What the River Knows (13 page)

“Make you a deal, Tessa.” Charlotte leaned toward the girl. “You take Mr. Handsy over there, and I’ll work your break and mine, so you can step outside for a cig.”

“You have a deal, Charley-girl.”

While Tessa made her way to the corner table, Charlotte carried a heavy tray of beer to a table of rowdy bikers. They pawed her, and the tall bald one pulled her onto his lap. With an effort, she struggled free, still smiling, and took orders from the table next to the bikers. Tessa returned to the bar with another order at the same time as Charlotte.

“I didn’t have any trouble with Mr. Handsy,” Tessa said. “In fact, he is probably the most polite guy in here tonight.” She turned back to look at him. “And he has such a sweet smile.”

“Give him time.” She had two trays to carry for the next order. Her feet hurt, and her head ached from the noise of the band. Why did she do this? Her job as a graphics designer for an ad agency paid well enough for her to live comfortably on her own, and now Devlyn took care of all the bills. Was her self-esteem really that shaky that she needed a drunken groping to make her feel beautiful? “I’ll bet by closing time, he’ll be all over you.” She didn’t believe her prediction, but she had to have a plausible excuse to Tessa for avoiding that table. Not only did she recognize him from the cemetery, there was something familiar about his face that made her suspect she had known him from her old life. And that was just as frightening as today.

“I don’t know.” Tessa mopped at the sweat on her face with her apron. “He seems pretty much into the woman he’s with.” She stood still. “Just look at them dancing together out there. So sweet it almost makes you sick.”

Charlotte turned to watch, and the ache knifed through her. The man and his woman moved together like matching wings on a butterfly, like they had danced together often, both this way and privately, away from prying eyes. He was tall, toned, with an air that was a mixture of confident hero and uncertain little boy, the kind that drew women like moths to a flame. The woman was luscious, ripe, gazing up at him with her lips parted. The woman licked her lips, and Charlotte did, too. Would she ever be the subject of such a scene? Would she ever have someone love her like that?

Mags had tried, in her own way, but the timing had never been right. When they were young, Charlotte’s awkwardness in her own body got in the way, and then, with that past and Mags rediscovered, there was Devlyn. She sighed. “Time for you to take a break, Tessa.”

While Tessa lingered over what Charlotte suspected must be at least three cigarettes, Charlotte worked both sides of the room. She cleared a table near the center, when she caught a motion from the corner table. The polite man was waving her over. Could she ignore him? She scanned the room desperately for Tessa, but the woman was still outside with her smokes. Reluctantly, she turned toward the corner table.

“Could we have Pepsis for both of us?” He gave her a slight smile.

“Right away,” she said, trying to turn away quickly. He put out his hand with two twenties that would cover his tab and a hefty tip. She couldn’t pretend she hadn’t seen it, so she reached out for the money. Instinctively, she looked at his face, and their eyes locked. The polite smile froze, and his brows drew closer together. His eyes examined her face almost as thoroughly as a computer scanner. Her stomach flipped over with a thud. “I’ll be right back.” She ducked her head and headed for the bar as fast as her stilettos would carry her. By the time the Pepsis were drawn, Tessa returned.

Charlotte shoved the tray with the two drinks toward her. “Here, take this to Handsy.” She stepped past Tessa before the girl could protest. “I need to use the can.” She glanced back at the corner table as she opened the bathroom door. Though Tessa had arrived at their table with the drinks and the change she knew he would decline, Handsy was watching Charlotte. She fled into the cramped bathroom and shuddered against the walls. Suddenly, she hated this place, with its worn linoleum and leaky toilets. The only class in the joint was Charlotte.

****

Long after Rica breathed in a deep, satisfied sleep beside him, Scott lay awake staring at the ceiling fan. Something about the waitress tonight at the bar bothered him. He’d seen her somewhere before, maybe recently, maybe a long time ago, but he
had
seen her. Maybe he should go back and question her. If Delia and her friends were regulars at the place, maybe this woman had seen something. Or someone. He closed his eyes and willed his mind to shut off. He focused on the rhythmic sound of the ceiling fan. As he drifted out of consciousness, it began to chant to him. “Delia. Delia. Delia.” He jerked out of the near-sleep and shook his head. He tried again. Once again, it began to hum. “Margaret. Margaret. Margaret.” Soon, it whispered other names to him, but the sound moved farther and farther away with each revolution of the blades. At last, his mind and body let go. Thoughts crowded into his unconscious mind, and he hoped he would recall them in the morning.

Chapter 24

“We need to pay a visit to the Thirsty Dragon.” Scott didn’t even say good morning first when Bates walked into their office on Monday.

“Why?” Bates sipped at the coffee in his mug, grimaced, and set it down, then settled into his chair. “Has the day been that bad already?”

“No.” Scott grinned. “My day’s been pretty good, really.” Rica had awakened him early to enjoy her day off and nearly made him late to work. “But Rica and I stopped in there last night, and my gut tells me we should talk to the staff, maybe see if Delia had any altercations with anyone there. Or if she met anyone else.”

“We probably should check there, since we don’t have enough to charge Moran.” Bates rose, dumped his coffee into the peace lily by the coffee pot, and refilled his cup. “But I’ll bet they’re not open yet.”

“Nope. Sign on the door said ten-thirty, for the lunch crowd.”

“Maybe we should have lunch there.” Bates stopped half-way to his chair.

“I hear they fry a good burger.” Scott knew Bates would gladly combine work with lunch.

“Maybe we should go get some donuts so we can fit all the stereotypes today.”

“They have some down at dispatch, and we already have the coffee.” Scott slid his chair back.

Bates turned. “Let’s go.” He clapped Scott on the shoulder as they left their office. “Maybe we can work on that burglary case while we wait for the Dragon to open.”

Scott nodded. Right now, Delia’s case absorbed him, but he knew that duty demanded they not forget the other cases assigned to them. Investigations took time, but time was a resource in limited supply.

****

Searching E-Bay and Craigslist for the items stolen in a string of burglaries worked up an appetite. Scott’s stomach rumbled as they walked into the Thirsty Dragon at 11:10 a.m. At the bar, a young woman Scott judged to be in her early twenties looked up from arranging glasses. “Grill’s not quite ready, gents, but I can take your order.” Her eyes measured both of them. “Beer while you wait?”

Bates slipped onto a barstool. “Diet Pepsi for me.”

Scott seated himself beside Bates. “Iced tea.” Up close, the girl might be a little past twenty-five. And she was not either woman who had served him and Rica last night. “A Harvey burger, no cheese, grilled onions and fries.”

She wrote briefly on a plain pad, then glanced up at Bates. “Cheeseburger and onion rings.”

“Coming right up, soon’s the grill’s hot enough.” She walked to the kitchen pass-through at the end of the bar, and clipped the order to a rotating steel ring. She leaned against the bar, two cold glasses in her hand. “Sure you won’t have a beer?”

Bates shook his head, while Scott reached for his wallet. “We’re on duty.”

She straightened. “Duty?” She moved quickly to the soda machine. “You cops?”

Scott nodded and pulled out the picnic photo of Delia. “Wondered if you’d seen this woman in here in the last few weeks.”

She placed their drinks in front of them, laid straws on the counter and wiped her hands on the apron wrapped around her waist. Glancing from Bates to Scott with veiled eyes, she took the photo as if it might bite her. “Don’t think so.” She started to hand it back to Scott.

He shook his head. “Can you take another look? We know she came in here from time to time.”

Her chest moved with her rapid breathing. “Look, I only work the noon rush, guys.”

“Take another look anyway,” Bates urged, his voice gentle, fatherly.

She stared hard at Bates, and her breaths came slower. She took the photo to the kitchen entrance and studied it in the brighter light there. Skinny and nervous, she probably used speed or crack on occasion. She brought the photo back to them. “Naw, never seen her.”

“How about your boss or the cook?” Bates asked as Scott laid the photo on the bar.

“Cook works both shifts sometimes, but hardly ever looks up from the grill. Boss works tables once in a while.” She backed toward the kitchen.

“Could we talk to them?” Bates sipped at his Pepsi. “Just take a minute. They don’t have to come out at the same time, one can stay and watch the grill.”

“Sure.” She disappeared into the kitchen. Minutes later, a big man with a beard appeared carrying their lunches on plates.

“What can I do for you fine officers?” He plopped his elbows on the bar and offered a huge hand. “Harvey Pennington, owner.”

Bates shook his hand while Scott nudged the photo toward him, resisting the temptation to tear into his burger. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had one here. “You seen this girl in here?”

Wiping his hands on his apron, Pennington held the photo close, then, like the waitress, he took it to the light and studied it some more. While he studied, Scott and Bates dug into the burgers. Scott savored the first greasy, delicious bite.

Pennington returned to them. “Hard to say.” He laid the photo down, but continued to look at it. “We get a lot of people in here, and as you can see—” He gestured around the empty room. “Light’s not so good for seeing people too clear.” He laughed. “It sells more liquor and makes people happier if they can’t see what they’re making a bargain for at 1:30 in the morning.”

Scott nodded, remembering his single days. Tentative offers were made at midnight, and negotiations began in earnest at one, deals sealed by 1:45 before last call. Most made an exit with their chosen love-for-the-night before the lights came up. And didn’t look too closely before breakfast. “She might have come in for lunch or early, right after work, sometimes. Maybe with a group of women.”

Pennington stared at the photo a while. “Maybe come in with a tall brunette, a real looker? And a red-headed gal?”

Scott shrugged, halfway done with the burger. “Could have.”

Pennington nodded. “Bunch of them, sometimes half a dozen or so, mostly on Fridays. Real rowdy at times, acted like man-haters, but they were on the prowl, for sure.”

Bates finished his burger. “Any of them find what they were prowling for?”

Pennington looked Bates in the eye. “Oh, they danced and let fellows buy them drinks—they were good for my business—but they always left together without any guys in tow.” He touched the photo. “Can’t say they didn’t meet somebody later, or exchange phone numbers, but they worked as a herd. Safety in numbers, don’t you know?

Scott leaned forward. “Anybody ever cut one from the herd?”

Pennington straightened. “I can’t see everything, cause I’m usually everywhere at once and nowhere very long. But I don’t recall any of them making much time for anyone but each other.” He looked at the photo again. “This the gal they found on the river bank?”

While the memory flashed before Scott’s eyes and reached deep into his gut, Bates nodded.

“Too bad,” Pennington said. “With the kid and all.”

“What about your waitresses?” The reaction of the auburn-haired waitress from last night still bothered Scott. “Any chance they shared info with any of them?”

Pennington shrugged. “You could ask them.”

“Will you give us a list of them?”

“Sure.” He nodded toward their now-empty plates. “How were your burgers?”

“Great,” Bates said. Scott nodded agreement.

“On the house, fellas.” He turned toward the kitchen. “I’ll get you a list of the gals.”

“Thanks.” Bates pulled out his wallet, while Scott opened his already lying on the bar. “But we can’t accept freebies.”

Pennington stopped at the kitchen door. “Suit yourselves. But do me a favor, will ya?”

Scott glanced at Bates. “What would that be?”

“Tell your buddies on the force how great the burgers are, okay?”

“That we can do,” Scott agreed. Pennington grinned as customers began filling the place.

Chapter 25

With milkshakes to go in hand, Bates and Scott left the Dragon after a brief, uninformative chat with the cook, who saw nothing but the waitresses who brought him orders and raw meat searing all day or night.

Bates ran a quick copy of the list of ten waitresses. He started calling the top five, while Scott called the last half. With varying degrees of reluctance, all agreed to come to the station today or tomorrow for an interview. The last girl on Scott’s list hadn’t been hired until about six months ago. “Last one,” he said to Bates. Bates merely grunted, dialing his last number as well.

Charlotte Daniels didn’t answer her cell phone, so he left a message on voice mail. “This is Detective Scott Aylward of the Police Department.” He hesitated, not wanting to stampede her into not calling back. “We need to ask you a few questions regarding an ongoing investigation.” He left a message to call and set up an appointment. Then he hung up and faced Bates where he stood with an empty coffee carafe in his hand.

“We’re out of coffee, so I think I’ll make some before the first of the girls comes in.” He glanced at the clock on the wall. “We have about twenty minutes.” He headed toward the break room to fill the carafe with water. “Do you suppose they have any of those donuts left in dispatch?”

“Del!” Scott chided him, though coffee and a donut did sound good now that Bates had mentioned it. “What about your girlish figure? Remember the milkshake. And that burger had to have 200 calories of fat alone.”