Harlequin Intrigue April 2021--Box Set 2 of 2, Carol Ericson [good book recommendations TXT] 📗

Rachel nodded. “I get it.”

Jake had no doubt she did. Despite her punk rock appearance, Rachel struck him as conscientious. “So, if you have any idea where you lost the phone, your last usage, if anyone seemed interested in your phone—that’s going to help us find that person.”

Billy crossed his ankle over his knee. “We’re also getting your phone records, so knowing your last text or call before the phone went missing might help you pinpoint that time.”

“I can tell you, it was somewhere on Melrose.” She gripped the arms of the chair. “I worked yesterday, almost all day. I got coffee, I got lunch, I stopped in another clothing store where my friend works.”

“All on Melrose.” Jake had dipped into his pocket for his notebook. He liked taking notes the old-fashioned way, and a lot of people didn’t want to be recorded.

“Yes, I can tell you which stores I entered. I must’ve lost it at one of those places because I had it when I came into work, and I noticed it missing when I left work around three o’clock in the afternoon. I never use my phone at work, so I suppose someone could’ve stolen it from my bag here.” She circled her finger in the air. “As you probably already know, there are a lot of cameras in this area.”

Jake and Billy exchanged a look. Rachel was practically doing their job for them.

“Can you tell us the names of the stores and the times?” Jake’s pen hovered over his notepad.

“Uncommon Grounds at ten o’clock when I got in.” She raised her eyes to the ceiling. “Eat A Pita at around noon for lunch, and another stop at Uncommon Grounds for a frap to get through the rest of my workday, and a quick stop at Jenny’s, where my friend works.”

“Did you use your phone to make any purchases?”

“No, just my debit card.”

Jake tapped his pen against his notebook. “That’s really helpful, Rachel. We can scan the CCTV footage near those places, around those times, and see if we can spot anyone in your vicinity.”

“Glad I could help. My mom’s upset with me because she thinks I was careless with my phone, which my parents pay for, but I’ve never lost my phone before. I think someone definitely stole it, turned it off so it couldn’t be tracked from the time he stole it, and then turned it back on to make the...call. Can you tell me what the call was about?”

“No, I’m sorry. We can’t.” Billy fished in his pocket and handed her his card as he struggled out of the piercing chair. “Give us a call if you find the phone, or if anything else out of the ordinary happens.”

“Out of the ordinary?” The corner of her eye twitched. “Is this person dangerous?”

“I don’t think you’re in any danger, Rachel.” Jake added his card to Billy’s. “One more thing. You do nose piercings here?”

“We do.”

“Do you keep records?”

“My boss wouldn’t have it any other way.” She pushed to her feet and pulled back her shoulders. “What do you need?”

Jake shoved his notebook into his pocket. “If we gave you a time period and a name, could your records tell us if that person got her nose pierced here?”

“I’m sure we could.” She dove through the curtain, sending the beads into a frenzy. “Gustavo, I need to look up piercings from...” She twisted her head over her shoulder.

Jake responded. “About two weeks ago, a nose piercing.”

“Check the credit card receipts, chica. It’s all there.” Gustavo folded his hands with his black-painted fingernails on the counter. “Has she been giving you the third degree?”

“I’m afraid it was the other way around.” Jake cocked his head. “What do you mean? Rachel’s been really helpful.”

Gustavo lifted his narrow shoulders and spread his hands. “Rachel wants to be a cop.”

“You do?” Jake studied Rachel behind the counter, rummaging through a drawer.

A color the same hue as her lipstick rushed into her cheeks. “Maybe eventually. I have one more semester at Santa Monica College where I’ve been studying criminal justice before I get my AA degree. I’d like to get my BA under my belt before I think about being a cop.”

“What about Dispatch?” Jake rubbed his chin. Dispatch could always use calm, professional, smart people. “I think you’d do great there.”

“Really?” Her voice squeaked. “That would be like taking calls?”

“Yeah.” He tapped his card, which she’d put on the glass counter. “Give me a call if you’re interested. Seriously, I could get you an interview.”

Rachel’s dark eyes sparkled as she returned to her task.

Jake asked, “What if she paid cash?”

“The receipt wouldn’t be there for cash. We could print those from the register, but they wouldn’t tell you anything.” Gustavo flicked his fingers in the air. “Nobody pays cash anymore.”

Rachel pulled out a stack of receipts between her long fingernails and waved them back and forth. “Okay, two weeks ago. We’re looking at the end of August into September for credit card purchases.”

“Do those receipts cover those dates?” Jake held out his hand.

Rachel’s fingers curled around the receipts, crumpling them at the edges, before she slapped them into his palm. “Yep. Nose is nose piercing and NP is nipple piercing to distinguish them.”

Billy hovered over Jake’s shoulder. “Do you get a lot of requests for those nipple piercings?”

“Why? You interested?” Rachel’s red lips spread into a wide smile.

Jake smacked Billy on the back. “Yeah, you go in the back with Gustavo while I go through these receipts.”

“I’m not asking for me.” Billy snatched half the receipts from Jake’s hand. “I’ll look at these.”

Jake plucked out all the receipts for nose piercings, checked the dates and looked at the signatures as the receipt didn’t have the cardholder’s name printed on it.

His pulse jumped as he squinted at a large K and a loopy L at the bottom of one of the receipts for a nose piercing.

“Billy, I think I got it. I think