Just then, there was a soft tap at the car window, and Chase rolled it down. It was Joaquin, Father Reilly’s loyal sexton. “You left his in the rectory,” he said, and produced the small notebook Chase always carries with him.
“Oh, jeez,” said Chase. “Thank, Joaquin. You’re a lifesaver.”
“I thought you might need that.” He glanced back. “I didn’t want to ask in there, but have you found out more about what happened to Angel?”
“No, I’m afraid we haven’t,” said the cop as he tucked away his trusty notebook.
“I heard you found her phone in a pond in Bickersfield woods?”
So much for keeping certain elements of the investigation confidential.
“Yeah, well, we’re not sure how it got there,” said Chase reluctantly. He’s one of those cops who like to play their cards close to their vest, and not share too much information with the general public.
“If it helps,” Joaquin continued, “when Angel was at the rectory yesterday, she told me that even though she might have used some harsh words with Francis, she only meant half of them.”
“You talked to Angel? asked Chase, interested.
“Well, when she left she confessed that she only said what she said because she feels that Francis is cutting her mother a raw deal, and she wants him to treat her more fairly. She also doesn’t think her mom would quit her job with Francis. ‘Mom is so attached to that stupid job that it makesme want to scream.’ Those were her exact words.”
“What was her frame of mind?” asked Odelia, leaning over Chase to address the handsome sexton.
“She looked a little frustrated. As if she knew her arguments wouldn’t make much of a difference.”
“Francis thinks she might have run away from home,” said Chase. “Do you think that’s feasible?”
“It certainly wouldn’t be out of character for Angel to pull a stunt like that,” said Joaquin, nodding. “She loves her mom, and she told me she’s fed up that she’s always working, and never home when Angel needs her.”
“Would you happen to know which friend she might be staying with?” asked Odelia.
“Well…” Joaquin thought for a moment. “You might want to try Mariko Jarmusch. She and Angel used to be best friends when they were little. Marigold once told me Mariko and Angel used to spend hours at the rectory, playing hide and seek. It used to drive Marigold crazy. I don’t know if they’re still friends, but maybe it’s worth a shot?”
“Where can we find this Mariko?”
“She works at Dough Knot Bakery on Norfolk Street. That’s how I know—I’m a regular customer there,” he explained with a smile. “Big fan of their chocolate croissants—one of my many vices.”
“Thanks, Joaquin,” said Chase. “You’ve been a big help.”
“We all love that girl, Detective. I’d do anything to see her home safe and sound.” He gave the car door a quick rap with his knuckles, then returned to the rectory with athletic step.
Chase and Odelia shared a look.“I could do with a nice ?clair for dessert,” said Chase, patting his stomach. “You?”
“I’ll see if they’ve got French bread,” said Odelia. “Dad loves some French bread with his soup.”
And so off to the bakery we went.
24
Dough Knot Bakery is one of those places where not only can you buy bread and pastry galore, but you can also consume it on the spot, as they have a tearoom attached to the main shoppe. But since it was almost time to go home and have dinner, Odelia and Chase decided to forgo this opportunity to top up their blood sugar, and instead got straight to the point. This they did by asking the girl at the counter if she was Mariko Jarmusch, Angel’s childhood friend. The girl answered in the affirmative, and stood looking at the cop and his civilian consultant with wide-eyed anticipation. A lot of people, when they have their first brush with the law, display this same response: immediately images of being arrested flash before their mind’s eye, even though they’re absolutely sure they haven’t done anything wrong.
“We just want to ask you a couple of questions,” Chase proceeded to put the girl at ease.
So she bellowed,“Frank! Can you take over for a minute!”
And when Frank, who turned out to be a pimple-faced youth of about twelve years old, arrived to take over Mariko’s duties as salesperson, she took us to a table located near the window, and Chase and Odelia launched into the interview.
“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but Angel Church is missing since last night,” Odelia introduced the theme, “and now we’re talking to all of her friends, hoping they can shed some light on where she might be.”
“I’m not a friend of Angel,” Mariko said curtly.
“Oh, but I thought…”
“We used to be friends, until she pulled a dirty trick on me.”
“Dirty trick?”
Mariko, who was a round-faced young woman with bright red hair, was chewing a piece of gum so vigorously I thought it must have personally insulted her.“She stole my boyfriend. Me and Cody Szulc had been going steady for six weeks—coincidentally the longest relationship of my life—and Angel knew I was crazy about that boy, but still she decided to hook up with him after cheerleader practice. And then she had the gall to pretend nothing happened, when it was Cody himself who told me she’d allowed him to go to second base behind the bleachers. So no, Detective. Angel Church is not my friend, and frankly I don’t care what happens to her.”
“When did this thing with Angel and Cody happen?” asked Odelia, suppressing a smile.
“Two years ago.”
“So you would have been, what, sixteen?”
“Seventeen!” said Mariko, her eyes blazing. Clearly the trauma hadn’t yet healed.
“And you haven’t talked to her since?”
“I told her exactly what I thought of her, and that’s the last time we talked.”
“So you don’t know where Angel could be?”
“No, I don’t. Though actually, yeah. She’s probably with that sleazy boyfriend of hers. Matteo Drews.”
“Matteo Drews?” asked Chase, immediately jotting down the name.
“Yeah, total sleazeball.”
“You know this Matteo, do you?”
“Oh, sure. He used to have the hots for me, but I wouldn’t let a guy like that anywhere near me. Of course Angel isn’t so picky. That slut would let any idiot feel her up.”
“Is that how you would characterize Angel?” asked Odelia. “As a slut?”
“Absolutely. That sneaky slut stole my boyfriend, and she didn’t even have the decency to own up to it, or apologize.”
“And did she steal Matteo from someone, too?” asked Chase, trying to keep track.
Mariko shrugged.“I heard that Carmel had the hots for the guy. Don’t ask me why.”
“That would be Carmel…”
“Carmel Kraft. Angel’s new bestie. The weird thing is that Matteo doesn’t even like girls. Everybody knows he’s into boys. So when Angel and him hooked up it took us all by surprise.”
“Oh, so you all still meet, socially I mean?”
She gave Chase a look as if figuring he wasn’t too smart for a cop. “Hampton Cove is a small town, Detective. So it’s hard not to meet people, even a slut like Angel Church.”
“Were you one of the girls she hung out with last night?”
“Nope. No way. Though I did see them as I left the Cocky Cauldron. I ignored her, of course, and she ignored me. We’re not on speaking terms.”
“Could you give us the names of some of her friends?”
Mariko glanced up at the ceiling.“Carmel Kraft, Amy Ollermann, Beatrice Felag, Jody Huix. Oh, and Bridget Elfman.” She frowned. “Yeah, I think that’s it. Except Carmel’s boyfriend Wesley Trygar was also with them. Total creep, Wesley.”
“She seems to have a strong opinion on things, Max,” Dooley commented.
“Yeah, she’s very outspoken,” I agreed.
“So where can we find some of these people?” asked Odelia.