The Red Light Girls (Unsolved Mysteries Book 2) by Kim Knight (most romantic novels TXT) 📗

“Morning Detective, I’m Donika. Come on through.”

“Morning.” Gibson offered her his hand.

She placed hers in his and shook it. “Mornin’.”

“I’ve got some officers here with me. They’re going to take a look around Suzy’s room while we speak.”

“No problem.” Donika motioned for them to follow her. “This way.”

Gibson and his men piled into the apartment. He followed Donika down the short hallway, and as he did, he glanced into the rooms that he passed.

“How many of you live here?” Gibson took note of the modern, amateur paintings on the wall.

“There were three of us originally. But then Sofia moved out, so that left me and Suzy,” Donika said over her shoulder.

“Here, take a seat.” She pointed to the kitchen table.

“Where’s Suzy’s room?” Gibson stood at the dividing line between two rooms.

He glanced around the kitchen area in front of him, then behind him into the living room. It was a tidy and spacious area that led out to a balcony. From what he could see from where he was standing, there was a table and chair set facing the view of the canal behind the building.

“Sorry. It’s this way,” Donika said.

The uniformed officers followed behind her.

Gibson crossed the threshold of the kitchen and dropped his notepad on the table. He walked over to the balcony and glanced out at the seated area. Turning around, he looked over the kitchen’s detail.

“Can I get you something to drink?” Donika’s voice sounded over his shoulder.

He spun around to face her.

“No, thanks I’m okay.”

“You said you had questions for me.” She pulled out two chairs. “Take a seat.”

Gibson undid the buttons of his smart winter coat, then lowered himself on to one of the chairs.

“How long did you know Suzy?”

“A few years. I still can’t believe this has happened. We worked together around the circuit in Dam Square. She was a great dancer. The men loved her.”

“And you’ve lived together for how long?”

“Ever since we met. Suzy was living in a shared flat before, but she didn’t like the set up there. Once we met, she told me she needed a place to stay. I told her, I was looking too, and we found this place.”

Gibson flipped open his notepad, taking notes. “So, you two have lived here together ever since?”

“Yeah.”

“Did she have any family here or ever speak of them?”

“No, that’s the thing. Her family are all back in Hong Kong. They know she’s in Amsterdam, but I don’t know much else. She never really spoke about them. Every now and then, she’d mail off a letter or postcard. That’s all I know.”

“And what about the last time you saw her alive, what happened?”

“Well, that’s the strange part. The last time I saw her was the morning of the day she was found dead, just a few days ago. She left out earlier for work, and said she’d be back that evening. Nothing seemed unusual, except the change in her working shift. I never really questioned it.”

“Why do you think she changed shifts?”

“I have no idea.”

“Okay. Did she have a boyfriend?”

“Not that I know of. But she did meet someone online that she was getting to know. She went out with him a few times, but never gave me the details of her dates.” Donika paused and started to drum the table. “She was really secretive.”

Gibson noted her change in persona. It was as if she felt some kind of shame or regret.

“Suzy wanted to leave the clubs behind and settle down,” Donika said after a beat. “That much, I do know.”

“Where did she meet this mystery guy? What site?”

“That I don’t know. You’d probably need to check her phone or email.”

Gibson made a swift note. “Is there anything else you can think of that seemed off or unusual in the lead up to the last time you saw her?”

“Nope.” She shook her head. “That’s all I can say. She changed her shift pattern, nothing else.” Donika shrugged.

“Do you know much about why she left Hong Kong or her parents?”

“Nope, she never wanted to speak about them. But I know they’re wealthy.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Well, once she showed me a picture of her childhood home. It was massive.”

Gibson snapped his notepad closed in frustration and placed it in his inside pocket with the pen, then extracted a card.

“Okay, let me check on my team and see how they’re doing. If you remember anything else, here’s my contact details.” Gibson slid the card across the table.

“Thanks. I hope you find whoever did this.”

“Me too.” A sigh passed his lips. “Right now, we really need to inform her family.”

Gibson rose from the table and headed out the kitchen toward Suzy’s bedroom. “How’s it going?” He stood at the door.

“So far, all we’ve found is an address book and her laptop. Her parents are listed under mum and dad,” Officer Denz confirmed.

“Excellent.” Gibson ran his gaze over the room, then stepped inside.

The room seemed too close in, especially with the other officers moving about. He took in the telltale signs of an erotic dancer. Her heels and dresses were everywhere. The room, to him, appeared to show no signs of someone leaving in a hurry. It looked neat and organised.

“Men, if there’s nothing else of interest, and we have the contact details for her parents, I guess we’re done here.” Gibson took the clear plastic bag with the address book and laptop from Officer Denz.

He made his way back out to the kitchen where Donika still sat. As he approached the room, he noticed her with her back turned and her head in her hands.

Her shoulders shook, and he heard small sobs.

He took a deep breath, then entered the room.

“Donika, stay strong. We’ll find out what happened to her.”

Donika looked up at him with red-rimmed eyes. Her pretty facial features sagged as tears rolled down her cheeks. She moved her braids to one side and ran a hand over her face.

“There’s been too many…too many of us have been victims! You need to