drinks.”
You’ve gotta be kidding me. I’ve known James Thornton for all of three minutes and he was trying to use the case as a way to ask me out. “How about you tell me what you found out about my case so we can find Ambrose’s killer.”
And just like that, Thornton’s smile was gone. It was as if my words slapped him in the face. “What makes you think he was murdered?”
“For starters, his car is still sitting in this parking lot. His body was found at the foot of the Mid-Hudson Bridge. There’s no way someone like him would walk that far, especially if he planned on jumping.”
Thornton tapped a finger against the tip of his chin. He kept his focus on the group. “Good to know; I’ll have my boss contact yours with what we find.”
My hand curled into a fist. I was ready to deck the guy. I would’ve too if it wasn’t for Rodney coming to Thornton’s rescue.
Rodney placed his gargantuan hands on our shoulders keeping the distance between us. “Everything all right here?” My hand was still ready to strike at any moment. I just happened to have two targets in my crosshairs at that moment. “What’d ya get from the staff,” he asked Detective Thornton.
I could see he wanted to shrug off Rodney’s comment, but realized he was outnumbered on this case. “One of the bartenders saw Ambrose last night. Said he was being a real prick too.” Thornton scanned the room and pointed to the large hunk of a man with bulging muscles. “Ambrose ordered a few beers and a couple of shots, but the bartender didn’t get a good look at who Ambrose was with.”
“What about the bouncers, the waitresses or other bartenders?” Both Rodney and Detective Thornton had me hot under the collar. I was getting my first taste at what they uncovered in my brief absence, and I wanted to know everything they knew.
“A couple of the waitresses and bartenders saw him talking to some pretty blond, but said he was getting trashed pretty fast.”
“Did they get a description of the woman?”
“It’s a dimly lit bar. The only thing the guys care about is how hot a girl is and the only thing women care about is getting paid or getting free drinks.”
“So that would be a no then?”
“Look, the girls here noticed Ambrose getting pretty drunk. The girl left while Ambrose was still sitting at the bar. No one saw him leave. They turned around and he was just gone.”
“What about the security tapes? Maybe we can use them to find out who he was with and when he left.”
Rodney cleared his throat loudly. “The owner is working on getting us the recordings. But we need a warrant for the logs.”
“I can get you that,” Thornton said happily. “I can call in uh favor.” I didn’t want to know how someone could owe a guy like him a favor and what he would normally cash a favor for. But it would be nice to get a warrant without jumping through hoops or playing the waiting game.
“Fine, call in your favor and get the warrants,” I snapped. Thornton wasn’t happy to be taking an order from me. His gave me a sideways glance before walking off. That left me with the other man I was furious at. “And you...Who the hell do you think you are; telling me to go inside so the men can talk or telling me to get you coffee?”
Rodney’s milk chocolate skin turned pale white. He should’ve expected this. Maybe he did. “Ali, let me explain.” He reached to place another hand on my shoulder.
“Don’t you fucking
You’ve gotta be kidding me. I’ve known James Thornton for all of three minutes and he was trying to use the case as a way to ask me out. “How about you tell me what you found out about my case so we can find Ambrose’s killer.”
And just like that, Thornton’s smile was gone. It was as if my words slapped him in the face. “What makes you think he was murdered?”
“For starters, his car is still sitting in this parking lot. His body was found at the foot of the Mid-Hudson Bridge. There’s no way someone like him would walk that far, especially if he planned on jumping.”
Thornton tapped a finger against the tip of his chin. He kept his focus on the group. “Good to know; I’ll have my boss contact yours with what we find.”
My hand curled into a fist. I was ready to deck the guy. I would’ve too if it wasn’t for Rodney coming to Thornton’s rescue.
Rodney placed his gargantuan hands on our shoulders keeping the distance between us. “Everything all right here?” My hand was still ready to strike at any moment. I just happened to have two targets in my crosshairs at that moment. “What’d ya get from the staff,” he asked Detective Thornton.
I could see he wanted to shrug off Rodney’s comment, but realized he was outnumbered on this case. “One of the bartenders saw Ambrose last night. Said he was being a real prick too.” Thornton scanned the room and pointed to the large hunk of a man with bulging muscles. “Ambrose ordered a few beers and a couple of shots, but the bartender didn’t get a good look at who Ambrose was with.”
“What about the bouncers, the waitresses or other bartenders?” Both Rodney and Detective Thornton had me hot under the collar. I was getting my first taste at what they uncovered in my brief absence, and I wanted to know everything they knew.
“A couple of the waitresses and bartenders saw him talking to some pretty blond, but said he was getting trashed pretty fast.”
“Did they get a description of the woman?”
“It’s a dimly lit bar. The only thing the guys care about is how hot a girl is and the only thing women care about is getting paid or getting free drinks.”
“So that would be a no then?”
“Look, the girls here noticed Ambrose getting pretty drunk. The girl left while Ambrose was still sitting at the bar. No one saw him leave. They turned around and he was just gone.”
“What about the security tapes? Maybe we can use them to find out who he was with and when he left.”
Rodney cleared his throat loudly. “The owner is working on getting us the recordings. But we need a warrant for the logs.”
“I can get you that,” Thornton said happily. “I can call in uh favor.” I didn’t want to know how someone could owe a guy like him a favor and what he would normally cash a favor for. But it would be nice to get a warrant without jumping through hoops or playing the waiting game.
“Fine, call in your favor and get the warrants,” I snapped. Thornton wasn’t happy to be taking an order from me. His gave me a sideways glance before walking off. That left me with the other man I was furious at. “And you...Who the hell do you think you are; telling me to go inside so the men can talk or telling me to get you coffee?”
Rodney’s milk chocolate skin turned pale white. He should’ve expected this. Maybe he did. “Ali, let me explain.” He reached to place another hand on my shoulder.
“Don’t you fucking
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