the woman was wearing. Instead, he focused on where they were going. The rich wood tones and jewel color fabrics reminded him of a throne room. Not that he’d ever seen a throne room, but he’d bet royalty would be comfortable in this store.
They approached a low counter where a gentleman in a suit sat, studiously ignoring them. He glanced at Jordan as he reached in his jacket, whipped out his credentials, and shoved a face full of his badge at the man. “We’ll talk to your manager, now.”
The man withdrew several inches, raised his nose, and scrunched his face, as if he smelled a horrible stench, then his eyes dropped to his identification. He pushed his chair away and stood, pulling delicately on his jacket before he flicked away some invisible lint. “I am the manager.”
He glanced at Jordan who shrugged. That was his go-ahead to take over the interview move. Fine by him. “You have an employee by the name of Ava. We need to speak to her.”
The man’s eyebrows raised to his hairline. “Ava? She’s with a customer at this time. Can you come back?”
He leveled an ice-cold stare at the smaller man. “Now, or I’ll put you in cuffs and take you downtown for interfering with a murder investigation.” Not that he would ever do that, but the threat was worth the response. The little man almost shit his britches.
The man reached down to the lapel of his jacket and pushed a button on the small mic affixed to it. “Miss Dall, you are required at my location immediately. Miss Simms, please take over for Miss Dall.” The man flicked his eyes toward him. “She’ll be on her way momentarily. May I show you to a secluded area?”
The man’s eyes ran over Jordan before he flicked another disdainful glance in his direction. As much as he’d like a private location to talk to Miss Ava Dall, he got the feeling the manager wanted them hidden from his wealthy clientele.
The sharp click of stiletto heels on hardwood floors drew his attention to the young woman heading their way. He could tell in an instant she wasn’t pleased to be taken away from her customers. She slowed when she noticed them; her attitude changed from irritation to curiosity. “How can I help you, Mr. Thorpe?” Ava Dall spoke to her manager but looked at them. Her intelligent eyes swept over them and landed on the bulges under their jackets. She cocked her head and waited.
“Miss Dall, please take these police officers away from the middle of the store and answer their questions. I will be giving Mrs. Davidson's commission to Miss Sims.” The little man sniffed as if a fetid odor permeated his presence.
Ava narrowed her eyes at the man and nodded. She turned her pissed off expression to them, and tipped her head toward the back of the store. When they reached the farthest conversation group, Miss Dall sat in one of the massive wing-backed chairs. “What does the Hope City Police Department need from me?”
“Ma’am, you were with Samuel Treyson yesterday morning?” Jordan reached in his pocket for his notebook.
“Yes.” She looked from Jordan to him again, her brow furrowed. “Why? What’s wrong? Is Sam okay?”
“Ma’am, we regret to inform you that Samuel Treyson is dead.”
When Jordan broke the news, he watched the woman’s reaction carefully.
Her eyes immediately dilated. She gasped, and her mouth went slack. Her hands clutched to her chest and tears filled her eyes. “Oh my God, how? When? It was that car, wasn't it? I told him he was driving it too fast. Why wouldn't he listen! Has anyone told his wife or the others?”
Whoa, he did not see that coming. Leaning forward he cleared his throat. “Others?”
The woman nodded rapidly. Her tear-filled words were fast and difficult to understand. “I’m Tuesday and Thursday. Chloe is Monday and Wednesday. His wife is Friday, and Garrett has Saturday and Sunday.”
“Wait… What do you mean you have certain nights, and they have certain nights?” Jordan interjected the question. Obviously, his partner was just as lost as he was.
She blinked at him as if he was stupid. Nodding her head, she spoke slowly, still crying and hiccupping, but trying to explain, “Sam sleeps with me on Tuesday and Thursday; he sleeps with Chloe on Mondays and Wednesday. On Friday night, he has to do the social obligation things his wife requires. I don’t know if he has sex with her or not, and G-Garrett fulfills