The Red Light Girls (Unsolved Mysteries Book 2) by Kim Knight (most romantic novels TXT) 📗

glanced around the bar. She met the barmaid’s gaze. “I want to help, maybe run an article on these women and see if we can find any witnesses.”

The barmaid leaned forward and squinted at her badge. Madeline watched her process the information now she knew who she was. She bit her lip, pulled herself up to her full height and held her hand up in defence.

“Nope. I’m not talking to the press.” She glanced around the bar, then leaned across it so close, Madeline could see down her cleavage and smell her perfume.

“I’ll get in trouble,” she whispered.

Madeline met her eye and leaned in even closer. She lit her joint, took a hit, then handed it to the barmaid.

“You won’t. I promise,” Madeline whispered across the bar.

The barmaid held Madeline’s gaze while she inhaled deeply on the smoke. She paused and tilted her head to one side as if debating whether Madeline was genuine in her promise.

Sensing her doubt, over whether she could be trusted from the look on the woman’s face, Madeline adjusted her positioning on the barstool.

“You can trust me,” she said in a low voice.

Madeline side-glanced to her left and noticed a woman making her way to the stage dressed in a see-through fishnet dress, a thong, and heels.

The DJ changed the mood of the bar with a new song choice, to Pink’s Family Portrait.

Madeline admired the bravery of the dancer as she took to the stage and started a classy pole dance over Pink’s vocals. She focused in on the barmaid once more.

“Tell me about her,” she said. “When did you last see her?”

The barmaid shook her head and hit the blunt again.

Madeline saw the tears well up in the woman’s eyes.

The barmaid glanced behind Madeline at the television, then took in the room.

“Yeah, Crystal was a friend of mine.”

She exhaled a large cloud of smoke.

Her shoulders sagged along with the release, and it was as if some kind of weight lifted, allowing her to open up and speak.

Madeline reached in her bag and pulled out a small packet of Kleenex.

“Here, don’t ruin your pretty eye make-up.” She handed over the tissue, and tried to keep the conversation going.

“Tell me about her.” She wanted information and would butter the woman up anyway she could to get it. If the barmaid knew Suzy Chan, then her random stop off in this bar had struck gold. She’d leave with as much information as she could.

The barmaid laughed, took the tissue and dapped at the corners of her eyes. She took one more hit on the blunt and handed it back to Madeline.

“I can’t believe it. These girls have turned up dead and missing for months. Not once did I think it would happen so close to home.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. When did you last see Suzy?”

“About a week ago. We worked different shifts. She was clocking off, and I was starting work. Five in the afternoon which was unusual as she normally works later. She said she had a date that night. We laughed and joked. I told her to keep me posted. That was all.”

“A date. With who?”

“She never said. Just commented that he was wealthy, kind, and hoped that if all went well, she could hang up her heels and stop dancing.”

“Okay, thanks. And this was around five in the afternoon, a week ago today, right?”

“Yeah.” The woman nodded.

Madeline gulped down the rest of her Coke, satisfied she had some information to work with. “What about the other girls who have gone missing. Did any of them work here?”

“Nope. Thank God!”

“Okay, what’s your name?”

The barmaid eyed her suspiciously again. “Why? I don’t want to get into trouble for anything.”

“You won’t, I promise. I’m just trying to help close in on who the killer may be. Any information is helpful, and confidential.”

The barmaid moved her hand to her throat and opened her eyes wide. “You won’t print my name in any papers, will you?”

“No, of course not.” Madeline shook her head. “Like I said, you can trust me. And this is not just about selling papers either. This is personal. We need to be safe in the city.”

“The barmaid nodded. “Okay, I’m Dolly. That’s what I go by.”

“I’m Madeline.”

Pulling out a business card and a pen, she crossed out the British mobile number and replaced it with her Dutch one.

“Here, call me if you remember anything else.” She slid the card across the bar.

Dolly looked around the bar, picked it up discreetly, then shoved the card in her bra.

“You never got your info from me okay,” she said. “I said nothing.”

Madeline winked, then smiled at the barmaid. Taking one last hit of her joint she stubbed it out, gathered her stash of weed off the bar, then placed it securely in her pocket.

Getting to her feet she placed her bag over her shoulder and headed towards the exit. She swung open the door to the café.

The rain had started to fall again. People scurried around the cobbled pavement for cover and opened their umbrellas.

“Shit!” Madeline cursed at the threshold.

She stepped out into the rain and quickly walked over to the paper stand. Grabbing a copy of the free evening newspaper, she opened it and placed it over her head.

From under the shelter of a shop door, she looked around at the Red Light District.

What next? She pondered. Should I head to another bar for more info? It was a tempting idea.

Through the heavy sheet of rain, she observed her environment.

The pavement thinned out with people. A fog covered the windows of the shops and cafes along the road.

Okay. Research first!

With her mind made up, Madeline headed back the way she had come. Walking down the cobbled pavement, she weaved in and out of a few tourists and locals, toward Amsterdam Centraal station.

Now, to see what information the night brings.

5

Make The Link

Detective Janssen

It had been a long day for Janssen. She was tied up with team briefings, paperwork, and going over the strategy to clamp