She was really hot. I remember thinking that when she came out.

" He smiled, not really sure

he'd heard the right answer. "And you were attracted to her?" "Yes." "So, she liked you?" "We
dated a few times. It was never serious. She was just a friend. And I liked her a lot. I still do."
"And she knows you're here?" "No. I'm pretty sure she does. At least I think she knows I'm back.
It's been about two months. I hadn't seen her in a while, though." "So you haven't spoken to
her?" "Not since I got out. I heard through mutual friends that she's been in a lot of bad
trouble." "Drugs," said the FBI agent. "Drugs and some other stuff." "So you weren't planning to
try to talk to her?" "No. She was so messed up. I wouldn't have known what to say. I mean, she'd
just get really fucking violent." "So you haven't had any contact with her since you got out of the
hospital?" "No, sir. You got it." There was a dead silence as he stared at him. When Agent Gentry
spoke, the silence was broken. "What was she doing with you, Mr. Smith?" "I didn't ask that," Joe
said. "You asked me what she did for a living." Agent Gentry nodded. He picked up a book from
his desk and opened it to a page with a handwritten note. He read it, then looked up. "What?"
said Joe. "Mr. Smith, I'm going to show you some photos. Some of them are going to be
disturbing to you. Is that OK?" _Why bother?_ Joe asked himself. This was just going to be more
bullshit. But the other agent didn't wait for a reply. "I'm going to ask you some questions about
some of the things that you saw, and I'd like you to answer them honestly. Do you understand?"
"Yes." "Have you seen this woman before?" Agent Gentry asked, pulling out some photos of a
young woman with dark hair, wearing a white shirt and shorts. "No," said Joe. "Never seen her
before." "She's very pretty. Is that why you liked her?" "Yes." "Do you know who she is, Mr.
Smith?" "No, I don't know." "Was she a relative of yours? Or did you think you were seeing a
relative of yours? Did you think that she was one of your wife's relatives?" Joe blinked. "I didn't
know. I was just attracted to her." "You liked her," the other agent said. "Do you think she liked
you?" Joe felt the heat rising in his face. He hated that he had to lie to these men, but they'd
already been doing their best to get a rise out of him. "Yes. I think she did. Yes. I think she did.
I'm sure she did." "That's very interesting, Mr. Smith." Agent Gentry looked at his partner. "You
were a good little boy, right, Billy?" "We got nothing, Agent Gentry," said the other man. "You
can't tell the truth without a judge, and you can't hold people without a lawyer. And you can't
do this shit without a lawyer. But if you keep pushing it, I'm going to have to slap you with
contempt. So I suggest you cut it out right now. Let's go talk to some other witnesses." "It's all
right, Billy. I'll go. I'll leave. I'll just tell them about my feelings." "You will?" "Yes, I will. That's all
you wanted, wasn't it? I told you it would be better to talk about it than deny it. I told you that I
didn't go around _telling_ people." "I said you'd find her. Did you find her?" "Yes. And now she's
dead." Joe Smith sat with his back to the door. He didn't have a chair, so he sat on the floor.
Agent Gentry sat beside him, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees. "Tell us about the girl,"
Agent Gentry said. "There's nothing to tell. I met her at work." "Where?" "The grocery store.