Judah paused, running his fingers over his clean-shaven head. “I barely even glanced at the tables. But if you’re asking me who was hanging around the bar...people I know...let’s see. Molly from the wax museum, Darryl who works at the playhouse down the way...” He paused, studying Devin again. “You’re that author, right? You do the kids’ storybooks.”
Devin nodded. Judah picked up a glass and idly started drying it while he concentrated. “Another friend of yours was in here. Cute little thing. I’ve seen you all in here together before. I meant to mention it to Brent—I don’t think he saw her. I’m trying to think of her name....”
“The young woman who owns a shop farther down on Essex?” Rocky asked sharply.
“Beth Fullway?” Devin suggested.
“Yeah! Her shop’s pretty cool. This Wicca stuff is all kind of new to me. I’m from Arkansas, not a local,” Judah told them.
Rocky nodded and refrained from telling him that it was pretty obvious. He liked the guy’s accent; he didn’t want to say something that would make it sound as if he didn’t.
“Was Beth alone?” Rocky asked.
“No, she was with the two other people from the store. An older woman and a guy.”
“And Brent never saw them?” Rocky asked.
Judah let out a deep sigh. “I told you—it was really busy. All the tables were taken, people were three-deep at the bar. The three of them weren’t here very long.” He called to one of the women working the floor. “Gina, can you help these people?” He looked back at Rocky and Devin. “Gina was handling the tables that night—she might be able to tell you if anyone was trying to hook up with the women or anything like that.”
Gina came over carrying her cocktail tray. She was wearing jeans and a T-shirt that advertised the bar. “Hey, you more cops?”
Rocky produced ID again.
“The local cops were crawling all over the place yesterday,” she said.
Rocky nodded. “Do you remember the dead woman and her friends being in here?”
“I do— They were at that corner table.” She pointed. “Nice kids. I couldn’t believe it when I heard about what happened. They weren’t blotto or anything. They didn’t get carried away. They were very polite, kept to themselves all night, and they tipped well,” Gina said. “I shake when I think about it. How horrible.”
“You don’t go home alone when you finish here, do you?” Devin asked, concerned.
Gina shook her head. “Not after what happened.”
“No one will be leaving alone,” Judah assured them.
“Barbara never came back in to ask about her phone?” Rocky asked.
Gina shook her head. “When the three of them left, that’s the last time I saw them. There were other customers leaving at the same time, but...I don’t know who they were. We get plenty of locals, but like most of Salem and certainly this area of town, we get a lot of tourists, too.”
“I sent over the receipts from that night,” Judah told them. “The cops have them, if that will help you any.”
“We’ll go through them,” Rocky said.
And they would, but...
“A lot of people pay cash in a bar. Some don’t want it on record how much they’ve spent, some are only buying a drink or two―not worth putting on a card,” Judah said.
“Yeah,” Rocky said. “Well, thank you.”
Gina said, “Holly and Brenda were on last night. I’ll send them over. But if you’ll excuse me, the couple in the corner are looking at me like I’m the worst waitress known to man.”
Holly and Brenda came over to talk with them.
Brenda was older, a slim, harried woman, but she only stared at them blankly. “Faces just blur together. They’re one big cocktail order. I wish I could help you.”
Holly was just as unhelpful. “I’m new— I just moved from Cape Cod. I wouldn’t know a regular from the man in the moon.”
Right before they left, Rocky went back to the bar and told Judah, “I’m going to bring you some pictures. You remember faces, right?”
Gina was back at the bar, giving him an order. “Pictures are a great idea. I’d know faces if I saw them.”
“Me, too,” Judah assured him.
“Thanks,” Rocky said. Devin echoed him, and they left the bar.
“What now?” she asked.
“Back to the house. It’s almost party time.”
“As you wish,” she murmured, pausing and stopping him, a hand on his arm. “Do you think this will get us anywhere? I still can’t believe that anyone either of us knows—someone we grew up with!—could have done this.”
Rocky wished he could say the same.
He’d been an agent too long; he knew better.
“Look at it this way. If we can eliminate them, that will help,” he told her.
“And what about when the party is over?” she asked. “The hotel...someone was in my room.”
“Jack has had the best video people over there all day—trust me, the cameras will be back up. And besides,” he said, allowing himself a smile, “I won’t be leaving you in a room alone. I mean, if that’s all right with you. You did run off this morning.”
She flushed. “It seemed...prudent.”
“Prudent?” He laughed. “You really are a New Englander, Miss Lyle. But seriously, you’ll be with me. And my Glock. And I’m a very light sleeper.”