alone in the hallway.
    Lido knew that he had touched on a sensitive subject and wondered what Burns was hiding. At the same time, he felt guilt of his own. Not only had he struck out with Burns, but he had also failed to learn anything valuable about his wife’s disappearance. He had a long list of questions that would have to go unanswered for the time being. He was too frustrated and impatient to wait for the elevator. The burden of those two disappointments weighed heavily upon him as he gripped the bannister and hustled down the stairs.

Chapter Twenty-One
    It was late afternoon. The lettuce in Lido’s salad had wilted. He stared at the brown lettuce for a moment. Jeez. Some lunch. I would’ve been better off with the bologna sandwich Burns offered me. It hadn’t been sitting in front of him for very long, but all that had been left at the corner deli’s salad bar were the dregs, the leftovers from lunch, the crap that had been picked through and pushed to the side. At his desk, he’d picked the grilled chicken out of the salad, leaving the soggy greens behind. For all intents and purposes, he was done with it, yet