Page 73 of Alpha Queen
"On October twenty-third."
The woman thought for a moment, and then she shook her head. "No. I'm sorry, I didn't see anything."
Apollo nodded. "Thank you. If you can think of anything, will you please call?" He pulled out a business card and handed it to her.
She stared at the thick matte black card, running her fingers over it. "Do the police have any leads?"
Apollo's wolf barked, tired of wasting time.
"I have my security looking into it. Thank you for your time."
Before the woman could ask any more questions, he turned with Cherry and marched down the steps.
"Maybe I should do the questioning," said Cherry. "I could help people remember better."
"Maybe you should go home. Your people skills are-"
"Are what?" she snapped.
Apollo looked at her, and his wolf growled. "Are better left for people guilty of doing something worth having their head bitten off for."
Cherry looked at him and huffed. They joined the others at the end of the driveway and headed for the next house.
The pattern repeated at each house: polite questions, careful observations, and ultimately, dead ends. By the fourth property, Cherry's patience wore thinner than a piece of paper in a thunderstorm.
Apollo's team moved through the neighborhood with methodical precision, each property revealing nothing but ordinary lives. The fifth house on their list sat back from the road, partially obscured by ancient oak trees. As they moved closer, Apollo touched Cherry's arm.
"Wait," he said softly. "Something's off."
Cherry froze, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the property. "What?"
Apollo inhaled deeply, his enhanced senses picking through the layers of aromas. "No one's been in or out of this place for more than a week. But there's something else..." He frowned, concentrating. "A faint trace of chemicals. Industrial-grade cleaners."
Silas appeared at Apollo's side, his hand resting on the weapon concealed in his jacket. "Windows are covered. Security cameras at every corner, but I don't think they're on."
"Excessive for this neighborhood," Apollo murmured. "Also, look at the lawn. It's overgrown. Even for this time of year, it hasn't been cut in weeks. Same with the hedges." He signaled to Thomas and the others to circle around back while he, Cherry, and Apollo headed for the front door.
No lights emanated from inside the house, and the whole building felt utterly silent. He rang the doorbell, and it echoed hollowly inside off the walls. No footsteps sounded, no lights flickered on. Apollo rang again, then knocked firmly.
"No one's home," Cherry stated, impatience edging her voice.
Apollo scanned the property once more. "Or they don't want to be disturbed." He backed up, examining the brick exterior. It wasn't rundown, but it hadn't been cleaned in a long time. Something strange for someone who had paid almost five million dollars for a house.
He pulled out his phone and scrolled down the list he'd made. "This place was purchased eight months ago by a shell corporation. Paid in cash."
"That's not suspicious at all," Cherry muttered.
Apollo moved to a window, peering through a tiny gap in the thick curtains. The interior remained dark, but he made out nothing but pristine surfaces. Too pristine.
"This place has been cleaned recently. Thoroughly." He turned to Silas. "Get the others. We're going in."
They regrouped at the rear of the property, hidden from street view by a high privacy fence on all three sides.
"No alarms visible," Regan reported. "But there's a keypad entry."
Apollo studied the door for a moment, then stepped back and, with a swift, powerful kick, shattered the lock. The door swung inward, revealing a darkened kitchen. The team moved in, weapons drawn.
The interior smelled of bleach and industrial solvents. Every surface gleamed with unnatural cleanliness. They moved room by room, finding nothing but minimal furniture and bare walls.
