“With anyone? What a question. Of course I saw her with someone. She came in with lots of people. Well, several people. She seemed to talk to a lot of people. Did I know them? No, I can’t say I did.”
“But you noticed her,” Raina said softly.
Frank shrugged. “She was a pretty girl. Of course I noticed her, anyone around her noticed her.”
“She wasn’t that pretty,” Loretta said.
Frank shrugged again. “She had a light about her. She was always smiling. I guess that made her pretty. Hey, if this is an interrogation, you’d better drag us down to the station. But there’s no more I can tell you.”
“We’re looking for help,” Axel said quietly.
“We would love to help,” Loretta said. “I just can’t think of anything more to add. Frank?”
“Sorry, I’m not trying to be a jerk. We saw her, yes. We didn’t know her. She liked to sit close to the stage and watch the entertainment. She did seem to come with the same group of friends, but she was friendly to everyone.” He finished speaking and rose. “Sorry, my evening is shot for me. I didn’t want to believe that pretty girl is dead, but now I guess we have to. Loretta, come on. Let me take you home.”
“Is it all right?” Loretta asked anxiously, looking from Raina to Nigel and then Axel.
“Of course, and thank you,” Axel said, rising, as well, bringing Nigel and Raina to their feet.
“If we think of anything, we’ll call you. I wish there was something more we could offer,” Frank said. “Anyway, good night.”
He took Loretta by the arm and they headed out.
“And he’s such a great guy, chaperoning kids,” Nigel said.
“He has been a chaperone on field trips for years,” Raina said. “He would be in charge of the guys, always respected and liked.”
“He was weird,” Nigel said.
“Yes, but not as strange as Jordan,” Raina muttered.
Both of them looked at her. “Oh, no,” she clarified. “I believe with my whole heart that Jordan was stunned, that he knew nothing about Jennifer being dead, and he did care about her. He cried. The Jordan I’ve always known is not a crier. No, Jordan didn’t kill her. He was just weird. But it’s true, I mean, most of us are decent human beings, and it’s horrible and painful to hear about any murder, but when someone you cared about is murdered, it becomes more.”
“Think we’re done here?” Nigel asked Axel.
Axel was quiet a minute. Then he shook his head. “Bartenders. They know everything.”
Eleven
They split up.
There were three bars spread out along the three walls that surrounded the opening, one of them a distance from the musicians.
Nigel walked across the far wall; Axel and Raina started at the stretch down from the stage.
They ordered. He’d been drinking soda with lime all night and had noticed Raina was opting to do the same. He told her she was welcome to something stronger but she shook her head.
“Whatever these strange ‘touch’ intuitions are, I don’t want to mess with them in any way,” she told him.
“Have you gotten anything in here?” he asked her.
She shook her head. “Nothing. I still can’t figure out Jordan or Frank Peters. Jordan was broken, and then angry. And Frank was strangely callous for a man who has dealt well with young people all his life. That’s why he and Loretta are still at it, I imagine. Never anything improper in any way. They can both discipline and gain respect at the same time. Good people, one would think.”
“And did you know they were a pair?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think they were back when I was in school. You have to remember, I was thirteen at the time and I haven’t been involved with alumni groups or anything like that. We’re still looking for a needle in a haystack.”
Axel nodded, but he wasn’t so sure. For the moment, he said, “You know, you’re not a bad partner.”
“Partner?” she queried, smiling.
“You’re helping as much as a partner,” he said. “Not to mention you’re much better looking than most.”
“You’re not too bad, yourself,” she said lightly. “Always thought so.”
“Pardon?”
“Oh, you know, years ago... Anyway, never mind, the bartender is coming.”
“Hey!” Axel said, smiling at the bartender, a man of about forty with an easy manner, able to chat a bit with his customers without being too intrusive.
“You ready for another? You’ve got to watch it with those wicked drinks,” he teased.