“I talk to everyone, but I got no time to chat,” he replied. “Every night is crazy busy, but Fridays and Saturdays are insane. These members fork out big bucks to get first-class service, so we smile and we serve ‘em.”
“Did you ever see anyone single April out, you know, try to get to know her or ask her out?”
“April was pretty, so sometimes I’d overhear a guy say something, you know, like hitting on her. She never responded.” A sad smile touched his eyes. “She was a good person. She didn’t deserve to die.”
“No, she didn’t,” Emerson said.
“You took a few days off in April,” Nikki said. “The fifteenth and sixteenth.”
“Yeah, so?” Parker furrowed his brows. “Do I need a lawyer or something?”
Dammit. “Totally up to you. Whatever makes you comfortable.” Emerson leaned back in the chair and grew silent.
“Why those dates?” Parker asked.
“There was another murder around that time,” Nikki answered.
His eyes darted from one detective to the other. “I was with my sister.”
“Great. Can she confirm that?” Nikki pressed.
“Uh, yeah…um…sure.”
“Can I get her name and number?”
As Parker rattled it off, Nikki jotted it down.
“I’m curious,” Emerson said. “You never mentioned your prior conviction.”
Parker swallowed hard. “Oh, boy.”
“Can you tell us what that’s all about?” Nikki asked.
“I broke a restraining order and got arrested. I served my time and learned my lesson.”
Emerson pushed for why he didn’t honor his former girlfriend’s request when she told him no.
As Parker explained, Emerson studied him. He was jittery, but she expected that. She was searching for nonverbal clues that would tell her the real story. He appeared to be telling the truth, but she’d get Nikki’s input.
“I was stupid,” he concluded. “I thought I could change her mind, make her see we were good together. I won’t do that again.”
“How do you know you wouldn’t do that again?” Nikki asked. “I mean, you did say you knew you guys were good together.”
“Prison sobers a guy up, fast. I never wanna go back there.”
“One last question,” Nikki said. “Are you into taking pictures?”
Parker paused, his gaze darting between the women. “Sure.” He held up his phone. “Isn’t everyone?”
“What kind of pics do you take?” Emerson asked.
“Nothing special. A sunset or something funny.”
“What about people?” Nikki asked. “Do you take pictures of people?”
Parker flicked his gaze from one woman to the other. “I think I’m done answering your questions. If you want to question me again, I want a lawyer.”
Emerson walked him out and found Nikki back at her desk. “What do you think?” Emerson asked.
