Page 11 (1/2)

Glad that she hadn’t gotten into her paja ould come by when most of the city knew the tavern had been closed in honor of Gus, she started to run down the stairs She hesitated, ran back up to her roo her service Glock and sliding it beneath her jacket Then she ran down the stairs again to the front door She looked through the ship’s portal to see as calling

Theoutside appeared to be about forty; he was ofa blue suit with a white shirt and a tie that had been loosened

Cop, she thought instantly Plainclothes cop

That was instinct, but she couldn’t be sure

"Yes? The tavern’s closed," she called

"Ms Anderson?"

"Yes"

"I’e?" she said

He produced his credentials His badge looked real, as did the ID he flashed with it

Abby opened the front door The cop seemed uncomfortable "Detective Peters, Ms Anderson I just re in the papers that you were closed today for your grandfather’s funeral"

She nodded "Can I help you?"

"I’ her a picture "Her na," Abby said "Yes, I know her She works for a friend of randfather’s, Dirk Johansen He does pirate ship tours and she plays a pirate wench"

"She’s "

Abby frowned "Dirk was here all day He didn’t ht not know yet," Peters told her "Helen Long was off today, and she was off yesterday She had lunch here with friends Do you re her?"

Abby nodded Like soher to express her condolences She hadn’t really known Gus that well She’d only worked for Dirk for about a rown up in Atlanta but come to Savannah to be an extra in a pirate movie, since the exterior shots were filotten a part in another movie about to be filmed down in New Iberia, and she’d been honest with Dirk about her intentions

"I did see her She had lunch here, yes"

"Do you re her leave?" he asked

"Yes Wait, no--she ith soirlfriends and they left first She stayed at the bar awhile longer I don’t knohen she left I went back upstairs after I talked to her," Abby explained "But ht be able to tell youwith Bootsie--Bob Lanigan--and Aldous Brentwood My bartender, Jerry Sullivan, was on, as was the dayI’ about so since she was seen at lunch yesterday? I thought you had to wait until an adult was gone for more than twenty-four hours before you filed a report"

"Usually," Peters agreed "Butwe’ve had a few people goand then turn up dead Like I said, her roo Helen never caht And she hasn’t shown up today So--" he cleared his throat "--we’re starting early with this one"

"I see I’irl, Detective I wish I could help you And you should speak with my staff and my customers They may know more"

"I’ll do that toht’ve seen her, please get in touch" He passed her a card, which she tucked into her pocket

"Of course!"

"Well, then, good night," Peters said He looked as if he wanted to say ain, "but this was the last place her girlfriends saw her, so"

"If you want to search these premises, you’re more than welcome to do so," she assured him

"I’ll try to speak with your people first," Peters said "Soht’ve seen who she left with"

"I hope so I have a list of numbers You can call them now, if you wish It’s really not that late"

"Thank you"

Abby hurried back behind the bar and found the list Sullivan kept there of their regulars He was a good bartender and liked to memorize their drinks Then she moved over to the host stand to find the sheet with staff contact inforave hiain and stood there for aan appearance that night, it seemed Wearily she went back upstairs, sorted out the papers that had flown everywhere and sat back down

Helen

She felt horrible She knew Helen

So far, those who’d disappeared had taken a few days to be discovered

Maybe there was still hope

She stared down at the paper that was back in her hands, written in Gus’s broad scrawl

The ht? Call Abby

This tiain when the office phone on the desk began to ring

Once again, papers flew

"Abby!" It was Dirk Johansen She knehy he had to be calling