Page 26 of A Song for the Dead

“Nope.” Kane headed through the dark driveway, bursting out into watery sunshine. “I just know you.” He sighed. “The beauty parlor and the pizzeria are opposite. Do you want to split up and save time?”

“Yeah.” Jenna poured half cups of coffee for each of them. “See what else you can discover about Stark. We need more info on him, that’s for darn sure. He must be hanging around town somewhere if he’s not at home.” She sipped the strong aromatic brew, Kane’s special blend, and sighed.

“Okay.” Kane turned the truck onto Stanton and headed for Main. “If Stark isn’t around today, it makes him a probable suspect and the only person we’ve got cause to chase down right now.”

Jenna stared out of the window, and as they drove past Stanton Forest, the colors of fall sped by. Every shade of green interspersed with browns and golds, like a fine tapestry embroidered with the finest silks. Deep in its depths she made out the bright orange flash of a hunter’s jacket and a murder of crows, sitting waiting for their next free meal. She finished her coffee as Kane pulled into a space on Main. “I’ll come back to the pizzeria when I’m done. I doubt I’ll be long.”

“Okay.” Kane drank his coffee. “I’ll leave Duke here.” He looked over at Duke and rubbed his head. “Stay.” He slid from behind the wheel and strode toward the restaurant.

THIRTY-THREE

Inhaling the delicious aroma of pie, Kane scanned the restaurant, his attention lingering over two men sitting alone in window seats. The pizzeria was almost a replica of one he’d visited in Italy at one time. Wooden tables with red tablecloths, posters of Italy on the wall, wine bottles cradled in wicker baskets, and when he walked to the counter he could see strings of onions hanging up in the kitchen, bundles of fresh herbs in baskets on the counters, men dressed in white aprons tossing dough and making pizzas and pasta dishes. It was as if he’d just stepped back in time. Vacations had been few and far between, but he’d made the most of them and had his fair share of romances, but never found “the one” until Annie. After losing Annie, he’d given up, not knowing if he’d ever find or want love again. In his profession, nothing was certain. Threats came at him from all directions and involving a wife had been a mistake. He’d blamed himself for Annie’s death for so long and then fate had thrown him and Jenna together. Now he realized, Jenna was his destiny.

He dragged his mind back to the present when he noticed a man with a pencil mustache behind the takeout order counter staring at him with one raised eyebrow. Pushing memories aside, he nodded to him. “I’m Deputy Kane. Are you the manager?”

“I am. Brian Rhoads is my name. What can I do for you, Deputy?” The manager sighed as if his time was precious. “I spoke to Deputy Rio and told him everything I know.”

Kane pulled out his phone and scrolled through images to one of Daisy. “Do you recall ever seeing this woman in here. I figure she came by on Saturday nights.”

“Well, yeah, she does look familiar. She comes by with another woman and they chat with the local crowd. Many of the young people buy takeout and eat in the waiting area.” Rhoads sighed. “I don’t mind. It’s nice seeing them enjoying our food.”

The man was observant and that would help. Kane pulled out his notebook and made a few notes. “Have you seen her chatting to Freya, the girl who went missing. The one who cleans the beauty parlor?”

“Can’t say that I have.” Rhoads frowned. “The other girl, Freya, sometimes drops by and buys a slice of what we have ready and then heads off. I figure she works a few jobs. She always looks exhausted and is in a hurry.”

Looking at the notes Rio had entered into the file about his conversation with this man, Kane glanced up. “Don’t look at him, but is Frank Stark here now?”

“Yeah, second window seat from the door.” The manager hadn’t shifted his eyes from Kane. “He knows the woman in the photo.” He handed Kane a menu. “He’s looking over. Ah… when she dropped by the other night he smiled and spoke to her.”

Kane perused the menu and glanced up at him. “What did she do?”

“Not much, as I recall.” Rhoads shook his head. “I had her pie ready. She said something to him and then grabbed her pie and left.”

Interested, Kane folded the menu and handed it back. “Did he follow her?”

“I can’t say.” The manager shrugged. “It was busy. When I looked up again, he’d left, but I did see her get into her vehicle. She was parked right outside.”

Kane pushed his notebook inside his jacket pocket and turned around. Frank Stark’s eyes bore into him, and his expression was anything but pleasant. The man was mid-thirties, broad shouldered, with large calloused hands. Kane walked to his table. “Mind if I sit down? I’d like to ask you a few questions.”

“I can’t stop you really, can I?” Stark leaned back in his chair. “I hear the sheriff’s department has been making inquiries about me. Deputies dropped by where I work and I was hauled into the office by the boss. What’s the deal? Why are you chasing me? I’ve not done anything wrong.”

They all say the same thing.Kane nodded and dropped into a chair opposite him. “We’ve been trying to locate you because you know two of the women who went missing recently. We’re trying to establish a timeline and we’re speaking to everyone who came into contact with them. It’s not just you.”

Kane ran the man before him through the profile Jo had created. The age was right, he drove a van that carried bags of mail. He traveled all over. “So, when did you last see Freya Richardson and Daisy Lyon?”

“I don’tknowthem as in like friends.” Stark opened his hands wide. “Acquaintances, I guess you’d say. I spoke to Freya in passing when we were waiting for takeout. I didn’t know her name until the pizza guy called it out for her order. The last time I saw her, she was cleaning the beauty parlor.”

Nodding, Kane realized Stark was giving him what could have been noticed by others. “You left just after she did. She was on foot that night and walked home. Did you follow her?”

“Nope.” Stark’s eyes flashed in anger. “Why would I follow her? My van was parked at the post office. I was waiting for the Louan mail to be loaded, is all. I deliver after hours as well.”

“Okay.” Kane gave him a long look. “So how do you know Daisy?”

“She works out at the Triple Z Roadhouse.” Stark shrugged. “I work odd times and drop by there because its open all hours. She was there at the counter and took my order and then cleared the table next to mine. We chatted, is all. She’s a nice girl. I dropped by there a few times to see if she was interested in me, but she wasn’t. That was a couple of weeks ago.”

This guy was a font of information. “You live in a cabin in the forest, right?”

“Yeah, heaps of people do. So what?” Stark sipped on a soda, staring at him.

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