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“Don’t disrespect those girls. Sun pounding down, standing on concrete all day, putting up with pissy, germy whiny-ass kids and smiling the whole time? You couldn’t pay me enough.”
“You’re right.”
“Besides, I don’t need you on the air. I’m the talent.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“You’re my insider, Misty. I want you to partner with me on this.”
“Partner?”
“I’ll even change the name of the show if you want. I think we’d be dynamite as a team. Though, you’re right, you shouldn’t go public until the end of this season. You know, it’d blow your cover.”
“Right.”
“And then only if you want to. It’s up to you. But I need you.” Zig put her hands on Misty’s shoulders. “Besides, it’s for a fellow mermaid. She needs you, too.”
“You don’t take no for an answer, do you?” Misty said it with a smile, because she didn’t like confrontation.
“Oh, come on. You’re as interested as I am. I can see it in your face.”
It was true, she’d been instantly engrossed. And she did have experience with crime solving. Her aunt was marrying a cop who’d been part of the family since she was sixteen. Her boyfriend was a cop, too. And… she’d been through some shit.
They were in their dorm room, and it was kind of a mess. “I just think you’re in the best position to help me. Besides, my first thought when I started digging into this case was whether it’s even safe for you to be working there. Or for anyone to be. You might be working with a killer.”
Misty rolled her eyes. “You said it happened ten years ago. No way the killer’s still there.”
“Ten years ago,” she said. “I have a list of everyone who was employed there when she vanished.” She grabbed her tablet, tapped and swiped and turned it Misty’s way.
Misty frowned at the list.
“Earl Mackey— head bartender,” Misty read, looking up and meeting Zig’s eyes. “He’s the manager now. My boss.”
“Yeah. And it was common knowledge he and Eva hated each other’s guts.”
Misty kept reading. “Barron White, Raphael Jones, Andrew Chay. Those are the owners.”
“They were then, too,” she said. “Keep reading.”
Misty’s gaze returned to the list of unfamiliar names, then paused on one she knew. “Hannah Duke— performer. Is that Coach Hannah?”
“The one and only. Still there after ten years.”
“So, she knew Eva.”
“They all knew Eva.”
“Yeah, but I don’t think any of them could’ve— I mean they must’ve been investigated and cleared, right?”
Zig shrugged. “What I wouldn’t give to see the police file.”
“Well, did you ask?”
“They’re not gonna give it to me just because I ask, Misty.”
“Sometimes they have to. You ever hear of the Freedom of Information Act?”
“FOIA.” She said it like kids said “Duh.” “See? That’s why I need you,” she said. “And the timing, with the tenth anniversary coming up, it couldn’t be better. I have the introductory episode ready to go, but I want you to look at the script. You’re a better writer than I am.”
