Firebreak (Josie Gray Mysteries #4)(23)

Angela opened the front door and stepped outside before Josie reached the porch. Her face was pinched with worry, not the expression of the laid-back bartender Josie was accustomed to.

“Hi, Angela. Sorry to stop by without calling ahead.”

Angela nodded. “No problem. Something wrong?”

“We’re working on an investigation and I need to ask you some questions.”

“Is this about Buddy?”

Josie recognized the name and remembered he was her brother, a perpetual troublemaker. “No. This doesn’t have anything to do with your family. I have some questions about work last night.”

She sighed, visibly relieved, and motioned for Josie to sit in one of the rocking chairs. Angela wore jean shorts that didn’t cover much more than her underwear, a tight T-shirt and cowboy boots, and a necklace made of rattles from a rattlesnake that hung down her chest.

“Sorry. I haven’t heard from the peckerhead since the evacuation yesterday. He was supposed to go to my parents’ house in Houston, but he never showed up.” She seemed to notice Josie’s concerned look and waved a hand in the air. “No worry. Buddy’s a jackass. He doesn’t follow through with anything. He worries my parents sick.” She sat down in the chair, picked a pack of cigarettes off the table, and lit one. She held the pack toward Josie.

“No, thanks. We’re trying to put together a timeline of events that took place yesterday evening, and I hope you can help me with some details.”

“This have to do with the fire?”

“We’re not sure yet. Why don’t you start by taking me through your day yesterday? What time you came on shift, went to lunch, and so on.”

Angela squinted at Josie through her purple glasses. “Am I in some kind of trouble here?”

“I assure you, you’re not in any trouble at all. You just happened to be working during a time frame we’re trying to piece together.”

She smirked. “Story of my life. I always just happen to be somewhere.” She settled back in her rocker and took a long drag of the cigarette. “Okay, so I went to work at noon. Hank called begging for help. He was bartending so I ended up waiting tables and helping in the kitchen.”

“What time did you get a break?”

“I sat down about four to have a sandwich. We had such a crowd I skipped lunch. I ate a hamburger and was back up waiting tables again by four thirty.”

“Could you make a list of people you saw come through the bar?”

She raised her eyebrows. “Seriously?”

“It would be very helpful.”

“I guess so. I could try.”

“Did you see Brenda and Billy Nix that night?”

“Yeah. They came in for Billy’s guitar. I had to unlock the dressing room for them.”

“Can you tell me what time that was?”

She scowled and thought for a moment. “I guess about five thirty.”

“Can you think back, give me a more exact time?”

Angela looked at Josie closely, obviously realizing that Josie had already zeroed in on specific customers. “Actually, I know it was five thirty because I remember walking into the dressing room and looking at the clock on the wall. I remember thinking that I’d be lucky to make it home by midnight. Which I didn’t.”

The man who had been grilling when Josie pulled up opened the front door and poked his head out. “Everything okay?”

Angela leaned forward in her chair so that she could see him. “It’s fine. Give me a minute and I’ll be in.” The door shut and she faced Josie again, her expression troubled.

“Did both Billy and Brenda go back to the dressing room with you?” Josie asked.

“No, just Billy. I saw Brenda, but I don’t know where she went when Billy and I went back.”

“What did you and Billy talk about?”

Angela paused and squinted at Josie. “Why are you asking about Billy? Is he in some kind of trouble?”

“I’m sorry. I can’t tell you at this point. I’m just pulling together information.”

Angela’s expression had grown guarded.

“What did you talk about?”

“We just talked about the fire. Billy wanted to stay home. Brenda was set on leaving. After he got his guitar we walked back out onto the dance floor and he was looking for Brenda. It was a madhouse in there. I think he ended up talking to John Lummin for a while. You might talk to him.”

“You said Brenda was set on leaving. What do you mean by that? Didn’t they both want to leave because of the evacuation?”

“She wanted to go to Austin, talk to some of the big-time bar owners. I felt sorry for him.”

“Why do you say that?”

“She’s just—” Angela paused and curled her lip up. She flipped ashes from her cigarette into the ashtray as if disgusted by the thought of the woman. “I don’t know. I don’t like her. I think she treats him like crap. He’s the one with the talent and the heart for music, but she talks to him like he’s nothing. Tells him what to do. I sure as hell wouldn’t put up with it.”

“Give me an example of how she tells him what to do.”

Angela leaned her head back and drew on her cigarette as she searched her memory. Josie glanced out across the front yard and noticed the heat waves rippling across the sand under the scorching sun. She wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand and wished they could have had the conversation inside the air-conditioned house. Josie had heard that Angela grew marijuana for personal use and she figured that had something to do with the location of their conversation.