Reluctant Witness

by Rachel Brimble

  Suddenly he turned. Heat surged to her cheeks.

  He smiled. “You okay?”

  “Uh-huh.” She quickly looked out the window.

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m fine.”

  There was a pause before he spoke again.

  “I still can’t convince you to go home instead of this club?”

  She turned back to face him. “Nope. Even if I wasn’t singing tonight, I’d still want to tell Jacob about Derek before he finds out from someone else.”

  “Jacob?”

  “My boss. He and Derek have been friends since they were teenagers. Anyway, I need to sing right now. Singing helps me relieve stress.”

  “Fair enough. I find a bottle of wine and a good meal at Simone’s does it for me.”

  She grinned. “So you’ve fallen victim to the delights of Simone’s apple crumble already, then?”

  “Can’t you tell?” he asked, patting a non-existent stomach.

  She looked down and let her eyes linger longer than necessary at his groin area. When she looked back up, he lifted a questioning eyebrow before turning back to the road.

  Julia cleared her throat before flicking an imaginary piece of lint from her shorts. “Yes, well. I’ll stick with the singing. Her apple crumble has a habit of going sticking at my hips.”

  “From what I’ve seen of your hips, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

  She snapped her head around to look at him. “I’m sorry?”

  The fading light did not hide the burst of color from the collar of his shirt to the whole of his face. “I shouldn’t have said that...ignore me, I’m...sorry.”

  But instead of feeling affronted, Julia hid her thrilled grin by turning back to look out the window.

  Chapter Three

  Daniel followed Julia through the darkened main room of The Ship’s Mate, toward the bar. Decorated like the interior of an ancient pirate ship, the dark brown planks of the walls teemed with nets, lethal looking cutlasses and replica pistols. Parrots and beer jugs were scattered around the place, and a huge Jolly Roger flag swathed the entire ceiling from corner to corner.

  Boisterous laughter and squeals of delight filtered above the rock music blasting out of the camouflaged speakers. Each member of the bar staff, the band on the stage, and the waitresses wore full pirate costume. Daniel smiled. It had been a long time since he’d let go and had a good night out like the people around him were now. Maybe when this case was finished, he would remedy that.

  That thought drew his attention to the back of the toned legs and denim-encased backside ahead of him. There was something about Julia Kershaw’s constant challenge of everything he said, and her obvious distrust in him, that made her impossibly intriguing. And wonderfully attractive.

  They finally shouldered their way to the bar and Julia jumped up onto one of the vacant stools.

  “Hey, Jacob, over here!” she yelled above the boom-boom of the Bon Jovi’s ‘You Give Love a Bad Name.’

  A man in his late fifties slowly strolled toward her. Dressed as a ship’s captain, Daniel guessed the eye patch and blackened teeth were supposed to be intimidating, but the mischief glinting in his one blue eye completely undermined the intention. Jacob came to a stop in front of them and adjusted the brim of his three-pointed hat.

  “Ah-ha! She finally decides to grace us with her presence. Half an hour late for the start of her set but who cares?”

  Julia waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t start. Believe me, I’ve got good reason. But before I say anything, I need a drink.”

  “Is that so?” He fisted his hands on his hips. “And tell me, fair lady, why I should honor your request?”

  “Because if you don’t I won’t sing tonight and you’ll have a riot on your hands.”

  Jacob huffed. “You think this lot would even notice? You’re not that special, you know.”

  “Why, you—”

  Jacob leaned across the bar and snatched her into a hug. “I’m just glad you’re here and safe. You’re never late.”

  Daniel smiled as he watched the exchange. It appeared Julia was loved wherever she went. And as she turned her laughing green eyes to his, Daniel felt that hit himself.

  “Inspector Conway,” Julia held out a hand toward Jacob. “Let me introduce you to Jacob Kent. My boss, who also likes to think he has a say in my personal life.” She smiled. “Jacob? This is Corkley Park’s new Detective Inspector. Daniel Conway.”

  Jacob’s eyebrows shot to the brim of his hat.

  “Detective Inspector?” He looked from Daniel back to Julia, his eyes wide. “Never thought I’d see the day when you’d let a cop within ten yards of you let alone that close.”

  Daniel discreetly stepped back from where he’d edged in beside Julia. “So you’ve noticed her aversion to cops too,” he said, smiling. “Want to tell me about it?”

  “Don’t take any notice of him, Inspector. Jacob hasn’t got a clue about anything,” snapped Julia, glaring at her boss.

  “Haven’t got a clue she says,” Jacob laughed. “Is that so? Well to my mind that damn bank manager must still be giving you hassle, otherwise why the hell would you be strolling in here with a cop?” He cracked open a bottle of beer and put it on the bar in front of her. “What have I told you, Julia? You don’t need to involve anybody else in your business, just let me deal with him.”

  In the semi-darkness of the room, Daniel watched Julia’s face pale. The smooth skin of her neck shifted as she swallowed and the hands that reached for the beer bottle trembled ever so slightly.

  “The reason DI Conway is here has nothing to do with Marcus. For God’s sake, will you stop and think before you start shouting all sorts of things around this bar?” she asked, through clenched teeth. “He’s here about something serious, not a pain in the ass like Marcus.”

  Daniel placed a hand on the bar and looked from Julia to Jacob and back again. “One of you want to tell me what’s going on? Who’s Marcus? And what has he done to you that your boss here thinks warrants police protection?” he asked, meeting her furious gaze.

  Jacob leaned forward. “Marcus Lowell is a son of a bitch—”

  “Jacob! For crying out loud,” Julia protested.

  Daniel leaned an elbow on the bar. “Well?”

  He watched her struggle, saw the battle she was having with herself deep inside. She picked up her beer, took a gulp and then shrugged. “He’s some guy I had five or six dates with that’s all. It’s nothing. It’s over.”

  Daniel noted Jacob’s grunt of disapproval but kept his eyes locked on Julia’s. “And is it over to him as well?”

  Her gaze never wavered. “Yes.”

  “He doesn’t want there to be a seventh date?”

  “No.”

  He knew she was lying, but there wasn’t much he could do about it until he got back to the station and looked up Marcus Lowell’s name in the database. Along with Julia’s, of course. After a long moment, he broke eye contact and turned to Jacob. “Is there somewhere we can go to talk more privately, Mr. Kent?”

  “What do we need to talk about that can’t be said right here?”

  Julia crossed her arms. “Don’t waste your breath, Inspector. You can see what an obnoxious, bull-headed idiot he can be at times...”

  “Don’t you talk to me like that,” said Jacob. “I’m like a second father to you.”

  “There’s something I need to tell you, Jacob. Why don’t you shut up and listen for once in your life?”

  Julia and Jacob locked eyes for a long moment before the fight left her and her shoulders dropped, along with her voice. “Oh, God, Jacob, how do I tell you this?”

  The argument forgotten, Daniel watched Jacob slide his hand across the bar and take Julia’s fingers. “Hey, what’s up, sweetheart? What’s the matter?”

  “Jacob—” she began. “I need to speak to you about something before I get changed. It’s about Derek.”

  “Derek? Well, why didn’t you say?�
� He laughed. “What’s that idiot been up to now?”

  “He’s dead, Jacob. Murdered.”

  For a long moment, he said nothing. He stared at Julia, his head tilted to the side, the expression on his face like that of a bewildered child. He reached for a bottle behind him, filled the glass with scotch and knocked half of it back in one go. Daniel could only describe the expression in his eyes as blank when he looked at her.

  “And how is it you know about this before the rest of us?” he asked. “I always thought this place was the slipstream for town news.”

  “I knew because I saw it happen.”

  He coughed. “You were there? Jesus, Julia!”

  “I know, I know.”

  “Are you OK?”

  “Physically, yes. Mentally? Ask me again in a few days.”

  “Shit.”

  Jacob looked into the amber depths of his glass before lifting it to his lips and draining it. He wiped a hand across his mouth. “Well, I’m sorry you had to see it, but I’m not sorry he’s dead.”

  “Jacob!” Julia cried. “What are you talking about? You were friends.”

  He laughed derisively. “Friends? Derek Palmer stopped being any friend of mine a long time ago.”

  Daniel pursed his lips shut. He carefully watched Julia freeze for a second before turning to face him. She looked scared. “I don’t understand why he’s saying that any more than you do.”

  Daniel looked expectantly at Jacob. “Well?”

  Jacob pulled himself up straight. “Well, what?”

  “It seems to me, Mr. Kent, that Julia was expecting at least a modicum of upset from you but from where I’m standing the news isn’t all that unwelcome. Am I right?”

  Jacob sniffed. “Yes, that’s right.”

  Julia snatched her handbag from the top of the

  bar. “Do you need me to stay here, Inspector?”

  Daniel shook his head. “I think I can take it from here.”

  “I’ll leave you to it then. Oh, and for the record, Jacob. I’m finding it incredibly hard to look at you right now.”

  “Well, why don’t you just get changed and step up on that stage and do what you’re paid to do?”

  Daniel felt like he was watching a father and daughter fight. Despite the current level of tension buzzing around them right now, he felt the beginnings of a smile. But it instantly dissolved when Julia suddenly turned her scowl on him.

  “And am I right in assuming you’ll be staying here even longer now?” she demanded.

  “I’m going to ask Jacob a few more questions, if that’s all right with you,” he said.

  “It’s not as though I can argue with a cop, is it?”

  His mouth twitched as he met her angry glare. “No, I suppose not.”

  She waved a hand in the air. “Oh, do whatever you want.” She paused. “And for God’s sake stop laughing at me.”

  “I’m not laughing...”

  But she’d already walked away and was disappearing up a spiral staircase at the back of the club. Shaking his head, Daniel slid onto her vacated bar stool and leaned an elbow on the bar.

  “She certainly says what she’s thinking, doesn’t she?” he asked, finally managing to drag his eyes away from her backside.

  “She’s a good girl, my Julia.”

  “I can see how fond you are of each other.”

  Kent watched him carefully. “Like I said, she’s a good girl. A damn good girl who deserves some happiness.”

  Daniel arched an eyebrow. “She’s not happy, then?”

  “Not with that damn waste of space...” He stopped. “Did you come in here with her to tell me about Derek being killed? Or is there another reason you’re with her?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Is she under police protection after seeing Derek bumped off, is that why you’re with her?”

  “Bumped off? That’s a pretty callous way to sum up a friend’s murder.”

  “Yeah, well, like I said, he hasn’t been my friend for a while now.”

  Daniel met his gaze and felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Kent’s eyes were cold, steely and something else...dangerous.

  “And why is that?” he asked, carefully.

  “I don’t like anyone who lies, cheats and breaks promises with no explanation, Inspector. That don’t make me wrong, it makes me right.”

  Daniel held his stare. “Did you know Derek was in trouble?”

  “Tough. We all got our problems. Derek Palmer had deals to see through and he never did.”

  “Did he have a deal with you?”

  Kent whipped the towel from his shoulder and slapped it back and forth across the bar. “He owed me money. A lot of money I never saw again. Yes, he lied to me and yes, I was pissed off.”

  Daniel studied him. He wasn’t the killer, because Julia would have recognized him, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be involved. He took a deep breath. “Fair enough.”

  “That’s it?” Kent asked. “You’re not going to haul my ass to the station for questioning?”

  “Should I?”

  “No, but most cops don’t care whether or not they should do a lot of things.”

  “Ah, so it’s not just Julia, then?”

  “What?”

  “It’s not just Julia who hates cops in this town.”

  “She’s got good reason, don’t you think? As far as I’m concerned, you lot have been a pain in my side ever since I swiped my first push bike from Ma Mclean’s front yard.”

  “So that’s your reason. What’s Julia’s?”

  Kent narrowed his eyes and Daniel knew he’d just asked the worst question possible. “If you seriously don’t know, Inspector, I suggest you find out, and pretty damn quick, because Julia won’t be the one to tell you.”

  “I’m not most cops, you know, Jacob,” he said.

  “I’m sure we’ll find out in time.”

  His tone was icy cold and Daniel thought it best to let the subject drop. He had every intention of taking Kent’s advice and do his own investigating once he left here. But first he was curious to hear Julia sing. He licked dry lips.

  “How about you pass me one of those beers?” he said, pointing to the fridges behind the bar.

  Kent pushed himself away from the bar and grabbed a bottle.

  “Enjoy,” he said, and slammed it down on the bar.

  Before Daniel could respond, the lights of the bar changed from red, to gold, to a soft amber yellow. The stage was plunged into darkness. Daniel picked up his beer and swiveled around on his seat to watch the show as several silhouetted figures strolled onto the stage and took up their instruments.

  After a few tense seconds and a lingering drum roll, the stage exploded into light and the crowd erupted.

  “Ladies and gentleman, apologies for the delay, here she is...our favorite girl...Julia!”

  She ran onto the stage and Daniel froze, his beer bottle at his lips. She wore thigh-length pirate boots, a short black skirt and a frilly white blouse with the buttons left open just enough to reveal the smooth curve of her breasts. She looked so damn hot, the heat was almost unbearable.

  But it was Julia, not the costume, that caused Daniel to guzzle his beer like a man dying of thirst.

  Not only did she look achingly beautiful, but her voice transformed the song she was singing into the sexiest, most erotic serenade he’d ever had to resist. She pulled at the heartstrings of the audience with a soft, seductive ballad, her voice husky and deep, warm and full. It swept over his nerve endings, causing the hairs at the back of his neck to stand to attention. He swallowed down the last of his beer and wiped a hand across his mouth. He felt a knock on his elbow.

  “Want another one?” Kent laughed. “Looks like you need it.”

  Daniel shook his empty bottle and licked his dry lips.

  “Can’t. I’m driving.”

  “Poor you. The way your tongue’s hanging out looking at my Julia, you may die of dehydration before she finis
hes her set.”

  Daniel cursed as Jacob walked away chuckling to himself. He had a murder to solve and the woman who was making his pants suddenly feel incredibly tight was the only the link he had.

  ****

  The next morning Julia awoke to bright sunlight filtering through her soft plum curtains. She stretched languorously before reaching out an arm toward the bedside clock—just past eleven. She dropped back against the pillows and let the night before play through her mind. Daniel had disappeared before her half-way break, leaving a message with Jacob that he’d been called out and would catch up with her in the morning.

  Jacob had told her he’d had the distinct impression something else had driven him away but he wouldn’t say what. But it turned out for the best because Marcus had stumbled into the club at midnight, stinking drunk and once again, proclaiming his undying love for her. She shuddered. That love had soon turned to something much more unnerving when Julia had explained for the fiftieth time in the last two months there was nothing between them and never would be.

  Fortunately, he had left without any fuss this time. The last thing she needed was another physical struggle with him when she was likely to be in Daniel’s company for the next few days. Not that Marcus would be stupid enough to touch her in public. She looked at the fading bruise on her wrist. Marcus had apologized for grabbing her, but Julia knew she still had to be on her guard with him. He was getting more and more unpredictable and she just hoped he didn’t find out about her impending departure. It could be the thing that pushed his adoration over the edge into obsession.

  She exhaled a slow breath as her mind filled with Daniel’s face. It was no use denying the attraction she felt for him and it didn’t matter that he appeared kind and patient—the complete opposite of Marcus. Daniel was a cop. If her mother could’ve seen into Julia’s dreams last night, she would have never spoken to her again.

  She covered her face with her hands. She had to focus. The only people who knew she was leaving were her parents, her friend Suzie, Jacob, and now Daniel. If Marcus found out, she was terrified he would try to stop her. She dropped her hands. Intellectually, she knew if Marcus carried on the way he was, the next step would be to call in the cops—