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exposed as gay. But right now he had to question some of the neighbors. Yet another situation he knew was fruitless. These people didn’t hear or see anything, or if they did, they wouldn’t say. Fear of retaliation kept their mouths shut. The neighborhood was impoverished, and they protected their own. In an odd sort of way, Grant understood where they came from, but it wasn’t going to help him solve a murder.
    He dragged his feet up the worn stairs of the dilapidated brick building. He pulled out a notebook and pen and rang the doorbell. No one responded. He looked over at the window to see if he could detect any movement.
    None.
    He rang the bell again. This time he rang the second- and third-floor bells too.
    An elderly woman with gray hair wrapped in curlers and still dressed in her bathrobe leaned out of the window of the third floor.
    “What you want, cop?”
    Grant rolled his eyes and took a deep breath before speaking.
    “I’m hoping you could answer a few questions for me, ma’am.”
    “I ain’t speaking with no cops. I don’t know nothin’.”
    “Are you sure you can’t come down and help me out?”
    “I said no, and I ain’t changin’ my mind.” She slammed the window closed.
    “Thanks for nothing,” he mumbled.
    Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a slight movement of the curtain on the first floor.
    “So someone is home. I wonder why they’re not answering.” Could be a drug dealer afraid of being busted.
    “I’m here to ask if anyone knows who the guy is that’s lying dead on the corner. I’m hoping someone can give me some information about how he landed there.” Grant’s loud voice carried over a few houses. Windows started opening and heads peeked out. People wanted to see what he was talking about.
    A young mother came out next door with a baby attached to her hip. The baby had a bottle in his hand and dried milk around his mouth. The mother wore a look of disgust for being interrupted.
    There was something else in her eyes.
    Fear.
    Grant knew fear. He could taste it a mile away. He sensed it earlier with Parker, as he sensed it now with her.
    “How’s it going?” Grant asked.
    She shrugged.
    “You say there’s another murder?”
    “Sadly, yes.” Grant took the opportunity to descend the one staircase and stand at the bottom of hers. “It must be frightening with a small baby.”
    “I ain’t afraid of nothing.”
    Great, here we go again.
    No fear, right. He knew it was bullshit.
    “Glad to know the thought of a killer on the loose doesn’t scare you. He’s targeting women and all, but I’m sure you’re safe. You have a guy to protect you, right?”
    She shook her head.
    “You have good locks on your doors and a security system, right?” He knew the answer, but he continued feeding into her fear.
    “I’m protected.”
    He could see her growing more scared as he spoke. If he pushed too hard, she might flee into the safety of her home—however safe it really was.
    “Good. So did you see anything out of the ordinary today?”
    “No.”
    “How about any sounds? Did you hear anyone arguing or a car peeling away?” If he were a betting man, he’d bet the killer dumped the body from a moving car and hightailed it out of there. He just needed someone to corroborate his theory.
    “I didn’t hear nothin’.”
    Another brick wall. He pulled out a business card.
    “Can you call me if you think of something?”
    She moved an inch toward him and backed off before rushing into her house. Grant glanced around to see if someone startled her. He didn’t see anyone, but that didn’t mean someone hadn’t been there. They could’ve been there long enough to give her a warning and disappear.
    “Thanks.” He placed the card on the step and prayed she’d come back out for it before it blew away.
    He headed north on the block. This was going to be a very long day.

Chapter Three
    They broke for a bite to eat. Parker seemed to shake the ill feelings he had toward