“Where are you headed next?” he asked.
“I’m going to a wedding gown consignment boutique in Alexandria.”
“Can I tag along?”
She gave him the address, but he ended up following her. After introducing herself to the shop owner, Emerson asked about the designer.
“That designer was very popular a few years back. I’ve got several different styles. The dresses are organized by price. Do you have a picture of the gown?”
The coroner had removed Gloria Stanton’s dress and a crime tech had snapped a pic of it on a hanger. Emerson showed the saleswoman the picture.
“I have several of those.”
While Emerson went through the dresses, Lyle spent a moment chatting with the owner. A few women entered the store, so Lyle moseyed over.
“Any luck?” he asked.
Emerson pulled a gown. “This one is similar to the dress found on one of the victims.”
While Emerson waited for the owner to finish helping her customers, Lyle asked her if this type of crime happened a lot.
She was done answering questions. “Who else have you interviewed for your article?”
“Just you, so far. I’m talking with a crime tech, a Media Relations officer, two detectives, and a few more people.”
“Have you interviewed Detective Cardoso?”
“Not yet,” Lyle replied.
The boutique owner ambled over. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Emerson held out the dress. “Do you remember speaking with anyone about a dress like this?”
A bridal party entered the shop.
“I’m sorry. Can you come back during the week?” the woman asked. “Saturdays are my busiest and I’m short staffed. Mondays and Tuesdays are slow.”
“Thanks for your help. I’ll be back.” Emerson snapped a picture of the wedding dress.
As she and Lyle headed out, he asked if she wanted to grab a sandwich. “We can continue discussing your case. I love my job, but yours sounds way more exciting. Plus, you’ve got a badge and you get to carry a gun.”
“It’s not like crime shows on TV. I spend a lot of time chasing leads that go nowhere. Plus, I work some crazy hours.”
“I think I’d like to be a cop. Maybe one day. It would be so cool to hunt down a killer, but probably way more frustrating.”
“Why is that?”
“They’re almost impossible to catch.”
Lyle followed her to a nearby eatery. After ordering and paying, they found an empty table outside.
“How long have you worked forDMVMagazine?” Emerson asked.
“A while.”
“Do you write multiple stories at a time?”
“They’re in depth, so I focus on one at a time.” He bit into his sandwich. After swallowing it down, he said, “I did a story on Internet scams. It took me months, but it was the magazine’s top selling issue all year.”