Susan was a waitress at Ruth’s Diner. I’d only been there a handful of times, but the food was great and the portions were monstrous. Needless to say, they were always busy. “Hmm… I wonder if I should try and get a job there,” I said. “I could really use the money. Maybe even a couple of hours a week?”
“I could talk to Rosie,” she replied. “I’m sure she’d hire you.”
“Wait, didn’t she just hire that girl, Nikki, recently?” I asked, biting off a hang nail. “I suppose she’s not looking for anyone else, if that’s the case.”
“She was hired during the summer, but I’m telling you, we could still use the help. She’s always short-staffed.”
“That would be really cool. I’d only need a few hours a week and… we’d get to see each other more.”
“Exactly.”
So, what’s Nikki like?” I asked. “She nice?”
“Very and her brother, Nathan, he’s kind of a spaz but damn is he’s cute.”
I raised my eyebrows. “I didn’t know you had a thing for her brother.”
“Actually, I forgot to mention it but we went out a couple of times during the summer. It didn’t really go anywhere. He works so many hours at that marina, across the street. Anyway, I heard that he’s been hanging out with that girl, Celeste.”
An image of a red-head with perfect skin, a perfect smile, and a perfect body flashed through my head. From what Susan had told me last year, she was also a perfect bitch. “Isn’t her dad the town’s sheriff?”
“Yes. You know, he and Celeste are both kind of weird. She’s actually friends with those guys who used to come in at night and just stare at the other customers; creeping them out. Remember, I told you about them? The guys who Amy had said were vampires.”
I chuckled. “Vampires?”
“Don’t laugh,” she said, sounding serious. “Amy’s ex, Ethan, was part of that group. God, he freaked the hell out of me. I’m just happy that he hasn’t been coming around, lately.”
“I still can’t believe that Amy killed herself.”
“Well, you know how I feel about all of that,” she replied.
I did. Amy Kreger, had supposedly committed suicide, but Susan, on the other hand, thought that Ethan had something to do with it. “I know. Let’s hope that you’re wrong, and that she really did just kill herself. Didn’t you go out with one of Ethan’s friends?”
“Yeah, Drake. The guy from Australia.” She sighed. “I still don’t know what happened to him. He just kind of vanished, too.”
“Hmm… he didn’t call you or anything?”
“Nope.”
I’d never met Drake, but had heard about what a hottie he’d been.
“Oh, and get this… before Ethan disappeared, he started hitting on Nikki.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah.”
“What did she do?”
“Well, Nikki was seeing this other guy, Duncan, and I think she blew off Ethan. They’re not together anymore though, either.”
“Nikki and Duncan?”
“Right. She told me that they weren’t even on speaking terms. You know, now that I think about it, their breakup may have had something to do with Ethan.” She paused. “Damn, I want to ask her, but I don’t want to look too nosy.”
I snorted. “Susan, admit it, you are nosy and it’s going to kill you if you don’t find out.”
She laughed.
“Just ask her. If she doesn’t want to tell you, she won’t.”
“True. God, it’s like one big soap opera.”
“Speaking of soap operas,” I said. “My cousin Melody is missing.”
“What?!”
I reached into my dresser drawer and pulled out a new pair of white socks. “Yeah, I guess she went to Club Nightshade last night, to see some band play.”
“Ah… Venom. I’d heard that they were playing last night.”
“Venom?” I’d never even heard of the band.
“They’re from Europe, and are really getting popular. That gal who owns Club Nightshade must have spent a fortune to get those guys to play in Shore Lake. I’ll bet the tickets were outrageous.”
“Huh,” I replied, pulling my socks on. “Well, that’s who Melody went to go see last night. Nobody has heard from her since.”
“Wow. Hey, I heard the main singer, Slade, is a total hunk. I’ve heard him on the radio. If he’s as sexy as that voice of his, I wouldn’t doubt if every girl in town was trying to get in to see him last night.”