Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

I pulled into the McDonald's parking lot and hurried inside before I could talk myself out of it.

Since it was mid-afternoon, the restaurant wasn't that busy. There were a couple of cars in the drive-thru line, but no customers were in the dining room or waiting to place orders. I walked up to the counter, and a teenage girl greeted me with a bright smile. "Welcome to McDonald's. What can I get you today?"

"Actually, I was wondering if Scott Van de Camp was working today."

Her smile fell. "The manager? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, not at all," I assured her. "I need to speak to him about a mutual friend." Well, a mutual friend in a convoluted way.

"Oh," she said, still looking uncertain, but she took a step away from the register. "I'll go get him."

I gave her a big smile. "Thanks."

She disappeared in the back, then came back out with a man in his thirties.

He gave me a wary look as he approached. "I'm Scott. I hear you're lookin' for me?"

"Hi, Scott. I'm Rose. I just spoke with Darlene Smith. She suggested that I talk to you about her brother, Harvey. Do you have a moment to talk?"

His face paled. "Are you with the cops?"

The girl at the register's eyes widened, and her mouth fell open in shock.

"No," I said with a short laugh. "Like I said, I'm a friend of Darlene's. I'm only trying to help her."

He glanced over at the girl and wiped his hands on his uniform pants. "Kylie, I'm gonna take a short break. Let everyone know not to bother me." He walked around the counter and headed toward me.

"Let's sit over by the window," he said, sounding nervous as he walked past me into the dining room.

I followed him into the unoccupied room and sat across from him at a four-top table.

"What did you say your name was again?" he asked, sweat breaking out on his forehead.

"Rose, and like I said, Darlene suggested I talk to you."

"What about?"

I took a breath as I folded my hands on the tabletop, deciding to keep my threat under wraps for the moment. "I'm sure you've heard the news about Harvey."

He swallowed hard, then nodded. "Yeah."

"I heard you two liked to hang out together on the weekends."

"Why exactly did Darlene suggest you talk to me?"

"I'm trying to help her figure out what happened to Harvey."

Fear filled his eyes. "Are you with the police?"

"No," I said with a short laugh. "Definitely not. I'm kind of like a private investigator." He seemed to relax a tiny bit, so I repeated my question. "So you and Harvey hung out on the weekends?"

He swallowed hard. "Yeah, we hung out sometimes."

"And had a good time doin' it," I said matter-of-factly.

He squirmed in his seat. "Why exactly are you talkin' to me?"

"What do you know about what happened to Harvey?"

His face paled. "I heard he got shot."

"Do you have any idea who would want Harvey dead?"

"You think I know a murderer?" he asked, looking like he was about to vomit.

I cocked an eyebrow. "I don't know, Scott. You would know better than me." I paused. "Most people are murdered by someone they know. Who wanted Harvey dead?"

"I didn't know him that well, so I don't know."

"Really?" I said, feigning surprise. "I heard you two go way back."

He swallowed again. "I'm not sure I should be talkin' to you."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to end up like Harvey."

"Why did Harvey end up dead?" I pressed. "If you help find the person who did this, then they'll be arrested, and you'll be safe."

He studied me for a long moment, some of his color returning to his face. "I don't think you're with the police."

"I told you that I'm not, but I can take what I learn and hand it over anonymously, if you'd like." When he didn't respond, I said, "Have the police or sheriff's department questioned you?"

His eyes grew wide. "No. Why would they?"

What in the world had Joe and his department been doing? "Because you two were friends, and you hung out on the weekends."

"I wasn't lying when I said we weren't close friends. Sure, we hung out in the same place sometimes, but we weren't buddies, you know?"

"Yeah. But you obviously know something if you're this nervous talking to me."

"I don't know nothin'. I'm nervous because he and another guy who hung out at the garage were both murdered. That don't happen every day, you know?"

"I know, which is why I'm trying to get to the bottom of it. What was the other guy's name?"

"Noah something or other. We weren't friends either."

"How is it that all y'all were hanging out in a garage together on the weekends, but you weren't friends?"

He leaned back in his chair. "I don't have to talk to you, and I sure as hell don't need to be tellin' you shit that could get me killed."

Now I really needed to find out what he knew.

"I think you do want to talk to me," I said dryly. "Or the sheriff might be comin' by to ask you about a certain house fire."

He leaned forward, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. "What?"

"Don't play dumb. A house fire? An insurance claim?"

"I don't know what you're talkin' about."

Except the way his entire body was shaking said differently.

"Okay then," I said, pushing my chair back. "I'm sure you'll have nothin' to worry about when the sheriff hauls you in for questioning."

I started to get up, but he called out a panicked "Wait!" while patting his hands toward me. "Wait," he repeated, sounding defeated. "I'll tell you what you want to know."

"So tell me more about the garage you hung out at."

He took several breaths before he said, "It's a bootleg bar. They don't have a liquor license, so it's kind of hush-hush. There's all kinds of illegal things goin' on. Gamblin', drugs." He swiped his hand across his forehead to wipe away the sweat. "You're not gonna tell the sheriff, are you?"

Crap. More secrets from Joe. "No," I said with a sigh. "As long as you tell me everything you know, I won't have a reason to go to law enforcement. But if you know something that can help catch Harvey's killer, then you really should talk to them."

"If Derby finds out I blabbed, he might kill me next."

"Derby Sloan?" I asked. "He's all y'all's drug dealer?"

He held up his hand and jutted his head back. "Now hold on there. I don't do any hard stuff. Just some weed to help me chill. Customer service is the shit, and then I'm managing teenagers all day. Harvey and Noah and a few others were into the harder stuff."

"And Derby supplied everyone with whatever they wanted?"

Scott hesitated, then nodded. "Derby owns the place. It's kind of an on-the-down-low-bar kind of place."

"Why doesn't he have a legit bar?"

"He's got some felonies and can't get a liquor license. Besides, with all the other stuff goin' on…"

Did Dermot know about this place? "Do you think Derby killed Harvey and Noah?"

He pushed out a long breath. "I don't know. I think Derby's capable of killin' someone, but as long you stay on his good side, he won't give you any trouble."

"What would it take to get on Derby's bad side?" I asked. "Maybe bringin' in drugs from an outside source?"

Fear flashed through his eyes. "Yeah, he wouldn't be too happy about that."

"I heard there was a new guy there offering a new kind of drug."

"Yep, and Derby kicked his ass out when he found out it was happenin'."

"I also heard that Harvey and Noah were dealing for the new guy. If Derby found out, could he have killed them?"

When he looked like he didn't want to answer. I asked, "Exactly how much money did you make off that fire?"

He swiped at his forehead. "He might have killed them."

I nodded. "Do you know the new guy's name?"

He shook his head. "I didn't have nothing to do with the guy when he came in. He mostly hung out with Harvey, Noah, and Huey."

"Do you know Huey's last name?"

"Dempsey."

Dempsey… "Is Huey also Hugo?" Could he be the third victim?

His eyes widened. "Yeah. How'd you know that?"

"Darlene told me about you and him."

He looked less spooked. "Huey, Harvey, and me all went to school together, but they were bigger stoners than me. I've tried the hard stuff, but I don't like how it makes me feel, so I stick to weed. But those other guys like the harder drugs."

"And Derby supplied both," I said, mulling it over in my head.

He wiped the corner of his mouth. "Yeah."

I could see how Derby Sloan could be pissed if someone was moving into his territory. And Scott believed he was capable of murder. Could this case really be this easy to solve?

"How long ago did this new guy talk to Harvey, Huey, and Noah?"

"Maybe a month ago? Then last weekend, the three of them were talkin' to everyone on the downlow about this new drug they were sellin'. Only no one was interested because no one else is stupid enough to cross Derby."

"Except for Huey, Harvey, and Noah," I said dryly.

"And two of them are dead."

Possibly all three, but I wasn't going to tell him that.

"Do you know where this new guy came from?"

"Rumor had it he was from Texas, but I don't know for sure."

Texas fit the name on the paper. It also fit the Hardshaw Group. I swallowed my fear and continued. "And you're sure you don't know his name? Maybe a snippet of something?"

He shook his head. "No. Nothing. They were huddled in the back corner, ignorin' the rest of us. And he was only in there one time."

"Did Harvey or any of the other guys mention his name after that?"

"Nope."

"Did they try to sell you any of their drugs?"

He released a bitter laugh. "No. They knew I wasn't into the hard stuff, so they wouldn't have wasted their time."

"Do you know anyone they might have tried to sell to?"

He stared at me, his lips pressed together. "Who are you gonna tell?"

"I told you I'm not gonna tell the sheriff."

"It ain't the sheriff I'm scared of."

"So who are you scared of?"

He remained silent.

I leaned closer and lowered my voice. "If you want me to protect you, I need to know who I'm protecting you from."

He swallowed again, looking like he was about to bolt. "How can you protect me?" he asked with a half-hearted sneer.

"I have powerful friends who can keep you safe. And I won't tell anyone of importance where I got this information." I leveled my gaze. "How many people go to this garage bar?"

"Maybe thirty or forty over the course of the weekend."

"That's a lot of people who could talk. How's the bar still a secret?"

"Because Derby would cut anyone who told down at the knees. Which is why he'll cut me down too."

"So far, what you've told me is too broad for anyone to trace it back to you, and I found out about the bar from Darlene." When he didn't respond, I said, "Do you think Harvey deserved to die?"

"What?" he practically shouted, then cringed. "No. Of course not. He was an idiot, but stupidity shouldn't get you killed."

"Then tell me anything that can help me find out who killed them."

"What if it was Derby?" he whispered. "The garage'll get shut down, and then where will we go?"

It took effort to stifle a groan of frustration. Funny, I remembered having more patience when Neely Kate and I had done this before. Maybe my impatience was because I needed to pick up my kids in fifteen minutes. "Let me get this straight. If Derby murdered those two men, you don't want him to get arrested because you're not sure where you'll get your pot," I said in an icy tone as I held his gaze.

His face flushed, and he had the good sense to look embarrassed. "Well, when you put it that way…"

Did Dermot sell pot? I supposed I should know what he did in the county. Then again, it was safer for all of us if I didn't. "I'm sure there are plenty of other pot sources if you look hard enough, and if worse comes to worst, you make a trip every other month or so to Missouri. It's legal there."

"But I don't have a reliable car," he whined, then gestured to the front counter. "Have you seen where I work?"

I forced a smile. "Someone will take his place. Nature abhors a vacuum, and something always takes its place." Part of me grew cold as I realized I was paraphrasing the exact same thing James Malcolm had told me years ago. Again, I had to wonder what role Dermot played in all of this.

Scott's face brightened. "You think?"

"I know." Sometimes for better. Sometimes for worse.

"I know they approached a few people, but no one bought anything from them."

"I need names, Scott."

He shook his head. "I want to help you, but I can't rat anyone else out. Sorry."

I could tell by the set of his jaw he wasn't budging, only it wasn't loyalty keeping his lips sealed. It was fear. I couldn't blame him for doubting my statement of knowing powerful people who could help him. I could use the Lady in Black card, but there was a chance he wouldn't know who she was. Not to mention, I still preferred to leave her in the closet buried in moth balls. I'd hand this information over to Dermot and let him see to the rest.

"Did Derby ever let teenagers into the bar?" I asked.

He blinked in surprise. "Yeah, sometimes."

"What's the youngest he'd allow?"

"Seventeen or so. He didn't like much younger because they didn't know how to keep their mouths shut."

"Good to know he had some scruples," I said sarcastically.

It went over his head, and he nodded agreeably.

"Any of them named Austin or Justin?"

He considered it a moment, then shook his head. "Not that I recall."

"You've only mentioned men, but I presume he lets women into the bar."

He laughed. "Half the guys wouldn't be there if he didn't."

"Did you ever meet a woman named Selena?"

He shook his head again. "No."

I pulled out my phone and showed him the image of the woman from my vision. "Did you ever see this woman there?"

He leaned closer. "No. Can't say that I have." He squinted, then glanced up at me. "Hey, she sort of looks like you. Is she your sister or somethin'?"

"No." I swiped to the next image. "What about him?"

He made a face and leaned back. "He looks like one mean bastard."

"He is. Ever seen him?"

"No."

I was equally relieved and disappointed. "You sure?"

"Trust me. I'd remember if I'd crossed paths with him."

"What about the guy who convinced Harvey and the other two to sell for him? Could this be him?"

He shook his head before lifting his gaze to mine. "That ain't no low-level lookin' guy, and anyone going into bootleg bars trying to get average guys to sell drugs for them is low level."

He had a point.

Did the guy from Texas work for the man in my vision?

Scott Van de Camp was filling in some of the blanks for me, but I didn't feel any closer to saving the woman in my vision.

"Can you think of anything else that might help me find Harvey's murderer?"

"No." He shook his head, looking sick. "I can't believe someone killed him."

I drew in a breath and sat back in my chair. "Well, thank you for your time, Scott. If you think of anything else, will you contact Darlene and have her let me know? She'll pass it on to me, and we can set up another time to meet."

"You ain't gonna give me your number?" he asked in confusion when I stood.

I stayed next to the table. "No." But if I were going to continue with this nonsense, then I'd have to get a burner phone.

What in the world was I thinking? I wasn't going to continue looking into this.

Maybe if I repeated it enough times in my head, I'd convince myself.