Page 19 of Sleigh My Heart

The man in question kept his eyes on the pint he was pouring. He set it down in front of a skinny man pushing sixty. A regular, no doubt. If his glossy eyes and red nose with a roadmap of blood vessels didn’t give it way, the way his posture molded to the bar stool as if permanently affixed did.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t Cliff. This guy was too tall and thin to be the man from the video.

“Do you see him?” she whispered to Nick.

He shook his head and slapped a twenty on the bar. “I’ll have a beer. In the bottle.”

Trudy popped the cap off the top of a Budweiser and set it on the bar before turning to her.

“I’m looking for someone. Maybe you can help me?” She hooked her thumbs into her belt.

“Have you tried a dating app?” Trudy’s face didn’t flinch.

“Funny. Do you know Cliff Garmen?”

“Nope. Never heard of him.” He clammed up and wiped a damp spot on the bar.

“Really? He put this down as his primary residence.” Nick stood still as a mountain, his beer untouched.

“The only person who lives here is me. I have an apartment in the back.”

“Mind if we check it out?” Michelle asked.

“Got a warrant?”

“I can get one.” With a little more cause. She wouldn’t tell him that.

Trudy’s brows flattened.

Time for a different tactic. “I’ll have a coffee. Black.”

He grabbed a mug, set it in front of her, and filled it.

“We just have a few questions for Mr. Garmen. He’s a person of interest in a case.” She picked up the coffee and blew on it.

Nick stood sentinel next to her. Trudy cut his gaze to him before he spoke.

“Cliff comes in once in a while. I haven’t seen him since the hockey game against Philly. That was a week ago.”

“Do you know where he lives?” This from Nick.

“No. I don’t ask questions.”

“But you do hear things. What did he talk about the last time he was in?” She chanced a sip of the black liquid. Smooth. Surprise crossed her face.

“What, you thought I’d serve shitty coffee? What do you think I drink all day?” He had a point.

“Sorry. This is good.”

“I may look the other way when kids use questionable IDs.” He’s brows rose. Yeah, he remembered them. “But… I don’t snitch.”

“Were any of these guys here the last time Cliff was?”

Michelle startled at Nick’s question.

Trudy huffed out a breath and tipped his head. “Yeah, the two on the end.”

“Thank you.” She set down her coffee and followed Nick to the two men with the mountain of pull tabs in front of them.