Virtual Reality (Sue Thomas FBEye / Murdoch Mysteries)

Virtual Reality - Chapter Four

In the passenger seat, Bobby rubbed his eyes before adjusting his tie. "Who's Cheyenne again?"

Behind the wheel, Myles glanced at his partner. "Were you even paying attention when I related Tara's phone call?"

Bobby yawned, reminding Myles of how long it'd been since they'd slept more than two hours straight. "Was it before or after you woke me up from my nap?"

Myles rolled his eyes. Bobby wasn't obviously as awake as Myles had given him credit for. He hadn't told Bobby that Tara's call had woken him as well, and more than once during her bubbly account, Myles had asked her to repeat.

"Let's start again." Myles negotiated a sharp left turn before the light turned red. "Jenna Thorp's phone detonated the bomb at the Starbucks. We now know she isn't one of the victims, so we need to talk to her."

"I got that part, Einstein." Bobby's voice carried a hint of exasperation that Myles blamed on lack of sleep. "I even got the part where the name Custer repeatedly popped out of Jenna's friends' mouth."

"According to Lucy's boyfriend who's a professor-" Maybe Myles would need to check on the guy to make sure he treated Lucy right. God knew she deserved better after the way he treated her. "One of his former students, Andy Morrison, used the nickname Custer on his papers. Tara and Lucy learned that Andrew Morrison had a girlfriend named Cheyenne."

Bobby took a sip of his coffee. "So we're looking for Cheyenne, so she can tell us where Andrew Morrison aka Custer is, so he can tell us where Jenna Thorp is... assuming he is the right Custer... or that he knows anything about Jenna's whereabouts."

"Right." Myles swallowed a witty remark. "Three Cheyenne attended the college. Two of them lived in DC. Tara interviewed them. Wrong girls. Cheyenne number three lives in Richmond. Since we're in the vicinity, Tara asked us to check her out. Her apartment building should be right... there."

Myles parked in the street. Bobby took his coffee with him. They knocked on a door on the fourth floor. When they received no answer, they searched for the landlord.

Keys dangling from his belt, the heavy landlord walked in front of them.

"The apartment is registered to Cheyenne Vicker. She's late in her rent this month. She lives with a guy who likes to be called Colonel Custer." He sneered. "The guy's real name is Andy something. He must be watching too many cowboy movies."

Myles exchanged a glance with Bobby. "Andy Morrison?"

"Yeah, I think so. His name's not on the rent, and if he keeps cheating on her with blondie while she's at work, Cheyenne is gonna tan his hide."

"Hold on, mate. Does blondie have a name?"

The landlord stopped and turned. "How am I supposed to know?"

Bobby pulled his phone from his pocket. "Does she look like this young woman?"

Myles peeked sideways at a picture of Jenna Thorp that Tara had sent them.

"Yeah, that's the chick." He unlocked the apartment door. "She shows up at night after Cheyenne leaves for work at Starbucks."

Myles arched a brow. "Starbucks? Which Starbucks?"

"The one that blew up. Come to think of it, I haven't seen her- or Custer or Blondie, in a few days."

The door opened on an untidy living room.

Bobby stopped the landlord from stepping inside. "You stay here, please."

"Looks like your place, Manning," Myles quipped.