Page 25 of No Surrender
Her eyes narrowed. Simon felt a light pressure against his shielding, but his protections held.
“Hey, I had to try,” Michelle said. “You’re good practice. Maybe someday I’ll have walls like that. So—why do you want to know?”
“A young woman who worked as a server here went missing and was never found. Lisa Murdock. I know it’s a long time ago, but I think it’s somehow connected to something more recent.”
He could almost guess Michelle’s thoughts. She had helped with tips when he and Vic pursued the Slitter, so he knew she’d make the connections.
“Work here long enough, and you hear the story of the girl who disappeared,” Michelle said. “It’s break room gossip—almost an urban legend. I wasn’t sure she was real until you said something. I thought it was one of those cautionary tales to warn us to be careful going home late at night.”
“What’s the story?” Simon knew that after all this time, the details could have changed with the telling.
“Just that she worked her shift, got on the shuttle home, and was never seen again,” Michelle replied.
“The shuttle?”
Michelle shrugged. “Back in the day, the hotels ran a shuttle at the end of each shift. Myrtle Beach didn’t have much in the way of busses back then, taxis were too expensive, a lot of workers couldn’t afford cars, and there weren’t ride shares.”
“So the shuttle went to multiple hotels?”
“From what I hear, it covered hotels, bars, and restaurants.”
“So a driver might pick up people at more than one stop?” Simon felt his heart pound as he realized what Michelle’s comment meant.
“Yeah. At least, that’s what the stories say.”
“Is there anyone still around who remembers those days?” Simon felt he was onto something important.
Michelle thought for a moment. “Leanne in housekeeping has been here since God was a pup. I think she started when she was sixteen. She’s in her seventies, and she won’t retire.”
“Perfect. If she didn’t know Lisa, she probably heard the story close to the source.”
Michelle grinned. “Oh, I’m sure she heard it. Not much gets past Leanne. She’s our resident historian.”
“When is she in?”
“Mornings. She’s past optional retirement age, but she says that she wouldn’t know what to do with herself if she didn’t work, and since she’s management now instead of making beds, it’s easy on old joints.”
“I’ll be back in the morning then,” Simon told her, draining the last of his club soda. “Thank you. You’re amazing!”
“Right back atcha,” Michelle said with a mock salute.
Simon set an alarm on his phone with a meeting note, and left the bar, heading for his next stop, Botanica Hernandez.
“Simon. I knew you’d be here—just not sure when. Good to see you.” Gabriella Hernandez greeted him as he walked into the shop. The smell of sage and marigold was a heady mixture, and all of Simon’s psychic senses sparked at the energy of the store.
Gabriella stood behind the counter as if she’d just been to the salon. If anything, she looked more like an upscale real estate agent than a powerful bruja. “It’s been too long, Simon. Now, tell me what’s on your mind.”
“You grew up here, right?” Simon gave Gabriella a hug as she came around the counter.
Gabriella gave him a look that Simon sensed down to his bones.
“Yes. Let’s go elsewhere to talk.” She spoke to a helper in rapid Spanish to take over the front while leading Simon to the break room in the back.
Gabriella made him hot chocolate spiced with cayenne and brought out a plate of cookies which they ate as Simon caught her up on what was going on.
“What do you need?” she asked.
Simon told her the whole story, including Walt’s theory of a second-but-unrecognized serial killer and the connection to the current Slitter trial.
