Bones to Ashes

A pair of women smoked and talked at one of a dozen tables facing the stage. Both wore shocking pink polyester kimonos.

A third woman sat apart from the others, smoking alone. Unlike her colleagues, she was dressed in street clothes. Shorts. Sequined tank. Roman sandals laced to her knees.

Otherwise, the place was empty.

While Ryan spoke to Deschenes, I scoped out the ladies.

The youngest was tall, maybe eighteen, with dull brown hair and tired blue eyes. Her companion was a thirty-something redhead who’d definitely put part of her salary into a boob job.

The lone smoker had fried platinum hair that wisped down past her ears. I put her age at somewhere around forty.

Hearing voices, or perhaps sensing my interest, the blonde flicked her eyes sideways in my direction. I smiled. She glanced away. The other women continued their conversation, uncurious.

“Bastarache has an office in back. Hippo’s there.” Ryan was speaking in hushed tones at my shoulder. “His digs are on the second floor. CSU’s working that.”

“Has the staff been questioned?” My gesture took in the women and the bartender.

“Bastarache is the boss. They’re employees and know nothing. Oh. And the bartender says kiss his hairy French ass.”

Again, the blonde’s gaze slid to us, darted off.

“Mind if I speak to the talent?” I asked.

“Looking for new dance moves?”

“Can we lose the bartender and the kimono sisters?”

Ryan gave me a questioning look.

“I’ve got a feeling the blonde might be a talker if company’s not present.”

“I’ll ask Deschenes to bring the others to me.”

“OK. Now play along.”

Before Ryan could respond, I stepped back and snapped, “Stop telling me what to do. I’m not stupid, you know.”

Ryan got it. “Hard to tell most of the time,” he said, loud and very condescending.

“May I at least have my pictures?” I held out a haughty palm.

“Suit yourself.” Disgusted.

Ryan produced the envelope containing the prints, facial repros, and autopsy photos. Snatching it, I stomped across the room, yanked a chair, and threw myself down at a table.

The blonde had watched our “spat” with interest. Now her eyes were on the jar lid she was using as an ashtray.

After a brief exchange with Deschenes, Ryan disappeared through a rear door marked with a red electric sortie sign.

Deschenes collected the bartender, then crossed to the kimono twins. “Let’s go, girls.”

“Where?”

“I hear the joint’s got a lovely green room.”

“What about her?”

“Her turn’s coming.”

“Can we at least get dressed?” the redhead whined. “I’m freezing my ass.”

“Occupational hazard,” Deschenes said. “Let’s go.”

Reluctantly, the women followed Deschenes and the bartender through the same exit Ryan had used.

While appearing to act in a huff, I’d chosen a table near enough to allow conversation with the blonde, but far enough away that my move wouldn’t look like an approach.

“Ass wipe,” I muttered under my breath.

“The male sex is one long parade of ass wipes,” the woman said, jamming her cigarette into the jar lid.

“That one is the grand marshall.”

The woman made a chuckling noise in her throat.

I turned to face her. Up close I could see that her hair was dark down close to her scalp. Dried makeup caked the corners of her eyes and mouth.

“That’s funny.” The woman picked a speck of tobacco from her tongue and flicked it. “You a cop?”

“Now that’s funny.”

“Mr. Macho over there?”

I nodded. “Tough guy. Got a big badge.”