Williams continued. “So they had an argument recently, and last night, Kyle dies.”
“Well, I didn’t kill him, and I don’t know who the lady is.”
“Did she come here last night?”
“Not that I know of. At least I didn’t see her.”
“When was the last time you did see her?”
Lulu thought. “I can’t be sure. I’ve had other things on my mind, including a husband to bury,” she said, bristling.
“We’re going to need to question anyone here who might have seen her.”
“Some of those people aren’t due into work until later.”
“Then right now I want to see the room, and I want to question whoever is here who might have seen her.”
Lulu looked at him nervously. “Right now?”
“Is there a problem with that?”
“No, it’s just that some of the night-shift dancers are still sleeping.”
“Sleeping. It’s two-thirty in the afternoon!”
“They dance until dawn!”
“All right, let’s start with the nondancers, but in the meantime you get those gals up and ready to talk to us. You understand, Lulu?”
“I understand,” she said quickly.
As they were leaving, Michelle glanced back and saw Lulu’s hand disappear inside a drawer of her desk, just as it had the other time she and King were here.
Once they were outside, Michelle said, “Todd, why don’t you collect the people and start the questioning? Sean and I’ll poke around a bit.”
“Good idea. We’ll compare notes later.”
“What’s up?” said King after the police chief and his men had left them.
“Come on, quick.”
Michelle led him outside and to the back of the building where she spotted a staircase leading from the second floor. They stayed concealed behind a Dumpster and waited. Within a minute or so their patience was rewarded. A number of men, some carrying coats over their arms, others with their shirts unbuttoned and untucked and hair sticking up, emerged from a second-floor door and made their way down the outside stairs, climbed into cars parked there and sped off.
King and Michelle looked at each other.
“Appears the Aphrodisiac is living up to its name. Nice catch, Michelle,” said King.
“And prostitution is one way to enhance the old revenue stream,” added Michelle. “So what do we do about it?”
“I think another talk with Lulu is in order.”
“Husband dead and three kids. I know it’s a crime, Sean, but I’m not real excited about helping to send her to prison.”
“Perhaps we can show her the error of her ways.”
When Lulu returned to her office later, King was sitting behind her desk and Michelle was standing beside him.
“What are you doing in here?” Lulu barked.