The Killings (An Olivia Miller Mystery Book 1) by J A Whiting Page B

know? How did she happen to be in the neighborhood? She doesn’t live anywhere near there.”
    “You think she has something to do with these murders?” Luke asked.
    “I’m not sure,” Olivia said. “It’s possible, but is it probable? It must just be coincidence that she was at both crime scenes, that she was wearing a ski mask like the killer. It’s a coincidence, isn’t it? I mean Melissa and I were at both crime scenes and we didn’t kill them.”
    Kayla came out of the back room wearing her jacket with her bag slung over her shoulder. She headed for the exit, and glanced at the three of them sitting at the table as she pushed the door open. Her friend Eric returned to man the counter. He scowled at them.
    “Guess we won’t be talking to Kayla anymore today,” Olivia said.
    Melissa rolled her eyes. “Should we come back again another day?”
    “I know Kayla plays with her band on Thursday nights at a club,” Luke said. “Christian and I went to see them once, only stayed for one set. That must be where she recognized me from. We could go. See if she’d talk to us after they played.”
    “Couldn’t hurt,” Olivia said. “Unless, she has us thrown out of the club.”

Chapter 13
    Olivia, Melissa, and Luke took a table at the alternative rock club. The place was full and they were lucky to see people vacate some seats in time to grab them before others did. There was a small stage and Kayla’s band was playing mid-set.
    “They’re good.” Olivia had to raise her voice to be heard over the music.
    Luke went to the bar and returned with drinks.
    “I’m nervous,” Melissa said. “What if she gets angry?”
    Olivia said, “Then she won’t talk to us. We have every right to frequent this club. We’re not causing any trouble.”
    “Uh oh,” Luke said. “Look who’s heading our way.”
    Kayla’s friend, Eric the barista, was walking straight across the room to where they were sitting. He did not have a smile on his face.
    “Here to hassle Kayla again?” Eric stood over them holding his drink.
    “Why don’t you sit with us?” Olivia asked. “We don’t want to bother her. That isn’t our aim.”
    “What is then?” Eric took a seat.
    “We’re just trying to figure out what happened to our friends,” Melissa told him. “If we all put our heads together maybe we can come up with something that will lead to the killer.”
    “Isn’t that law enforcement’s job?” Eric took a swig from his glass.
    “Melissa and I found the bodies,” Olivia said. “We want to do something to help. Maybe something small could help solve it.”
    “And, what about you?” Eric directed his question to Luke. “Did you find the bodies too?”
    “I was there,” was all Luke would say.
    The band stopped playing and the performers left the stage for a break. Recorded music blared from the club’s speakers. People stood up and milled around talking.
    “Do you think Kayla would talk to us?” Melissa asked.
    “I don’t know. What do you want to ask her? What do you think she knows?” Eric held his glass up and swirled the liquid around in it.
    Olivia said, “We just want to get her impressions from the night. Or maybe she could tell us something about Christian that might help.”
    “Like what? That he was a dirt bag?” Eric asked.
    “Why the hell would you say that?” Luke’s eyes narrowed in anger.
    “Because, he dumped her. He used her, and then threw her away like she was trash.”
    “Eric.” Everyone at the table turned towards the voice. Kayla stood a foot away from them, her face pinched with embarrassment.
    Eric reached for her hand and spoke to her softly. “I’m sorry, Kayla. But it’s true.”
    Kayla sat down in the empty seat. She looked each of them in the eyes, and then shifted her gaze down. “Christian broke it off with me, a few days before the party. I wasn’t invited to their Halloween party. I decided to go anyway, to try to talk to him. But you know how that worked