Unfortunately, Derek did not have insurance, as nonautonomous vehicles were very expensive to insure. Human-driven vehicles caused 99 percent of the accidents. With the accident and his mother’s medical bills, Derek knew he’d eventually lose the farm. It was just a matter of time. Derek rubbed his throbbing temples.
“You okay?” Rebecca asked.
Derek nodded and handed the phone back to Rebecca. “Nothin’ from April.”
“What’s her address? We’ll go to her house.”
Jacob stood from his chair and approached the bed.
Derek gave them the name of her apartment building. He couldn’t remember the number. He knew she was on the fourth floor, but he’d only been there twice.
“I have work to do,” Jacob said.
“I can go if you don’t have time.” Derek struggled to sit up again, groaning against the pain.
“You’re in no condition to go anywhere. It’s on our way home anyway,” Rebecca said, scowling at Jacob. She turned back to Derek. “We’ll stop by her place, and I’ll call you here at the hospital.”
Jacob mumbled under his breath, “It’s not on the way.”
“Thank you,” Derek said, his gaze fixed on Rebecca.
“Do you need help with Hannah’s funeral arrangements?”
“No. You’ve done enough.”
“If you need help with the cost—”
“No, …but thank you.”
26
Jacob and No Good Deed
The beige brick building was gothic and castle-like, the corners jutting out and curved, resembling guard towers. Burglar bars hung from the street-level windows, relics of a bygone era of DC crime.
Jacob tugged on the door to the apartment building. “Locked.”
Rebecca looked over the numbered buzzers next to the door. “Eight apartments are on the fourth floor. Should we just ring them all?”
“No. Someone might call the police.”
A teen boy exited the building, oblivious, his hoodie up and earbuds in his ears. Jacob caught the door before it shut and locked again. They entered the building, walking down a narrow hallway, with apartment doors on both sides. The linoleum floors were scuffed by a thousand shoe prints. An elevator and a stairwell were at the end of the hall. They took the elevator to the fourth floor.
“We still don’t know which apartment is hers,” Jacob said.
“I have an idea,” Rebecca replied.
The elevator doors opened to the fourth floor. Rebecca stepped to the nearest apartment and knocked.
“What are doing?” Jacob asked.
“Asking April’s neighbor where she lives.”
The door opened, and an elderly woman appeared. She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and looked them over. “What do you want?”
“My name’s Rebecca, and this is my husband, Jacob.”
“So?”
“I’m looking for my friend April. She lives in this apartment building.”
“Nope.” The old woman started to shut her door.
“Wait.” Rebecca put her hand on the door to stop it from closing in their faces.
The old woman opened the door again.
“I probably mixed up the apartment number. I’m such a scatterbrain. I know she’s on this floor. Do you know which apartment is April Murphy’s?”
“Don’t know any April Murphy. What does she look like?”
They’d never met April either, but Rebecca repeated Lindsey’s description. “She’s pretty. Red hair. Looks young. About the same height as me.”
“Two young ladies live at the end of the hall. Last apartment on your right.” The old woman’s tone changed to a whisper. “I think they’re ladies of the night, if you know what I mean.”
Jacob and Rebecca gave each other a look of consternation.
“Thank you,” Rebecca said.
“Uh-huh.” The old woman closed the door.
They walked to the end of the hallway, and Rebecca knocked on the door. A television murmured inside.
A feminine voice spoke through the door. “Who are you?”
“I’m Rebecca. This is my husband, Jacob.” She gestured to Jacob, probably thinking the woman was watching them through the peephole. “I used to be married to April’s boyfriend, Derek. He was in an accident, and April hasn’t been returning his messages. He asked us to stop by and check on her.”
The door opened, and an early-thirties blonde stood, looking washed out, wearing sweats and no makeup.
Rebecca smiled and held out her hand. “Hi. I’m Rebecca.”
The blonde shook her hand weakly. “Krystal. April’s not here.”
“When was the last time you saw her?”
“Not since last night,” Krystal replied.
“What time?” Rebecca asked.
Krystal shrugged. “Around six.”
“You don’t seem worried. Is it normal for April not to come home?”
Krystal broke eye contact for a moment, then said, “I think she was workin’ late. Sometimes she sleeps on the couch in her office.”
Jacob thought, She’s lying.
“Is it normal for her not to answer her phone?” Rebecca asked.
“I don’t know. Prob’ly. Maybe she’s answerin’ now,” Krystal said.
“I could try her again.” Rebecca grabbed her phone from her purse and tapped the DC number that Derek had called. She disconnected the call. “Straight to voice mail.”
“I don’t know what to tell you. I’m sure she’s fine.”
“Derek was worried, so it must not be like her to not return his phone calls.”
“I wish I could be more helpful.”
“What does she do for a living?” Jacob asked Krystal. He was helping only with the intention of ending the search as quickly as possible so he could go home and take a nap.
“Lindsey said she was a lawyer,” Rebecca said.
Krystal blushed, her skin color acting like a built-in lie detector. “That’s right. She’s a lawyer.”
“What firm?” Jacob asked. “If she’s still at work, maybe we could find her there.”
“I, uh, don’t know where she works.”
Jacob tilted his head. “She never talked about where she works?”
“Maybe she has something in her room that lists her firm?” Rebecca asked.
“I couldn’t let you in her room. That wouldn’t be right,” Krystal replied.
“But maybe you could go in and look. It really is important. Derek’s been badly injured, and he’s really worried about her.”
Krystal sighed. “I guess I could do that.”
A large man with sleeve tattoos walked in their direction carrying a grocery bag. Despite the lack of crime in DC, Rebecca clutched her purse. “Could we wait inside?”
Krystal frowned. “I guess so.” She moved aside.
They stepped inside, Jacob shutting the door behind them.
“Wait here. I’ll be right back,” Krystal said.
Jacob surveyed the cramped apartment. They stood by the door, the living room and the open plan kitchen in front of them. Krystal padded past the kitchen and down a short hallway, presumably to April’s bedroom. Rebecca walked into the living room, snooping. Jacob followed out of morbid curiosity.
Despite the cramped space, the apartment was tastefully furnished. Jacob recognized the elegant furniture. A top-of-the-line OLED television was nearly invisible against an original impressionist painting. Rebecca picked up a framed photo from the end table.
“Is that her?” Jacob asked.
Rebecca nodded. “I rarely see framed photos anymore. It’s nice.” She handed the frame to Jacob.
He looked at the image of Derek and April smiling, their arms around each other. They stood in Derek’s orchard, blossoms in the background as far as the eye could see. Jacob’s stomach clenched, and his heart leaped from his chest. He recognized April. She was the same redhead he’d met the night before.