Page 33 of Craving Vengeance
“Did he and Tony know each other?”
“Yeah. He’s been in while Tony was working. I don’t know that they were buddies or anything, but I would imagine Tony talked to him like any other customer.”
Spinelli set that photo down, grabbed one of Chad Williams, and handed it to Sonny. “Do you know this guy?”
Sonny nodded. “Yep. He comes in for lunch a couple of times a week.”
“I take it Tony knew him as well.”
“Yeah. Hang on a second,” Sonny added as he took a few steps toward the middle of the bar and tapped a beer for a young woman who’d set her empty mug up on the counter.
Spinelli glanced about the bar. An older woman sat to his left. One empty barstool separated them. She looked like a typical barfly. He figured her to be in her early sixties. Her dark copper hair was accented with a streak of blue in the bangs. Her makeup was painted on thick. She wore a tight red sweater and leaned forward with her boobs propped up on the bar. Maybe at her age, and considering the size of them, she didn’t have the strength to hold them up on her own for too long a period of time.
She turned her head, checked out Spinelli, smiled, and leaned toward him. “I couldn’t help but notice your photos. I’ve seen them both in here. They worked for Tony, you know.” Her harsh, smoker’s voice did not match her fine facial features.
“Excuse me?”
She lifted her glass, took a sip of her drink, and set the glass back on the cardboard coaster. Bright red lipstick coated the rim of her glass. Her gaze never left him. Her strong rose scented perfume caused his nose to itch. He fought the building sneeze.
“I’m pretty sure they worked for Tony. Don’t get me wrong. Tony was a good person, and I really liked him.” She paused and sucked in a breath. Her eyes watered. “I warned him that his lifestyle would catch up with him someday. I’m sure he pissed off a lot of husbands and boyfriends through the years.” She shook her head and took another sip of her drink.
“What exactly did Tony do for a living, Ms...”
“Barnard. I’m Judy Barnard,” she filled in as she extended her hand. He shook her hand. Her long slim fingers were cold. Her wiry bracelets clinked together, and he couldn’t help but notice the large sparkling rings on her fingers. Some stones were clear, some were green.
He wondered if the jewels were real.
“So Ms. Barnard, what did Tony do for a living besides bartend?”
She shifted her gaze about the bar before returning it to him. She paused briefly and leaned closer to him. “He ran a male escort service.” Even her whisper was raspy.
“Why did he work here then?”
She looked surprised by his question. “This bar is in the professional district. I would imagine he picked up some clients here. You know, when they stopped in for lunch or after work for happy hour.”
He kept his gaze on her. Her voice seemed to soften. A hint of sadness passed through her dark eyes. Was she speaking from experience? He wondered how well she knew Tony.
“Were there any others?” Spinelli asked.
Judy frowned. “Others?”
He wondered if there were any more dead cupids they hadn’t discovered yet or if there were more at risk on this fine Valentine’s Day. “Do you know of any other escorts working for Tony?”
She thought for a moment. “I can’t say for sure, but I’d guess there were a few more.”
“How do you know?”
She glanced down at her hand and eyed her rings. “Tony likes fine things and somehow seemed to be able to afford them. The more staff you have, the more money you make. Plus, I’d see well-kept, handsome men come in and out of here. Sometimes they’d just come in to talk with Tony for a moment, and they’d leave without getting anything to eat or drink.” She paused, looked down, and twisted her bracelets around her wrist. “And sometimes I’d see them pass an envelope between one another.”
“What was in the envelope?” Spinelli asked, already knowing the answer.
“Cash, I suppose.”
Spinelli nodded in agreement. “Do you know the names of the others who came in to see Tony, or where I can find them?”
She shook her head.
“It’s important. Are you sure?”
