Page 87 of Another Girl Lost

“Can you give me names of her regulars?” Dawson asked.

“She don’t work for me.”

“You know what happens in your house and block, Jeremy,” Dawson said carefully. “You always have. Was she acting differently?”

“She’s always strung tight, but yeah, she might’ve been more on edge lately. But I didn’t mess in her business. As long as she has cash, I don’t care.”

“You sleep with her?” Margo asked.

Jeremy shifted his gaze to her, allowing it to slide over her body.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Margo took a slight step forward.

“You a mind reader?” Jeremy asked.

“I know body language well,” she said easily. “Yours is screaming that you slept with her. And you might know more about her than you’re saying.”

He tugged at his pants and sat a little straighter. “What if I did? It was consensual.”

“I’m not saying it wasn’t,” she said. “She’s a pretty woman. Held it together, considering. But if she were connected to a murder, that might implicate you as well.”

“What’s she saying about me?” Jeremy demanded.

Shrugging, Dawson let the lie roll off his tongue. “She’s made some suggestions that you have a temper.”

He laughed. “Now that’s a lie. I love everybody. Enemies are bad for business.”

Dawson opened his phone and found a picture of Sandra Taylor. “You remember her?”

Jeremy sighed and looked at the picture. “No.”

Dawson swiped to Scarlett Crosby’s image. “What about her?”

Jeremy yawned and then looked at the picture. Recognition flickered. “Her, I do know. Came looking for Tiffany a couple of weeks ago.”

Dawson flipped through his notes on the 9-1-1 call. “July 2?”

“That’s exactly right,” Jeremy said.

“That’s a hell of a memory,” Margo said. “I can barely remember yesterday, let alone two weeks ago.”

“I remember the date because it was my birthday. I’m about to blow out the candles when I hear two bitches going at it in the backyard. Nothing worse than hearing a chick fight.”

“What were they fighting about?” Dawson asked.

“Scarlett wanted Tiffany to leave. Tiffany refused. Started screaming that Scarlett wanted to kidnap her. She thought she was going to finish the job the Basement Guy started a long time ago.”

“Tanner Reed?”

“That him?” Jeremy asked.

“That’s right,” Dawson said.

“Yeah, she thought Basement Guy had sent Scarlett to get her.”

“Tanner Reed is dead.”

“Tell that to Tiffany. When she’s really messed up, she sees that fucker.”

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