Leaning his elbows on the edge of the receptionist’s desk, the pretty brunette gave him a nervous, shy smile. “I don’t think I can be of much help.” She flicked a glance around the lobby.
“Did he call in? Give you any clue where he was or where he was going?” Deegan asked again.
There was a long hesitation—long enough for her to debate what she’d divulge. “Not a word. We haven’t seen him in days. He just hasn’t shown up.”
“Is that normally like him?”
She tapped her crimson nails against the desk and leaned in. “These days, yes. He has a priority list and work isn’t one.”
Deegan saw a slip in her wall. “You’d tell me if you knew more, wouldn’t you?”
“Of course.” She batted her eyelashes and her cheeks pinkened.
He reached over the desk for one of the business cards and pen. He jotted down a number, then handed it to her. “If he shows up to work, or you hear anything, will you give me a call?”
“I will. I promise.”
Leaving the building where Gilbert had worked for ten years, Deegan decided to walk to Annie Steele’s apartment located only a few blocks away. Once he reached the three-story historic building, he stood in front, surveying the entrance. It was a walk-up with a locked entrance so he wondered how easily someone could get inside, walk the three flights to Annie’s apartment without there being any witnesses. Not even one. Not even a camera on the premises. He’d seen this before in apartment buildings with a younger crowd in residence. They’re so wrapped up in life they forget the rules of safety and don’t think twice about who’s walking their halls.
He made a mental list of what he knew already. Lisa and Max were together that night so both had an alibi. RayAnn Mont seemed convincing that Annie wouldn’t do drugs. Everest Gilbert, who seemed to love the spotlight, had untimely, or timely, disappeared. If he was a good friend, where was he? Deegan checked and the man hadn’t been interviewed by detectives to ask what he knew. The syringe found on the floor next to the bathtub didn’t have any prints outside of Annie’s.
Turning, he stared down the sidewalk, looking around at the businesses. Across the street was a coffee shop where someone could have watched the apartment building. In the report Deegan had read that Annie was out until nine. She had a late night at work.
Walking across the street, Deegan checked the times that the shop was open. They were open until ten.
Inside, he approached the counter, flashed his badge and started to speak to the server but she rolled her eyes. “Are you here about that woman? The one who was banging the Senator?”
“Yes. Have you had anybody asking about what happened?”
“Everyone and his brother. Just like I told everyone else, I didn’t see anyone who appeared suspicious and I was busy working,” she snapped.
Realizing he wasn’t going to get anything from her, he left the shop. He made it almost ten feet when he heard a noise.
“Psst. You! Cop! Over here.”
He looked for the whispered voice and found a middle-aged man wearing a black shirt with the coffee shop’s logo. “You work here?” Deegan asked.
“Yeah. Unfortunately!” He shifted and looked over his shoulder. “That girl in there won’t tell you anything.”
“I got that.”
“That’s because she was outside with her boyfriend, you know...” He snorted and swiped a hand down his thin jaw.
“And you think she saw something?”
“I heard her, man. I heard her talking. She saw a man in black go inside the building across the street where that dead girl was found.”
Deegan chewed on the morsel of information for a second. “Did she get a good look at him?”
“Nah, that was all. It was dark.” He shrugged. “I have a speeding ticket. It stinks, you know. I figured maybe you could take care of that for me, you know, since I helped you out and all.” The man looked serious.
“Sure. I’ll help you out…with a suggestion. Pay the fine and drive responsibly.” Deegan left the man standing. He’d learned to watch for the cues when someone was falsifying information.
Making his way two blocks away to the alley where the unidentified victim was found dead by a gunshot, he wanted to check the area out again. The last time he’d been there he hadn’t seen anything, but sometimes it took more than once to find a needle in a haystack.
He was certain there was a connection, but what was it?
The alley was located between two shops, cluttered with trash. The spot where the man was found had a red stain left in the pavement. He was a young kid and apparently had found himself in a bad situation.
“Do you have some spare change?”
Deegan turned. A young woman stood at the end of the alley, her hair hung in oily strands. Her clothes were dirty and two or three sizes too big. He hesitated only a second, then dug out a few bills and handed them to her. She couldn’t be more than eighteen or nineteen. Her eyes were sunken and skin was sallow. With a shaky hand, she stuffed the money into her pocket, then lowered her eyes to look at her dirty, frayed tennis shoes.
“Thank you,” she muttered and walked away.
Deegan watched her go, then turned back to the crime scene, kneeling where the body was found. He lowered against the concrete, looking under the dumpsters, but came up empty. He felt a tap on his shoulder and looked up to see the girl had returned. “Can I help you?”
Her eyes widened slightly. “I saw you in the coffee shop asking questions. For fifty I’ll tell you all you need to know about the dead guy.” She took a step back keeping her eyes squarely on him as if she feared how he would respond. He guessed at any sign of confrontation she’d run away.
“You knew the victim?”
She nodded and took another step back toward the sidewalk. “I knew him very well.” There was a quiver to her voice.
Deegan grabbed his wallet and opened it up, pulling out a large bill. “I bet you wouldn’t have change for a hundred.”
*
Kiersten pushed the button and rode the elevator up. She was tired and needed to sleep, but she had work to do. The case of Annie Steel had her on edge, striving for answers. It wasn’t unlike every other case that had crossed her desk.
Lifting the bouquet she had in her arms, she inhaled the floral scent. This was the first time she’d received flowers in a long time. She’d forgotten that men still did romantic things.
She stepped out of the elevator and made her way through the room of cubicles and down a short hallway.
Slipping into her office, it was dark, but she didn’t bother turning on the light. She dropped her purse onto the chair, and almost jumped out of her heels when she saw someone sitting behind her desk. She hurried to switch on the lamp and frowned when the golden light illuminated familiar features.
“Deegan? What the hell are you doing here?” She placed her hand against her chest where her heart was beating wildly.
He was sitting in her chair, his boots propped on the corner of her desk as if he owned the place. His beard was gone, replaced with a clean jaw that made her want to brush her fingertips over to feel his smooth skin. She hadn’t seen him in two days, not since he’d dropped her off after their Folklore trip. Several times she’d picked up the phone to call him, but logic had taken over and then she’d received a text from him earlier asking her to meet him.
“You were supposed to meet me,” he said quietly.
“I said I would if I had time. I do have a life. Do you have some news on the case?”
He dropped his feet to the floor and stood. “You busy now?”
“No…well…yes…”
“Were you on a date?” His gaze moved to the flowers she was crushing in her arms.
Placing the flowers on her desk, she worked her bottom lip. She didn’t want to lie to him and the dozen red roses gave her whereabouts away. Her best bet was to ignore the question. “How long have you been here?”
“Not long. You should really put those in some water.” He rounded the desk and stood in front of her, hooking his thumbs in his front pockets. His gaze seemed to drill deep inside her.
Removing her scarf, she laid it over her purse. “Have you had any luck with finding Everest Gilbert?”
“I have a few leads.” He took a step closer to her and she took a step back, or at least she demanded her body to, but it wouldn’t listen. He lifted a hand and took one of her wavy tendrils and wrapped it around his knuckle before letting it drop. A smile lifted his lips, one that did special things to her. “I’m going to put this out there. I wanted to see you and was very disappointed when you didn’t show.”