When You're Feeling Kinda Gorgeous

“This is the apartment,” Kiro said pointing to the door in front of him.

“And you’re sure you didn’t touch anything?” Romeo asked.

Shin nodded. “Everything is exactly the way we found it. Nothing out of place or moved.”

Joanie nodded and pushed the door lightly. It swung open to reveal the mess the boys had described. The entire room was trashed. The table in the center of the living room was missing two legs. The couch was virtually ripped to pieces.

“You weren’t kidding,” Joanie said softly, her eyes roaming the room.

“This is why I was so worried,” Shin answered softly, “The way they left this whole apartment makes me feel like something terrible happened to him.”

“Did you boys notice this when you first came here?” Danielle called from one of the windows.

“Notice what?” Strify asked.

“I’ll take that as a no. The window sill is cracked. Almost as if someone tried pulling it out.”

“Maybe that’s how they got out,” Romeo said thoughtfully.

“So it would seem,” Joanie said softly from the other side of the room. She stopped in front of the wall leading to Luminor’s bedroom. Her eyes caught something in the corner of the room and she walked over, running her hands against the wall.

“How long have you known this Luminor?” Romeo asked as he walked into the small kitchen.

“He’s been our friend for the past three years,” Strify answered.

Romeo glanced at Danielle who had an annoyed look on her face. Her eyes warned him not to be too obvious but he never really paid mind to warnings from anyone, let alone Danielle.

“We didn’t really know him that well and he never really talked about himself much,” Kiro added, “In fact, I don’t think he talked about himself at all.”

Romeo glanced at Danielle who looked at him with a small smirk on her face. He rolled his eyes at her. The way she seemed to know what he was thinking, and yet always seemed to be right was really getting on his nerves.

“Does he always keep raw meat in the freezer?” Danielle asked, wrinkling her nose at the stench of rotten meat.

“No way. He’s a vegetarian,” Yu answered slowly, “He hates even looking at meat.”

“Odd. Then why would he have a freezer full of raw meat if he were a vegetarian?” Danielle asked, glaring In Romeo’s general direction.

Romeo sighed and glared back at her, “Very odd indeed Oli,” He answered, trying and failing to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

“Romeo, Danielle, I think you guys should come see this!” Joanie called from inside Luminor’s bedroom.

Romeo glanced at Danielle, a look of worry crossing his face. “What is it Joanie?”

“Just get your ass in here Romeo. You’re gonna want to see this. Like now.”

“I told you this was a bad idea!” Danielle hissed in Romeo’s ear.

“Quiet. We made a deal that we would help these boys. Wither you like it or not, I plan to keep my part of the bargain.”

Danielle sighed as she followed Romeo into the bedroom, dreading whatever it was that Joanie had to show them.