“Yeah.”
“What about guys? Was she seeing anyone? Romantically?”
He shook his head.
“Did she mention being at odds with anyone?”
“Just her sister.”
“Patsy.”
“Yes.” His eyes grew glassy with tears again. “For trying to mother her. Get her settled on the right path. Now—” His throat closed over the words.
Billy Ray patted him on the shoulder. “You’ve got to keep it together, Travis. We’ll figure this out. Okay?”
He cleared his throat and nodded.
“I’ll talk to Patsy next, she might know something.”
“I called her. She hasn’t heard anything from her.”
“But she may know something and not realize it. Then I’ll talk to folks who were at The Landing and saw her. Like I said, we’ll figure this out.”
Travis seemed to pull himself together. “And if she comes home? What do I do?”
“Hug her. Then call me.”
Travis tugged at the brim of his cowboy hat. “I’ll kick her ass, that’s what I’ll do.”
And maybe he would, Billy Ray thought as he headed back to his cruiser, but only after he hugged her.
Through the vehicle’s open window, he heard the crackle of the radio. He reached through and grabbed it. “Chief Williams.”
“Billy Ray, it’s me, Earl.”
“Ten-four, Officer Stroup.”
For a split second, the other man went quiet. As if with surprise. Billy Ray climbed into the cruiser. “You have that list for me?”
“I do. Talked to Joe. He said the surveillance video is ours anytime we want it. Ricky, Elaine and Annie were on the bar, Bubba T at the door. Ricky opened at eleven, Want me to go by, question him?”
“I’ll do it.”
“What do you want me to do now, Billy Ray?”
“You know, Earl, I got my promotion more than a year ago. I’m thinking you need to call me Chief.”
His deputy was obviously taken aback. “Sure, Billy—Chief. Didn’t mean any disrespect.”
“I know, Earl. Didn’t take it that way. Just figure we might need a little more formality around here. Things being what they are.”
“Yessir, Chief.”
“While I follow up at The Landing, give the boys over at the sheriff’s office a call. See if there’s anything new on Henry Rodriquez.”
“Should I tell them about Dixie?”
“Lordy, no. And have those know-it-alls climbing our frames? That’s the last thing we need. Besides, there’s nothing to tell, not yet.” Billy Ray paused a moment, sorting his to-do list. “When you hang up with them, give the lab a call, see if they’ve got anything yet on the blood samples I sent over. And keep me posted.”
CHAPTER THIRTY
Sunday, April 20
2:15 P.M.
Billy Ray sat at The Landing’s bar. Joe Cooper didn’t hire kids to run his business. He didn’t need to. Lots of folks around Wholesome needed steady, good-paying work. Seasoned professionals, Joe had told him once. Instead of putting the eye candy behind the bar—the very heart of the money-making operation—have them wait tables.
Ricky St. James had turned thirty-five around the same time Billy Ray had. He had a family to support. There’d be no messing with the till or offering free rounds from him or his crew.
“Tell me about Friday night, Ricky. What time did Dixie show up?”
Ricky leaned on the counter. He looked tired. He’d brewed them both a cup of coffee, and it sat on the bar in front of him, steam curling toward the ceiling.
“About nine. That’s the first time I recall seeing her anyway.”
“Is that her usual time?”
Ricky nodded. Sipped his coffee. “Things don’t get really cranked up until then. And Dixie’s one of those stay-to-the-bitter-end girls.”
“And Friday?”
“Nope. Band was still playing and she was gone.”
“She leave with anybody?”
“Not that I noticed. Surveillance might show different.” He took another sip of the coffee; Billy Ray noticed his hand was steady as a rock.
“What about while she was here? She spend a lot of time with one particular guy?”
“Again, not that I noticed. Friday nights are crazy.” He paused as if to search his memory. “Saw her dancing with her friends at one point.”
“Names?
“Katie Walton and Lea Johnson.”
“Those her two BFFs?”
“It seems that way. They’re here together almost every night.”
“Anyone new in that night? Anyone you didn’t recognize?”
“Nope.” He drained his cup, then refilled it. “You probably want to talk to Bubba T. Anyone comes through the door, he eyeballs ’em.”
“Anyone unexpected come in?”
“What d’you mean?”
“Folks you recognize from the community, but don’t come in much? Maybe ever. And suddenly there they are?”
He frowned slightly. “Come to think about it, I was surprised to see one of the Abbotts—”
“Logan Abbott?” Billy Ray heard the excitement in his voice and knew, by the strange way Ricky looked at him, that the bartender had as well.
“No, his sister. Raine.”
“Raine was in Friday night? You’re certain?”
He nodded. “With that fancy, foreign trainer. August something.”
Billy Ray could tell he wasn’t Ricky’s favorite. “Perez?”
“Yeah. They were together.”
“No kidding.” He brought the cup to his lips. “How was that?”
“Bizarre. They ended up getting in a fight.”
“Some folks can’t hold their liquor.”
“Exactly.”
“They leave together?”
“Yup.” He lifted the cup, then set it back down. “I kicked them out and suddenly they were best friends again.”
“And you were the bad guy?”
“Uh-huh.”
“No Logan Abbott, though?” When the bartender’s eyebrows rose slightly at the question, Billy Ray added, “Come looking for his crazy sister or something?”
He shook his head. “Logan Abbott hasn’t been in here since … hell, not since his first wife ran off. They used to come in sometimes and dance.” He brought his coffee cup to his lips but didn’t sip. “Besides, I hear he was in the hospital all night. His new wife was in some sort of riding accident.”