Page 25 of Special Agent Anastacia

“Not fucking likely. We’re talking about an obsessive neat freak.”

Ana was scared to ask but had to. “Did they clean the place out yet?”

“Not that I know of.” Dave stood so fast; his office chair hit the cabinets behind. “I’ll go over there right now and make sure they don’t get tossed.” He picked up his hat and then stopped, asking a question without having to make explanations. “I could use some help checking with the stores around here, seeing who else they know might be buying this brand.”

“On it.” Ana straightened from the tall cabinet where she’d propped herself up, and Nash pushed away from the wall he’d leaned against. Both followed Dave outside. Because the spread-out town only had three places nearby that sold cigarettes, it didn’t take them long to come up with a list of buyers, mainly residents of the area.

There was one person named who stood out. Only because the woman behind the bar who gave them the information happened to be the gossipy type and observed things others missed.

“Hey, Ana. Good to see you’re back in these parts. I can make you a coffee but the bar’s closed until noon. Who’s this good looker you have with you today?”

“Hey Nan, he’s Maria’s boy, come to check on Lew.” Ana waved at the tall hunk behind her. “Nash meet Nan, the lady who runs the bar, keeps everyone in line, and knows all the locals.”

Nan, a large boned woman, reached out a powerful-looking hand to shake vigorously, saying, “I’m sorry to hear about Lew. What’s the world coming to when folks aren’t safe here in these mountains?” She cussed a string of words that might make a normal man blush before adding, “Glad to hear he’s doing better.”

Nash didn’t so much as blink over her behavior. Instead, he grinned at the barmaid with a respect Ana appreciated. “Thanks. Lew’s a fighter. It’ll be a while, but if all goes as planned, he’ll recover.”

“Good. So what can I do for you folks?” Nan searched Ana’s face, her own serious as all get-out.

“We’re helping Dave with the case and need some info about who you might have sold packages of Marlboros to lately?”

“Hmm… is that a lead to the killer?” Nan’s black eyes opened wide. “Wouldn’t have thought we’d have a murderer running loose around here. Like I said before, we’re a quiet community.”

“Hell, we don’t know for sure.” Ana, remembering how easy it was for Nan to trail off in different directions, wanted to keep her on track, and so she kept digging. “Anyone other than the locals buying that brand?”

“Hmm. Funny you should ask. There’s this kid who tried to weasel some outta me two days ago. I had to ID her cause she bloody lied about being twenty-one. Shit, the kid didn’t even look like she was out of high school.”

“Did she have any identification?”

“Not a believable one. Appeared homemade. The kind I’ve seen a hundred times from the brats around here.”

“Can you remember the name on it?”

“Sure. Said she was Mila Smirnova. I like the name Mila and had an unforgettable customer years ago with the same last name. Family owned property here in the mountains. Even asked her if they were related, but she froze up and left before saying another word.”

“Had you seen her before?”

“Nah. Well, wait. When I drove to work yesterday, I saw her on the street with an older guy, probably her brother. He was gripping her jacket like she was his prisoner… know what I mean? Yanking her along with him as if she was holding back.” Nan sneered before adding, “Sure didn’t look like he had any love for her. It’s like a lot of broken families today. If you ask me—”

Interrupting, Ana brought the subject back to what they had come to discuss. “You’re positive Mila wanted that brand… Marlboros?”

“Yeah. Said they were for her brother. Appeared kinda nervous, but I just put it down to her lying. Another thing, the kid was filthy, her long hair a mess of tangles, worse than someone living in the campgrounds. And you know what some of those idiots can look like after a week in the bush.”

Nash broke into the conversation. “Please tell me they’ve restricted open fires in those campgrounds.”

“Of course.” Nan glared at him as if he’d asked a dumb question and shouldn’t have. “There’s a huge fine for anyone breaking that rule, and the Rangers are enforcing it bigtime.”

“Good. It’s a tinderbox out there right now. I’m surprised you haven’t had any wildfires yet.”

“Oh, we have. But smaller ones they’ve been able to contain. We’re all pretty savvy, especially the full-time residents.”

While they talked, Ana took a moment to survey the bar area and saw what she’d been praying for. “You have a camera pointing at the customers. Can we look at the footage for the day you say Mila was here?”

“Sure can.” In minutes, Nan returned with her laptop and rewound to the day in question. “Let’s see. It was about four in the afternoon. Yep. Here she is. The skinny girl with the wild, unwashed hair.” Nan pointed to the teenager. “See what I mean, she’s not old enough to be buying cigs. Don’t know why her brother didn’t come in hisself.”

The brown hair in question made it hard to see her features. Of course, the fact that she kept her face down didn’t help either.

“Her teeth are crooked. I remember now. And she had on long-sleeves when the temps were over a hundred. Hotter’n the Hades of hell out there, and that girl had been bundled up like it was a winter day. Fishy… if’n you ask me.”

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