Read Before She Dies for Free Online Page A

address.”
    The bartender scribbled down the address on an order pad and handed it to Rokov.
    “He give you any other reason to remember him?” Sinclair said.
    “Talked to himself. Was a real pain in the ass. But he didn’t break any laws.”
    Rokov took the slip of paper. “Queen Street. Just a few blocks from here. What time did he leave?”
    “He arrived an hour before closing and the cab picked him up about twelve thirty.”
    “Where’s his car?”
    “Parked on the street, I guess. Judging by the keys it’s a Toyota.”
    Rokov made a note. If they found the car, they couldn’t search it without a warrant, but they certainly could have a look inside from the sidewalk. “See anything across the street in the old restaurant?”
    “The Wharf? That’s been closed for a decade. The city owns it now. No one goes there.”
    “Someone did last night,” Rokov said.
    Duke shrugged. “Sometimes I see homeless people hanging around. The city keeps the place locked up pretty tight, but sometimes someone gets inside. Someone overdose?”
    “No overdose, but we had trouble in the building.”
    Duke stared at Rokov expectantly, waiting for more of an explanation, but when none came, he said, “Like I said, I didn’t see anything. Way too slammed. But this Lowery guy might have a word or two for you. I put him outside around midnight to cool off and sober up while he waited for the cab. There was a mix-up on my end and my waitress didn’t call the cab, so Mr. Lowery sat outside for almost an hour. He might have seen something if he didn’t pass out.”
    “How drunk was he?” Rokov said.
    “Stinking drunk. Too drunk to stand. Even if he had his keys, he wouldn’t have been able to get back to his car. I doubt he’ll be much of a witness.”
    Eyewitness testimony was sketchy even under the best of circumstances. “What about waitresses or waiters?”
    “Can’t help you with that. If anyone saw anything, they didn’t tell me. Come back this evening and ask them if you like. We’ll have the same crew on for tonight.”
    “Right,” Rokov said. “What other stores would have been open last night after midnight?”
    Duke’s gaze narrowed. “What happened across the street?”
    Rokov pushed out a breath. It would be all over the news soon enough. “A woman’s body was found in the building.”
    “I’m judging by your expression that it wasn’t drugs.”
    “It was not.”
    Duke pushed long fingers through dark shoulder-length hair. “Damn. You got an ID on the woman?”
    “No. Not yet. She was wearing a red jacket with the word Magic on the back. See anything like that?”
    Duke shook his head. “No. Can’t say. But who the hell knows? Like I said, last night I was slammed.” He rested his hands on his hips. “Check with Just Java across the street. They’re open to midnight. Stella runs that place at night and she keeps an eye on all.”
    Rokov glanced through the front window to the little coffee shop in the town house building painted a bright yellow. “Thanks.” He pulled out a card and handed it to Duke. “Call me if you think of anything.”
    “Yeah, sure. Will do.”
    They moved toward the door and Rokov opened it for Sinclair.
    “Do you think it’ll take long to solve this one?” Duke asked.
    “We’ll try,” Rokov said.
    “News is going to be all over it,” Duke said.
    “That they will.”
    Duke shook his head. “Shit, first it’s the economy and now a body. Karma does not like this place.”
    Rokov let the door close behind him. The sun had risen high in the sky, prompting him to pull Ray-Ban sunglasses from his breast pocket. “Let’s check out coffee lady. See what she knows.”
    “I hate the door-to-door knocking, the endless questions and the endless vague answers. It’s amazing how much crap we have to wade through to get a few nuggets of gold.”
    He shook his head. “Beats sitting in court and having an attorney railing on my ass.”
    “Ah, let’s face it,