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  Eventually the waitress wiped her eyes and blew her nose. “You are going to ask if I know her well,” she ventured bravely.

  Lucas nodded.

  She nodded back emphatically. “A bit. She’s been in just about every day for the last couple of months.” She stopped. “I did wonder why I hadn’t seen her since last Friday.”

  “Did you socialise with her or know anything about her?” Lucas continued.

  “Sort of. Occasionally, if I was on a break when she was in for lunch, I would join her. We started talking one day and found we had stuff in common and it kind of grew from there.”

  “Do you know if she was seeing anyone?’

  “No-one in particular.”

  “Did anyone pay her any particular attention – anybody who works here or a customer?”

  “Yeah, everyone.” She smiled. “Elle has a way about her that made everyone around her feel comfortable. She’s so bubbly and fun.”

  “So there was no-one who seemed to take a particular interest in her that you noticed?”

  “Well, depends on what you mean. Adrian, the owner, was always trying to go out with her.”

  “Do you know if she did?”

  “I think so but she saw through him. He’s a bit of a player. He used to try it with these two as well,” she said pointing to the other photos.

  “You knew both these girls too?” Lucas asked with growing excitement. Could they have finally found a witness?

  “Yeah, this one is Libby. She’s been coming here for a long time, most mornings before work, for a takeaway coffee. I don’t know her name,” she continued, pointing to Kate’s picture. “She was quiet and kept to herself. She ate lunch here regularly. I just can’t believe they’re all dead. So terrible.” She dabbed at her eyes again.

  “Did they go out with Adrian?”

  “I don’t know.” She thought about it for a moment. “Adrian is always trying it on with beautiful women.”

  “So, he’s a sleaze, then?” Maggie asked.

  “No, he’s just charming and very cute, but I wouldn’t trust him.”

  “Why not?”

  “If you turned your back he would be onto the next girl.” Laura was on a roll now. “Trust me, I know.”

  “Did you go out with him?” Maggie said.

  “Yeah, but then he just moved onto the next one. She comes in here quite a bit. I think her name is Lindsay.”

  “You don’t think it’s strange that your boss chats up these women, they then go missing and then they turn up dead?” Lucas asked in a probing tone.

  “Well, no, because they weren’t the only three he’s ever flirted with. Like I said, he’s a player.”

  “It didn’t bother you, working with him after he dumped you?” Maggie said.

  “No, he was good, if you know what I mean.” She grinned. “I had fun. That was all it was for both of us anyway. All I’m saying is if you got too attached to him, you might get hurt.”

  “Is he here?”

  “He was running errands. He should be back by now. I’ll check the kitchen. He cooks our baked goods,” she said, getting up. “You won’t tell him I told you all that stuff will you?” she asked looking concerned.

  “No, Laura, we won’t,” Maggie said. “You have been really helpful, thanks.”

  “You’re welcome. So sad. Hope you catch him.” She smiled slightly and wondered off to find her boss.

  Maggie looked at Lucas.

  Baked goods? Flour!

  “What do you think?” she said.

  “I think I’m very interested to hear what Adrian has to say.”

  Across the room, a tall guy, a couple inches shorter than Lucas, with straight blonde hair, blue eyes and boy next door good looks, came out from the back of the café and walked towards the detectives.

  “Hey, I’m Adrian Matthews. Laura told me you wanted to talk to me.”

  “Yes, I’m Detective Hudson and this is Detective Johnson and we’re investigating the murders of three women. We would like to ask you a few questions.”

  “I don’t know how I can help you, but I’ll try,” he said, flashing his boyish smile.

  “Are you the owner here?”

  “Yes, but what does this have to do with me?”

  “Do you know any of these women?” He pointed to the photos on the table.

  “Yes, they all come in here.”

  “They’re all dead, Mr Matthews,” Maggie said.

  “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” he said, the smile disappearing very suddenly. “They were nice girls.”

  “Did you have a relationship with any of them?”

  “I went out with Elle a few times but it didn’t work out.”

  “What about Libby and Kate?”

  “Are those their names?” He gave them a smug grin. “No, but not for lack of trying.”

  “Do you know a girl by the name of Lindsay?” Lucas asked.

  “Yeah, she’s a hot one that one. I asked her out a few days ago and she said she would let me know, but I haven’t seen her since.”

  “Do you ask a lot of your customers out?’

  “Perks of the job.” He grinned again.

  “You don’t think it’s strange that three women you went out with or tried to go out with have gone missing and then been found dead?”

  “No, a lot of women come in here and I go out with quite a few of them, or try to,” he said giving Lucas a disconcerting look. “There are a lot of regular male customers that come in here too.”

  “Would you consider letting us give you a DNA test?” Maggie asked.

  “Um, no, I wouldn’t. I don’t like what you’re insinuating, Detective.” His face grew fierce. “I have work to do.” He got up to leave.

  “Mr Matthews,” Maggie said carefully, “the test would rule you out as a person of interest. It’s only because you knew all the girls.”

  “You don’t need to rule me out because I didn’t do anything.”

  He started to walk off again.

  “Matthews,” Lucas called after him. He turned his head and looked at Lucas. “Do you do the cooking here?”

  “Yeah, some of it. I bake the cakes and quiche, things like that. What has that got to do with anything?”

  “So you would use a lot of flour then?

  “Yes. Why are you asking me these stupid questions?”

  “Just routine. Thanks for your time.”

  Adrian disappeared into the kitchen again.

  “I want to test this guy, Maggie.”

  “I know. Me too. Do we have enough to bring him in?”

  “All we have is he’s a chef and he knew all three women, but there are plenty of chefs out there and lots of cafés. Like he said, there would be plenty of customers that could have been here when all three girls were.”

  “I would like to see whether he has a record and what missing persons have for us. I’m sure whoever this guy is, he’s not finished.”

  * * *

  I’m greeted with terror in her pretty eyes.

  She knows what I’m going to do, as it’s the same every day.

  Even though it’s no use and she knows it, she continues to beg me not to, but we both know I will.

  She shakes her head from side to side while I have my way with her. When I’m finished, I cut the next letter into her chest and watch the blood flow while I listen to her screams …. the screams that remind me of another time.

  “Stop snivellin’. Be a man,” my father shouts at me as he kicks me again in the stomach while I lie helpless on the floor, waiting out his assault. “We’d have more money if not for you,” he slurs again as the boot goes in once more.

  I remain still and wait for it to be over. He’s the one that spends all the money on booze and speed. He’s indulged again tonight and I’m on the brunt of his drunken rage, as usual.

  “You’re the reason your mother left,” he yells as he grabs the nearest sharp knife and holds it to my throat.

  “I ou
ghta cut you up right now.”

  Then I hear a scream and realise it’s me.

  Or was that her again? I’m not sure anymore. Her cries and shrieks start to subside as I complete the last cut for today.

  I watch a bit longer as her blood spills and then I clean her up and stop the flow. Can’t have her die just yet.

  I’m getting restless and wish for it to be that perfect little princess lying here on the dirty mattress and not this substitute.

  I must be patient and make it perfect, just like she thinks she is.

  I need to practice and get it right.

  Chapter 11

  Dinner

  Thursday

  While Maggie checked to see whether their friend Adrian Matthews possessed a record, Lucas checked the files sent over from missing persons. Three girls had been reported missing who matched the descriptions of the victims. The first file Lucas opened contained information on a blonde girl about the right age but she wasn’t tall like Elle. He put the file to the side, as he couldn’t discount her yet.

  He opened the second file and the face staring up at him caught his breath. If he didn’t have Chelsea’s face etched into his memory, he would have thought it was her photo in the file. Even though the missing girl’s eyes were blue, everything else about her matched Chelsea. Her listed measurements showed she was a waif of a girl and her hair was long and dark. Lucas glanced across at her name and stopped.

  “Maggie,” he said, not believing his eyes. “Did Laura at the café say that a girl named Lindsay came to the coffee shop?”

  “Yeah, she said her sleazy boss had been trying to go out with her. Why?”

  “I think I’m looking at her.”

  “She’s missing?”

  “Yep.”

  “Since when?”

  “Yesterday afternoon.”

  “That was reported fast.”

  “According to the notes, she was very career orientated so when she didn’t turn up for work her mother became concerned. She too left her possessions behind.” He paused to look up at Maggie before returning them to the file. “She never leaves the house without her phone. Her mum reported her missing because she knew this was unlike her daughter.”

  “And with the murders all over the news ...” Maggie added.

  “She grew very concerned, which is lucky for us. We have an early heads up.”

  “Well, well, we might be able to bring Mr. Matthews in after all. Now with this, along with the fact he has a record ...”

  “What for?”

  “Violating a restraining order his ex-girlfriend took out against him.”

  “Print out his photo.”

  “What are you going to do with it?”

  “After seeing this photo of Lindsay, I’m starting to believe your theory about the resemblance to Chelsea,” he said, showing Maggie the photo. “I would like to show her his picture, see if she knows him. On the way there, I’ll visit Lindsay’s mum and show her the photo of Matthews, follow up with some questions.”

  “Show Chelsea the other girls’ photos too, just in case.”

  “Will do,” he said grabbing Libby, Kate and Lindsay’s photos before retrieving the photo of Adrian Matthews, which had just come off the printer.

  “While you do that, I might talk to the other staff at the café to see if I can track some of Matthews’ movements. We can compare notes in the morning if you want,” she said, looking at her watch. “I’d also better go home for dinner or my husband might forget what I look like.”

  * * *

  Chelsea’s stomach rumbled and she realised she hadn’t eaten since breakfast. After Lucas had left her reeling, she’d decided to take her frustrations out on the weeding and pruning. It was simply too difficult to think about either Elle or Lucas. She did, however, place a bouquet of cut flowers in Elle’s room and several more around the house, which lifted her mood slightly.

  She was heading towards the kitchen to scrape something together for dinner, when the doorbell rang for the fourth time that day.

  Again she hesitated to answer it. Get a grip, she told herself. You can’t refuse to answer your own door.

  And there was Lucas again. His hair was damp and unruly and he smelt like the ocean breeze. Instead of a suit, as he’d worn earlier in the day, he had on a green t-shirt which clung to his broad shoulders. One hand was thumbing his jeans while the other held a file. His crooked smile and luminous hazel eyes took her breath away.

  “Hi. Your garden still looks great.” His intense scrutiny of her face sent tingles through her body.

  “Thanks. It was a good way of escaping …. everything,” she replied.

  “Smells good in there too,” he said, nodding his head towards the living room.

  “Oh, I brought some of the flowers inside and threw them together.”

  He peered over her shoulder. “They look great. You have a knack for throwing them together,” he said still smiling and staring at her with those amber eyes.

  “Thanks. Um, would you like to come in?’

  “Yeah, thanks. I’m sorry to intrude but I have some photos to show you. I guess they could have waited till tomorrow but I also wanted to apologise for this morning.”

  “What for, for kissing me or apologising for it?” she asked with the frosty look he was beginning to become familiar with.

  “The second option.”

  She smiled and her emerald eyes softened.

  “I was just about to make some dinner. Have you eaten?”

  “No, not yet. I went home and got changed, then came here so I guess I haven’t got around to it.”

  “Would you like to join me? It won’t be much, just whatever I can throw together.”

  “You throw things together so well, I’m sure it’ll be great.” His eyes twinkled and her breath stopped, again. “Anything would be good right now.” It was hard to stay mad at him.

  “Would you like a drink?” she asked as she led him out to the kitchen.

  “A beer would be great, if you have one.”

  “Sure do.”

  She pulled one from the fridge, twisted off the top and handed it to him. He touched her hand as he took the drink. The stormy look in her eyes quickened his pulse. How was he going to keep his hands off her? How could he look at those lips and not kiss her again? Did she just ask me something?

  “Sorry, I missed that?” he said, pulling his eyes away from her lips.

  “What do you need to show me?”

  “Oh, it can wait.”

  “No, let’s get it out the way and then we might be able to enjoy dinner together.” She smiled.

  “Ok, if you’re sure.”

  She nodded, so he pulled the photos from the file he was carrying.

  “This is Libby and Kate they were …um, do you recognise them?

  Chelsea looked at them intently while he did the same to her. When she looked up he looked down at the photos.

  “No, they don’t look familiar to me. Sorry.”

  “That’s ok. How about Lindsay?” he asked putting her photo down next to the others.

  They both stared intently at different things again.

  “No, I’m afraid I’m not much help.” She tightened her lips.

  “It’s ok. I didn’t expect you to know them. We aren’t sure how they are connected yet. I have one more for you and then we can try and forget about it for the evening.”

  He placed the photo of Adrian Matthews on the counter.

  “I’ve seen him before,” she stated. “I’m not sure where.”

  She thought for a moment. “Wait, I know, the café,” she said as she remembered. “One day, a week or so before I went away, Elle and I were having lunch at the café. She kept glancing toward the kitchen, like she was looking for someone, then he,” she pointed to the picture, “came out and she waved to him. I asked her who he was and she said ‘Just a cute guy that works here’ and I didn’t push further. I can’t believe I didn’t remember that before, w
hen you asked me about the café.”

  “That’s ok. It happens a lot, especially when people are in shock.” He looked into her eyes. “This is why we show people photos because sometimes it reminds them of the little things they might have forgotten or thought weren’t important. What you told me is helpful.”

  “Do you think it’s him?”

  “Not sure yet but we’re looking at him. Just wondering also if you have a recent photo of yourself?”

  “Why do you need that?”

  “Just in relation to Elle’s case.”

  Her eyes studied his for a moment before she pulled out an album from a cupboard and removed a photo.

  “It’s not very recent.”

  “It’ll do thanks.” She gave him another quizzical look before returning the album.

  Lucas decided to change the subject and picked up the photos. “So what are you cooking up for me?”

  * * *

  While Chelsea cooked, he decided to divert her attention away from murder by asking about her family. Her eyes lit up and Lucas was glad he’d asked.

  “When my Dad was twelve, my grandparents retired and bought a house in Tidwell. They wanted to enjoy their retirement in a small town community and away from busy city life. My Pa was a psychiatrist and my Nan a midwife. She died about five years ago. They worked hard and invested wisely, enabling them to retire at an early age. My Dad is the local doctor and my Mum the vet, so they are both well known and respected. I grew up knowing most of the townspeople.” She paused and blushed. “Sorry I’m babbling.”

  “No, please, go on. Do you have any brothers or sisters?” He wanted her to keep talking. He enjoyed watching her speak with renewed vigour in her eyes which were shining greener than ever. She was doing things to him he’d never experienced before. He ignored the warnings in his head.

  “Yes, Charlotte is two years younger than me and is studying to be a vet. She works part time with our mum. Hayden is ten years younger and a typical fifteen year old. Doesn’t say much. I guess he never really has. Charlotte and Hayden are very much the opposite. She is confident and outgoing whereas he is very shy and reserved. I guess I’m kind of in between. Charlotte talks too much and Hayden not enough. At the moment though, I think I would give my sister a run for her money. I feel ... comfortable with you I guess.”