“Detectives. You are back.” The look on Connor Revere’s face as he rose from his desk was more like “I thought I got rid of you for good.”
“Just one more question.” Jake pulled folded sheets of paper from his pocket and pressed them open. He handed the pages to Revere. It was a listing of employees who had been hired since the course opened. “You said you didn’t do all the hiring. What about the firing? Anyone on this list who might have an axe to grind?”
Revere took his time studying the list, then shook his head. “Sorry, not one name sticks out. But in all honesty, everyone I have hired loves it here. Those who didn’t work out received a small severance and they were thrilled with it. I haven’t received any threatening phone calls nor has any former employee stormed in here waving a gun. You guys are barking up the wrong tree, as usual.”
If Revere thought his brash comment was a hint the detectives were dismissed, he was sorely mistaken. “What about this one?” Jake pointed at a name on the page. “CiCi Tyler.”
“Sounds like a stage name,” Frank said with a chuckle.
“She,” Revere cleared his throat. “Miss Tyler misread my casual, friendly demeanor as wanting more than an employer/employee relationship. She threatened to tell my wife, go to the press, walk naked down the street carrying a sign, the whole nine yards, if I didn’t, well, you get the picture.” Revere grimaced as though it was beneath him to carry on with the hired help, but his eyes bounced everywhere except on Jake’s face. Jake was sure it was a case of unrequited love and something Revere would deny til hell froze over.
“She’s a…uh…friend of the mayor’s and he set her straight not to go through with her threats.” Revere slapped the pages into Jake’s hand. “Anything else I can help you with?”
<><>
“The mayor’s friend?” Frank chuckled as they walked toward the lobby. “Maybe the mayor is doing a little blackmail. Miss CiCi sounds like a pole dancer’s name.”
“And you would know this how?” A smile tugged at the corners of Jake’s lips as they passed the entrance to the restaurant. Jake stopped abruptly, then took two slow steps back.
“Why are you stopping?”
Jake scanned the entrance, took another step back then shook his head. “Could swear I saw Sam.”