“They do.”
“But maybe not the one who skipped out on you. Maybe she has another source of income.”
“Maybe it does.”
“You sure it was a guy?” asked Lancaster, watching him closely.
The
barman eyed her. “What’s your interest?”
She flashed her badge. He took another electronic puff and said, “I used to work as a grip off-Broadway. Lot of its around that world. I can tell guys from girls, although I have to admit this one was really good.”
“So if it was a guy, why did you let him work?” asked Lancaster.
“I don’t give a shit if a guy wants to dress up like a chick so long as he can serve the drinks without spilling. All I need is bodies. I don’t count penises.”
Decker said, “According to you, the waitress left before the guy I was talking to did.”
“Well, I couldn’t find her after you left. Had to serve drinks at the tables myself until I got a replacement in. So, yeah, it apparently skipped out.”
“And you called the temp agency?” asked Decker.
“I did. And you were right about that. No record of her. Score one for you.”
Decker’s gaze drifted down to the man’s waist. A key fob poked from the top of his front jeans pocket.
“What kind of car do you drive?”
The barman looked down in surprise and then back up at Decker. “Why? You need a ride somewhere?”
“No. Just curious.”
“Nissan Leaf.”
“That’s an all-electric.”
“I know it is. Great gas mileage since it doesn’t run on gas. I just plug it in.”
“Very quiet, I expect,” said Decker.
“Too quiet sometimes. I’ve left it running more times than I can remember. Just walked off with the key in my pocket and the damn thing still on.”
“Is that right? Where do you keep it parked?”
“Alley outside.”
“Did you notice on the day I was in here that when you went out to the car it was in a slightly different location?”
The man thought for a moment and then said, “No, not that I remember. Why?”
“Because I looked in that alley when I was here that day and there was no car there.”
“The hell you say,” snapped the barman, his eyes wide in surprise. “But it was there when I left work.”
“You always keep the car key on you?”
“Not always. Sometimes I hang it on a hook over there.” He pointed to a wall behind the bar. “Have to move it sometimes when we’re expecting a delivery. Beer truck can barely squeeze in that space. And it’s a dead end so they have to back out. Sometimes I let one of the waitresses move it if I’m tied up.”
“Well, I think the waitress in question drove it without your permission.”
Decker dropped some dollars on the bar. “Tip included.” He and Lancaster walked out.
Chapter
47
THE SNOW HAD begun to fall more heavily as Decker stared at the gray Nissan Leaf.
“Looks like he’s charging it now,” said Lancaster. She was staring at a power cable running from a port on the car to an electrical box next to the side door of the bar.
Decker didn’t look at the cable; he was staring at the walls of the alley.
When she clicked off he said, “Okay, run it again but this time enlarge the image as much as you can.”
Lancaster did so, several times, at Decker’s request. From where the camera was angled they were watching from the rear of the car. They could see her slide into the driver’s seat and later swing her long legs out to exit. Her short skirt rode up her thighs when she did so. But there was no direct shot on the face.
“She’s got great legs,” said Lancaster. “Gotta give her that.”
“He does,” corrected Decker. At least I think it’s a guy.
“The barman was right, though.”