“Him and his new girlfriend. They were in that booth over there, checking out each other’s tonsils.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“How’d you even know that?”

He explained how he had, by chance, come to see Trevor and Carol Beakman on the surveillance video.

“I wasn’t looking for them. I was looking for something else and there they were.”

She eyed him suspiciously. She was about to ask him something when Axel suddenly appeared at the table.

“Hey, Detective, how’s it going?”

Duckworth introduced the man to Maureen.

“Dinner’s on the house,” Axel said.

Duckworth smiled. “I’m afraid I can’t accept. Goes against the rules. But I do have a favor.”

“Shoot.”

Duckworth told him what it was. Axel said it would take him a few minutes, and would return when he had things ready.

“And I’ll get some of those double-breaded jumbo wings,” Duckworth said.

Axel looked at Maureen. “Garden salad,” she said. “Oil and vinegar dressing.” She paused. “And an order of potato skins with extra sour cream.”

Axel nodded and slipped away.

“You had me worried for a second there,” Duckworth said.

“I’m having one of your wings, too.”

“I’ll have one of your potato skins.”

“I thought I’d share my salad with you instead.”

He rested his back against the seat and sighed. “Like I said, I’m sorry about earlier.”

She took in a long breath through her nose.

“What? I know that look. There’s something on your mind.”

Maureen sighed. “I don’t know how good things are between him and this Carol girl, anyway.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I heard him talking to her. On the phone. When I went upstairs to get ready.”

“Okay.”

“He sounded angry with her. I think it may have had something to do with you, but there was something else.”

“Like what?”

“Something she wanted to do, but he wasn’t that keen on her doing it.”

“You don’t know what it was?”

She shook her head.

“So, you’re an eavesdropper.”

Maureen nodded.

Duckworth grinned. “Nothing wrong with that. But you know what? Whatever it is that’s going on between them, it’s their problem, not ours.”

“I know.”

“Things’ll work out. I mean, I didn’t even know about her until today, so if they’re on the skids, it’s not like it was some long-term relationship.”

“I just want him to be happy.”

Axel brought their drinks. “I got it all set up for you. Your food’s going to be a few more minutes, if you want to take a quick look now.”

Duckworth said to Maureen, “I’ll be right back.”

He followed Axel to the office he’d been in earlier in the day. The bartender had brought up the security video from two nights ago on the computer screen.

“What was it you wanted to see?” Axel asked.