Gone Too Far (Devlin & Falco #2) - Debra Webb Page 0,3
with hands tied behind them.” She made a face. “I thought, What the hell? I walked over to the chairs and around in front of them, and there was Leo. I didn’t know the other man. It took me a minute to understand they were dead. I was like in shock or something. I kept thinking this can’t be real. No way.” Her hands sliced through the air, punctuating the statement.
“Did you touch either one of them—maybe to see if they were still breathing—or move anything near where they were seated?”
“No.” An adamant shake of her head. “I just stood there trying to get past the shock. I kept telling myself I should scream or do something, but I couldn’t move. Then I used my cell to call 911.”
“Did you work yesterday, Tara?”
She nodded. “I closed with Leo last night. I left about ten thirty.”
“Was there anyone besides you and Mr. Kurtz here at that time?”
“Only Lucky. He closed last night too.”
Falco came inside, the ME, Dr. Jeffrey Moore, and one of his assistants right behind him. Two steps behind the threesome were a pair of evidence techs. About time.
Kerri turned her attention back to McGill. “Lucky?”
“Lucky Vandiver. He’s in college and works here part time.” She rolled her eyes. “His family is like megarich, but his daddy insists he work a real job while he’s in college. I think his daddy and Leo are friends. The way I heard it, Leo hired Lucky to do the cleanup every night. He sweeps, mops, cleans the bathrooms. All the dreaded shit no one else wants to do. Lucky says his daddy likes torturing him, but—between you and me—he’s just a selfish, rich brat. Whatever his father hopes to gain by forcing him to work here, I think he’s wasting his time.”
Nothing wrong with teaching a kid to work, but Kerri could see how Lucky might not appreciate the lesson, particularly if he was on the spoiled side. “When did Lucky leave?”
“The same time as me. He always tries to talk me into letting him come over to my place for a drink.” She shook her head. “I made that mistake a couple of times. He’s a good time—if you know what I mean—but he likes the powder, and I am not into that stuff.”
“Powder?” Kerri knew what she meant, but she needed the woman to say it.
“Cocaine. He’s one of those social users. His parents would kill him if they knew.” She shrugged. “I swear, the guy’s an idiot. He’s got it all, and he does everything possible to screw it up.”
“Did Mr. Kurtz know about his drug use?”
Her eyes widened as she moved her head adamantly side to side. “No way. He would have fired him. He’s big-time anti–illegal drugs. Tobacco and alcohol are . . . were the only drugs he believed in.”
“Do you recall if the clothes Mr. Kurtz has on are the same ones he was wearing when you left last night?”
Her breath caught. “I didn’t think about it until you asked, but yes, definitely. He always wears blue on Sundays. For the customers, he said.” She smiled sadly. “His philosophy was that Sunday is the worst day of the week because you spend it dreading Monday.”
Kerri had spent her fair share of Sundays dreading Mondays. “You’re certain the navy trousers and light-blue shirt are the ones he wore yesterday?”
McGill nodded, then abruptly stopped. “He never got to go home. Someone must have come in last night after I left and done this. Maybe someone with the other guy.” McGill clasped a hand over her mouth and said, “Oh my God,” through her fingers. “If I’d been later leaving, I could be dead too. Maybe that other guy was just a late customer.”
Kerri didn’t bother explaining who the other victim was. No leaks. It was better that McGill didn’t know his identity. For now, anyway. His face would be plastered on the news soon enough. The next question was an awkward but necessary one. After all, the woman had used her cell phone to call 911, which meant she’d had it in her hand. “One more question, Ms. McGill. This one’s a bit sensitive, and I need your honest answer.”
She stared wide eyed at Kerri.
“Did you take any photos of the bodies?”
McGill’s weepy expression shifted to horror. “Oh my God, no! Who would do that?” She shuddered visibly. “I can’t even imagine.”