Free The Night Watchman by Mark Mynheir

think one was rich because she kept showing me presents he gave her, like clothes and jewelry. She didn't say much about the other one, except that he was very demanding. She didn't look happy when she said that. I figured he was another one of her deadbeat boyfriends.”
    “Any names, descriptions?”
    “No. Jamie wasn't like that. She kept her business close to her.” Ashley smooched her cigarette like a lover, puffing a plume of smoke over the table. Silence engulfed the room for the first time since I entered; even the bird hushed. Ashley glanced at the recorder. “Can you turn that thing off for a minute?”
    I picked up the recorder and flipped it off. It was clear that something was bothering her, and I didn't want to let anything stand in the way of her telling me.
    She scanned the room, as if expecting to see someone other than Big Bird and me. “I don't want this part on the record or however that works.”
    “Fair enough.” I laid my pen on the table and leaned back in the chair.
    “Do you think someone other than the preacher guy killed her?” She hit the cigarette hard again and exhaled dramatically. “It seems that way from what you're asking.”
    “I don't know for sure.” I shrugged. “Maybe.” I'd revealed a little more than I wanted, but I hoped my answer would prompt her to tell me what was really on her mind.
    Ashley brushed some dust off the table for several seconds before engaging me again. “Jamie's life was… complicated. She had people coming down on her. I don't think she wanted to do this anymore. You know… entertain and dance and stuff. I think she was just done with it all.”
    “Who was coming down on her?”
    “Chance Thompson, the manager at Club Venus, for one. He put her under a lot of pressure. He always wanted more and more from his girls.”
    “I imagine he puts all the girls there under pressure,” I said. “That's what guys who run those clubs do. They try to keep the girls down so they can rake in the cash. I'm sure you know that better than I do.”
    “You don't understand. Jamie was different. She was…” Ashley toyed with an errant lock of hair hanging down across her eyes. “I don't know if I should say this.”
    The tinglies swam down my spine, and I did everything I could not to telegraph to her that we'd just hit a hot spot. I was so giggly I almost reached in and tickled the bird. The foreboding beak kept me from doing that. I'd forgotten how much I loved a good interview, extracting information out of reluctant souls.
    “She was what, Ashley? What's so important that it's bothering you so much?”
    “She was one of Chance's special girls. Jamie was part of the Lion's Den.”
    “What's that?”
    “It's a spin-off of Club Venus,” she said. “Only a few of the hottest girls worked there. Jamie was gorgeous and made a ton of money when she danced. Chance's girls entertain for some powerful and very private groups. Men who like a little more discretion and attention with their entertainment. No one outside of the Lion's Den is supposed to know it even exists… but I do.”
    “How did you find out about it?”
    “Jamie got high one night and spouted off some things about Chance and the Lion's Den and important, powerful people. Then the next day she came over and begged me not to tell anyone. If anyone found out she talked, she could be in serious trouble. Jamie was crying and seemed pretty upset.”
    “Did you tell the other detective about this?”
    “No,” she said. “It seemed like you guys already thought the preacher killed her. Why would I bring up all this other stuff?”
    “Do you know any of the players with the Lion's Den?”
    “Bigwigs. Connected and rich people. City officials, power brokers, judges, lawyers… and cops.”
    Her smirk told me she knew she'd scored a hit. For the first time in the interview, I didn't quite know what to say, and she had me flatfooted and against the ropes. I let the peculiar pause pass and