Free Spoilt by Joanne Ellis Page A

at all possible, when you come back with our
food would you be able to answer a few questions?” He showed her
his badge. “We’re investigating the murders of three
women.”
    “ Oh how awful.” She paused. “I don’t know how I’ll be able to
help though.”
    “ We believe they used to eat here.”
    “ Oh, ok, I’ll be back with your orders shortly,” she said
flashing her smile at Lucas again.
    “ How can you eat that stuff all the time and stay
thin?”
    “ Good metabolism, I guess.” He shrugged.
    “ Yeah well, it pisses me off. If I ate that stuff, I’d have to
spend an extra hour on the treadmill.”
    “ I still go to the gym sometimes too, when I have the
time.”
    “ Yeah, but if I ate like you, I would live there.”
    He shrugged again.
    As they waited, Lucas perused the room, taking in every face.
There were several blond men and brunette women in the cafe, lots
of potential victims and perps. Were they looking in the right
place? It would certainly be an easy venue for the killer to meet
his vics, especially if he worked here. Disgust turned his
stomach.
    When Laura returned with their meals, she pulled up a
chair.
    “ Ok, shoot.”
    Maggie pulled out the photos they’d obtained of Libby, Kate
and Elle.
    “ Do you recognise these women?”
    “ Sure, that’s Elle!” she said pointing to the photo. “Oh God,
that means she’s dead?”
    “ Yes, I’m afraid she is,” answered Lucas. “Did you know her
well?”
    “ Oh my God! I just can’t believe it. She’s so nice. This is
awful.”
    “ Are you ok?” Maggie said.
    She looked absolutely stunned, sitting there holding her
breath. “Yes, I think so,” she said, and started to cry. Maggie
placed her hand on the girl’s arm to comfort her.
    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