Deadly Touch - Heather Graham Page 0,48

installed a few years ago, but it went on the fritz and I never bothered to have it fixed.”

“We can use whatever you and your staff remember,” Nigel told him.

Gregorio stood and walked back to the counter, telling the girls to both go and talk to Axel and Nigel.

“Hey,” the first said nervously, once they were settled. “I’m Beth.”

“Suzie,” the other introduced herself.

Both appeared to be in their twenties: young and energetic. Beth was cute with freckles and reddish hair. Suzie was tall and skinny with dark hair.

“We’re here about Jennifer Lowry,” Axel said.

“Yeah, she was so nice,” Beth said. “So nice. Any of us here would help if we could.”

“She was supposed to be going out on a date tonight, as a matter of fact, with a man she met here. Did either of you see her with anyone?”

“She was a morning person. She came in before she headed to her job,” Suzie said.

“She would talk to others in line, but I never saw her sit with anyone,” Beth told them.

“No, I didn’t ever see her sit with anyone, either. But there was this one guy I saw her with. Last Monday morning, I think. I don’t know—the days get mixed up. Beth, remember I pointed at them? We were both giggling, thinking, wow, hmm, maybe?” Suzie said, frowning as she looked at Beth. “Remember?”

“Yeah...kind of,” Beth said slowly. “He had dark hair?”

“Light hair, I thought. But with the sun and all, it was hard to see,” Suzie said.

“I’m sure his hair was dark.”

“Not that dark.”

“But you did both see her with a man?” Axel asked.

“Yes,” they chimed in.

“Has he been in here since?” Nigel asked.

They looked at each other. Then Suzie winced sorrowfully. “I—I don’t know. He might have been in here before or after, but I didn’t see his face.”

“I didn’t, either.”

“Was he tall or short?” Axel asked.

“Tall,” they said in unison.

“Wearing?” Nigel asked.

“A suit,” Suzie said.

“Business suit. Blue or black, I’m not sure,” Beth said.

“Blue or black,” Suzie agreed. “I mean...the way the sun hits the glass in the morning, it’s hard to see much with any definition.”

They looked at each other. Both nodded.

“But we’re in a sales and business area. Do you know how many tall men in suits come here on any given morning?” Suzie asked.

“Do most customers pay with credit or debit cards?” Axel asked.

“Some. Some pay cash.”

“I’m sure Mr. Gregorio will gladly let you see Monday’s receipts or the week’s receipts. He’s a superdecent guy,” Beth said. “I mean, we’d help more. Honestly.”

“Yes, thank you,” Axel said.

The line at the cash register was growing longer.

“We’ll ask Mr. Gregorio. Thank you.”

They scurried back to work. Nigel ate his croissant sandwich while they waited for Gregorio to come back and talk to them.

“Thank you—sincerely, thank you—for letting us disrupt your morning,” Axel told him.

“I’m a small-business owner. I may never get rich, but I manage it all my way. Getting the receipts together may take me a bit. Can I get the week’s paperwork together for you to pick up this afternoon?”

“That would be a tremendous help,” Nigel assured him. “And truly appreciated.”

Gregorio nodded and looked back to his counter.

“Right. Thank you. We’re leaving, and one of us will stop back by around five. Would that be good?”

“Six. I close at five. Takes a few minutes to get customers out,” Gregorio said.

“Six, it is,” Axel said.

They turned to leave. On the way out, Nigel turned back. “Great coffee—and great sandwich!” he told him.

Gregorio nodded his thanks and watched them head out, hurrying back behind his counter before the door could close on the two of them.

Axel glanced at his watch. He looked at Nigel.

“We need to find out if there are any security cameras in the area.”

“All right. I’m on that. And you?”

“I’m going to get Raina. And bring her back to Andrew’s. You’ll meet us there?”

“I will meet you there. You know...”

“Yeah?”

“We would have gotten this—Jennifer’s workplace, the coffee shop, the unknown date—once Jennifer Lowry’s picture was posted and she was identified. But hell, we wouldn’t have had the sketch if it hadn’t been for Raina. We might not have even found the body. We’ve worked with things a bit different many a time, but this...”

“This?”

“This is something special. She’s something special.”

Axel nodded. “I know,” he said. “Trust me, I know.”

He left Nigel and headed for his car in the municipal garage.

Raina was indeed special.

He found himself worrying, hoping no one else—such as the killer—would realize just how special she was.

He was letting