Did I just imagine that? he puzzled.
He moved up the steps to the heavy white wood door and started trying keys.
The first one wouldn't enter the lock, nor would the second. The third key entered but would not turn.
Okay, last chance.
He inserted the fourth and it seemed to stick. But he gave it a wiggle and voila, he was in.
Thanks, Ally.
But when he stepped through the door and switched on the light, he could only stare in disbelief. The apartment had been completely cleared out. The white walls, which had been covered with knifed photos of Kristen only yesterday, were now blank. Even the few pieces of furniture were gone.
"Jesus, I don't believe this." His voice echoed off the empty marble mantelpiece and bounced across the room.
He looked around. Since late yesterday, somebody had come in and cleaned out the place. Thoroughly. Any hopes of finding old letters, an address book, anything personal, were gone. He knew immediately that he had been outsmarted. Kristen Starr, and now her friend Cindy, had officially ceased to exist. Cindy might still be at E!, but she was going to be terrified and subject to massive memory loss on the subject of Kristen.
But wait a second. They left the phone. The answering machine is gone, but maybe they didn't realize that phones can have memories and can sometimes tell tales. That might be worth a try, but check out the place first.