Hearse of a Different Color (Hitchcock Sewell Mysteries) by Tim Cockey Read Free Book Online Page B

carry all that much.”
    I agreed. Whoever killed her might have grabbed the money belt because it was there, but that certainly couldn’t have been the motive. At least I hoped not. I looked about the room again. I’ve always heard that after the first or second business trip, the luster evaporates. It all becomes TV at the bar or cable in the room … long-distance calls back home and an early night with a John Grisham. Apparently though, for the more lusty and indiscriminate, it is also places like Sinbad’s Cave with its low lights and working gals. I had no doubt that for all the smiles and coos going on down there on the floor, these were strictly business propositions being conducted under the amber lights. Supply and demand was clearly in supply and demand.
    Bonnie was right on my wavelength. “Do you think Helen was turning tricks?” she asked.
    “That’s what I was just thinking. It’s certainly possible.”
    “You know that saying, about the fruit not having far to fall?”
    “You’re thinking about the mother.”
    Bonnie shrugged. “I don’t want to stereotype.”
    “I don’t know why not. It’s more useful than people like to admit. Helen Waggoner certainly didn’t grow up behind a white picket fence. This place might be tame by comparison to some of her mother’s job sites … but it’s still got a nice veneer of sleaze happening. Maybe we should ask our lovely waitress.”
    Gail was returning with our drinks. She set them down on the table.
    “No charge for the first ones. I took care of that.” She smiled hugely, revealing quite a set of Chiclets.
    Bonnie cleared her throat. “Listen, Gail. Would you mind if we asked you a few questions?”
    “Sure. About what?”
    “About Helen Waggoner.”
    Gail’s pan-shaped face seemed to sag at the mention of the dead waitress’s name. Her voice dropped. “Ain’t that horrible?”
    “Did you know Helen?” I asked.
    Gail was hugging the tray with both arms now. “I’m pretty new here, actually. I’ve only been here a couple months. My uncle got me this job. He knows the owner. I live in Catonsville. So it’s not too far to come in.”
    Bonnie pressed. “Helen?”
    “I mainly work afternoons. Helen was on at night. They haven’t replaced her yet, so they asked if any of us who work days could do some extra shifts. I’m going to college at night, but I told them I could do a couple. I could use the money.”
    I asked, “Do you like it here, Gail? Is it a good place to work?”
    Gail glanced in the direction of the bar before leaning forward to answer. “Not really,” she said in a loud whisper. “I don’t fit in too good.”
    “What do you mean?”
    She glanced quickly around the room again. “I just don’t. It’s different working nights. I don’t think my uncle’s ever been in here. I mean, at night. It’s
different
.”
    “Were you here the other night, Gail?” Bonnie asked. “When Helen … on Helen’s last night?”
    “You know, I was here. I was subbing for Tracy. That’s a friend of Helen’s who works here too. She called in sick I think.”
    “What exactly did you see? Did you see anything suspicious?”
    “I told all this to the police already. I didn’t see anything. Nobody did.” Gail shifted her weight and squinted in the direction of the bar. “Helen was down on the floor taking an order. Table six. Someone called her. On the phone. Ed took the call. Ed was the bartender that night. It wasn’t even like five seconds and Helen threw down the phone and just ran right out the door. Didn’t stop to put on her coat or nothing. And it was cold that night. That was the big storm.” Gail gave Bonnie a knowing look. “You know that storm.”
    Bonnie offered a steel smile. “I know it.”
    “So nobody saw or heard what it was that made Helen go outside like that?” I asked. “She just took a call and off she went?”
    “That’s what happened.”
    I pressed. “Do you have any guesses at all, Gail? Did