AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah it was odd. He’s this old guy. Kind of shabby-looking. He didn’t look like he belonged there. A loser if you ask me.”
“Was he alone or with someone?”
“He was alone.”
“Do you think he was following Rachel and India? You think maybe he came there especially to see them?”
He nods thoughtfully. “He definitely knew they were there. I saw him looking at Rachel. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. And when she saw him she was not happy. But she felt like she had to go over and have a drink with him. Like he had some kind of hold over her. What a creep.”
A knock on the door makes me jerk up in my chair. Suddenly my head feels light. I feel queasy. I lean forwards in my chair, propping my elbows on my knees to hold myself up. I shake my head to clear it. My hand goes to my amulet.
The door opens and Monroe pops his head in, and gives Storm a look. He clearly has something urgent to say. Storm exits the room, and I get up to follow him. I have to lean my arm against the wall for a second to hold myself steady. The damn amulet. Either that or I might be coming down with something. This thought jars me. I am never sick.
I shut the door quietly behind me. Monroe is talking to Storm just outside.
“Some of that CCTV footage we wanted from DI Zael’s team came through,” Monroe says.
“The camera over the parking bay?” Storm asks.
Monroe shakes his head. “Not yet. Zael says the office it belongs to won’t give it up without a warrant. But there is footage from a camera across the road. It had a shot of the front door of the bar. It showed Jacob Jabari leaving via the front door, and there was no sign of Rachel or India when he left.”
Storm nods thoughtfully. “We know Rachel and India left by the back door onto the alley. So you’re saying that Jabari couldn’t have known where the girls went?”
“Exactly. And Jacob also picked up a girl outside the bar. He chatted with her and her friends for a bit. They shared a cigarette and they went off together. It doesn’t look like Jacob is our guy.”
I feel a surge of disappointment, but Storm only says, “Good work.”
He sees me leaning against the wall. “You okay?”
“Yeah fine,” I say. “Thanks for letting me sit in and everything.”
“You should head off,” Storm says. “Do you have work to get back to?”
I shake my head. “Not today. Is there anything I can do to help with the case? I thought maybe I’d speak to India again. See if I can jog her memory.”
Storm shakes his head. “Maybe later. The doctor said she needs some time to recover. You don’t look too well yourself.”
“I’m a bit tired. I just need some air to clear my head.”
“You look like you’re coming down with something,” he says. “Why don’t you head home to rest for a bit? I’ll call you if I need you.” He goes back inside the interview room.
“Want me to walk you out?” says Monroe. He takes my empty paper cup out of my hand and tosses it into a nearby bin. His expression tells me it has not escaped his notice that my lead in our little wager has vanished.
I make a face at him.
He smiles. “Sorry about Jabari. But I’ve no doubt you’ll find another suspect soon.”
Chapter 17
ALYS
A is for Alys. B is for bored. And I am fucking bored. Good job my day is about to get more interesting.
India will be wondering where I am by now so I send her a message. ‘Hey babe, how are you doing?’
‘Where are you?’ she replies.
‘I’ll come see you soon,’ I reply.
