Ranger and I arrived at Deedra's apartment building at the same time. It was in the North side, but a safer part of it. The apartments were old, but they were clean and fairly safe.

He waited for me then we walked in together.

"What's up?" He asked as we walked up the stairs.

"Andy said that the place was broken into and Dee's missing. He thinks foul play, but he's not doing too well right now."

"Any threats?" Ranger was all business. At least someone was. I shook off my anxiety and tried to mimic him.

"Andy hasn't mentioned any. Who would threaten her? She's an office assistant."

"For a lawyer that's trying to clean up the North side."

"You think Andy's doing something that's interfering with the mafia or something?"

"It's a possibility." We arrived that her third floor apartment and found the door open. The locks were intact. Ranger stopped and examined the door as I went through to find Andy.

"Hey," I found him in the kitchen.

"I called the cops. They came in and looked around, but they didn't seem too serious."

"Her record?"

"Yeah, they figured it was her old pimp or something. I don't think they are going to look any further. They kinda acted like it was her own fault. God, who would want to hurt her? She was a great kid."

"Hey, we figure it out, okay?" Andy nodded, trying not to lose it. I pulled him into a hug and he held me tightly back.

"We have to find her. We have to, Steph." Andy whispered fiercely.

"We will." I promised and I wasn't sure if I could keep it. Ranger walked in to the room and Andy pulled back.

"Either she let them in or they came in a different way."

"No sign of force?"

"None, no scratching around the locks and they weren't jimmied."

"The door was open when I got here. Maybe the window in her bedroom? The fire escape is right outside." And led us in there and the temperature that was already low in the rest of her apartment dropped several degrees. We walked closer and from that angle, I could see that the screen had torn.

"I'll bet this is how they got in." Ranger nodded at my words.

"Very likely."

"Oh, God." Andy said softly and left the room. After some nonverbal communication between me and my partner, I went to calm Andy down and Ranger looked around the room. As I followed Andy, I looked around the apartment. It was a mess, maybe from a fight? Had Deedra fought her captors? I took a little comfort in seeing no blood. She wasn't hurt here, at least. Andy and I cleaned up the living room.

"Might as well. It's not like the cops are treating it like a crime scene."

Ranger walked in just as we were trying to move the couch back into place. He took my side silently and helped Andy.

"Anything?" I asked from the side.

"She was probably in bed when it happened."

"Wouldn't that make it harder to surprise her?"

"Not if she was asleep."

We walked out and Andy locked everything up. Deedra had given him her keys when she came to work for him.

"What if someone had her keys?" I suggested. Andy shook his head.

"I was the only one that she had given keys to. She just moved in here." I nodded to him and the three of us walked down to the parking lot.

"You need a ride?" I asked Andy. He blinked out of his deep thoughts.

"Uh, no. I should go back to the office to finish some stuff up, maybe look into some things."

"See you guys later then." I waved back to them and ran out to my car. When I got in, I turned back to look at them. Ranger had stayed with Andy and they were talking. Hmm…

* * * * * * * *

I stopped by the 7 Eleven and picked up munchies. It was going to be a long afternoon. I parked down the street from Monty's apartment and I sat and waited. And waited. And waited. About four, an old man in ragged clothes walked past my car in the light sleet. He did this twice before knocking on my window. I jumped because I had been thinking about Deedra. I rolled down the passenger window and leaned closer.

"C-c-could you spare some change, ma'am?" He stuttered a little. I grab my purse and grabbed a five. As I passed it through the window, something Andy had said before. The homeless know everything on the streets.

"Do you know anything about Monty Davis?" I asked him.

"Who?" The old man took my bill and quickly stuffed in his pocket. I grabbed Monty's file and took out one of the pictures.

"This man." I held up his mug shot.

"He's mean." The old man shook his head.

"I'm trying to find him. Could you help me?" I asked and he continued shaking his head.

"No, no, he's mean."

"Listen, how about this? You keep this picture and call me if you hear anything or see anything?" I handed him the picture and my card. He just looked at me like I was asking him to do a suicide mission. He was so thin and his clothes were falling apart, he was unshaven and I guessed he hadn't had a shower for a while. "Please. This man is dangerous and I need to get him off the streets." I begged him softly.

"Lady, he hurts women. You shouldn't be around him either."

I smiled at his concern and handed him a ten and two quarters. "If you hear anything, call me." He walked away without responding. I doubted I would ever hear from the man again. I sat in the car for another half an hour then gave it up for the day. I had class tonight.

I went home, changed and left to pick Lula up. Andy met me at the car.

"You sure you're up to it?" I asked.

"I need this." He nodded and got in my Colt. When I picked up Lula, she complained that a full figured woman such as herself couldn't sit in the backseat of my tiny ass car so we switched to her Firebird.

"This is better." She nodded and cranked up the music.

Sensei gave us a tough workout then had us spar. I was stuck with a man twice my size but I held my own pretty good. When you spar, you learn control because you only lightly tap your partner. I was wearing out long before we finished. After being kicked several times when I knew I could have easily blocked them, then ending up on my back without knowing how I got there, I decided I needed more practice.

"This is kicking my butt."