“Blew out my knee and was gonna be stuck on desk duty if I stayed.”

“I would’ve done the same. Has Richard been in any trouble?”

“Not that I know of, but something must be up if he ran from you.”

“I tend to have that effect on people.”

“It’s pretty cool that you’re still on the job with everything else going on.”

“The White House stuff, you mean.”

“Yeah, that,” Tim said, grinning as he put ice waters on the bar in front of her and Vernon.

“I’d be bored senseless without the job.” As soon as she said that she winced. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I’ve gotten used to the boredom. Nothing can compare to the rush.”

“Very few things.” Sex with her husband was a bigger rush. But nothing else was, that was for sure.

“Any idea where we might find Richard, besides his place, now that he’s bolted?”

Tim pulled a pad from his pocket and made a note before pulling the page out and handing it to her. “A couple of places he’s known to frequent. If you find him, be sure to tell him I sent you. He’s a dick.”

“Will do. Did Angelo Diaz work here?”

“Yeah, he did.” Tim’s smile faded. “He was a waiter. A good kid.”

“What can you tell me about him?”

“He was young and still figuring things out. Lived with his mother in Kingman Park. I think he was an only child, which is so sad. He was just a goofy kid trying to find his way, you know?”

“Who was he close to here?”

“He was friendly with everyone. No one will have a bad word to say about him.”

Sam wished there was a former cop waiting to help her everywhere she had to go on the job. “You must’ve known Morgan Newell, too, then.”

“I did. Two of them a week apart. It was rough.”

“Did Angelo have any drug issues that you knew of?”

“Something was off with him. He’d be totally fine for weeks, and then he’d show up whacked out on something.”

“What about Morgan?”

“She was a great worker and colleague. Everyone loved her. The last week or so before she died, she seemed different, but I couldn’t say why.”

Sam took notes as he spoke, starting to wonder if Richard was the common denominator. “Were either of them close to Richard?”

“No one is close to him. He’s highly unlikable. But we all have to deal with him as the general manager. I’ve told the owner—repeatedly—that he’s making a mistake leaving him in charge here, but he hasn’t been inclined to make any changes. Maybe he will after this.”

“Have him give me a call, will you?” She slid her business card across the bar to him. “And tell him to make it snappy.”

“I will.”

“If you see or hear anything that might be of interest, give me a call.”

He nodded. “Sure thing.”

“Appreciate the professional courtesy.”

“Feels good to be back in the mix, even for just a few minutes.”