Page 39 of Just Now

“I’d like to speak to all of them, please.”

Mr. Gaynor was looking stressed. “We’re very busy tonight,” he pleaded.

Connor shook his head. “There’s going to be no easy way to do this. We need to speak to all of them. The sooner you can get them here, the sooner we can finish up with them.” He paused. “And we’re also going to need access to your computer and camera footage, most likely.”

“All that?” Gaynor looked horrified. “I don’t know if I can allow you access. I’ve got confidential information stored there.”

Connor remained firm. Cami guessed he was going to come across hardcore and not even give Gaynor the option of refusing. And so he did.

“Two choices. The easy way or the hard way. Either you cooperate as a local business looking to assist the police, or else we’ll get a warrant and bring in a team and close you down for the night.” He paused. “Maybe two nights. We have more than enough evidence, with all three victims having been here.”

Gaynor was now looking nauseous with worry. “No, no, I’m not obstructing you. Not even intending to do that,” he gabbled. “I was just—just running through things in my head. It’s better that you work here now, and of course I’ll cooperate fully.”

“Let’s start with the first staff member then, if you could call him in?”

“Sure,” Gaynor said. He hurried out.

One by one, Cami hoped, these three staff members would either be cleared, or else they would have a strong suspect.

First in was a tall, blond man of about thirty years old. He looked nervous to be secluded with the police, but Cami thought he had a helpful and open expression. He twisted his fingers together as he faced them.

“Good evening, sir and ma’am. I’m Bobby Howes,” he said.

Connor looked him over carefully. Cami could see no cuts or scratches on his face or his arms, and they would have been visible as he was wearing the restaurant’s branded red T-shirt.

“Just need to ask you some questions, Bobby. First up, where were you on Wednesday?” Connor asked.

“Wednesdays, I go to night school,” he said. “I’m studying business management part time. My class runs from five p.m. to nine p.m.”

“And where do you stay?”

“I stay in a rental apartment with three friends. One of them, my girlfriend, attends the same class. We drove there and back together.”

“Okay,” Connor said. “I need proof of that, please.”

Cami moved over to check the man’s phone and confirm his whereabouts. She did it carefully, not wanting to miss an important detail. But the evidence added up. She looked at the class timetable, the notes he’d taken, and the messages he’d sent afterward saying they were driving back via a pizza place, and did anyone else want anything. He’d even made a payment that confirmed where he’d been.

“I’m happy with that,” she said, handing back the phone to a very relieved-looking Bobby Howes.

The next waiter was Dale Churm.

“You’ve got a nick on your chin,” Connor said, as he walked in, and Cami’s head jerked up in surprise. Could this be the sign of the fight they were looking out for?

Dale Churm, a tall, lanky man with a straggly goatee, was staring in concern at Connor. Sure enough, there was a nick on the side of his face.

“I did it shaving my beard!” He sounded worried. “I’ve been trying to get it into shape.”

“Your movements Wednesday?”

“I went to an ice skating show with friends. That’s why I was off work. The show was from six to eight in the evening. We had drinks before, and dinner afterward. I can show you the tickets? And the photos?”

Anxiously, he scrolled through his phone, showing Connor the proof of his whereabouts. Connor nodded, and Cami could see he was satisfied. This was not their suspect. He left, and then they waited.

“We’re going to need to see which staff accessed the customer info and what details were available,” Connor muttered.

“Yes, I want to know about the regular customers also,” Cami said. “I think that’s going to be important. Who came into this restaurant at the same time these three women were there? And who left at the same time, and could have followed them?”

“We can do all that, but in the meantime, where’s the third staff member?” Connor consulted his list. “Where’s Cody McGovern?”

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