Chapter 40
I STOPPED CINDY as we walked toward the entrance. “Remember, this is the same place where Tina Barnes worked. This Nicole tipster and Tina’s murder could be completely unrelated. But let’s be careful.”
Cindy took a moment, like she was just trying to decide what to do. She said, “I don’t want to screw up a homicide investigation.”
“What a very un-reporter-like thing to say,” I teased her. “But I’m on board with us talking to this witness.”
We opened the door and were instantly smacked by a wave of loud music.
It took me a few seconds to recognize the song as Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” When the door closed behind us, I was shocked at how dark the inside of the club was.
I followed along a wall that had shag carpet plastered to it.
There was no bouncer and no one checking IDs at the door.
Behind the bar, a young woman working in a bikini glanced up but virtually ignored us.
I looked toward the main stage. Somehow a woman had managed to find a way to dance to Nirvana.
She definitely had the attention of the thirty or so patrons.
I noticed at least four women in the crowd.
The club had an additional five people sitting on stools.
Cindy marched along the bar. I followed just to keep the possibility of a bar fight down. When she was adjacent to the bartender, Cindy spoke in a very loud voice to be heard over the music. “Is Allison Weaver working today?”
The young woman behind the bar cocked her head and said, “Who?”
Cindy shouted, “Allison Weaver!”
Then the bartender nodded and said, “Oh, Allie. Yeah, she’s in the back office.” She pointed to the end of the bar and made a motion that we should turn left.
We found the little hallway that led back to a door with a sign: OFFICE / NO PATRONS ALLOWED. Cindy rapped on the door, but we had no way of knowing if she could be heard over the music. Cindy knocked a little harder.
When there was still no reply, I reached past Cindy and tried the doorknob. It was unlocked. We stepped into a hallway with a series of open office doors. Inside the first office, a woman wearing a colorful, long-sleeved blouse looked up from a desk.
She took off her glasses and said, “You’re not supposed to be back here.” It wasn’t nasty; it was just a comment. I looked more closely at her and realized she was really young, possibly still in her teens.
Cindy said, “We’re looking for Allison Weaver.”
“I’m Allie. Who are you guys?”
We both introduced ourselves, and I showed Allie my badge and official ID. We told her we were here concerning her tip about Nicole Snaff. She didn’t seem surprised or upset. We took seats in front of her desk.
The first question I asked was about her work. “What’s your role here? You seem young to be a manager.”
“No, I do all the advertisement and marketing.”
“Do you have a background in marketing?”
“I’m still in school, at City College. Once you get past the loud music and fake boobs, this place pays pretty well.”
“I hear you’re from San Julio originally,” Cindy said.
“Walnut Creek, actually. I graduated last year, so I was a year ahead of Nicole. But I played her in games and tournaments all the time. Both soccer and volleyball. So I totally recognized her when I saw her a couple of weeks ago.”
I said, “Tell us about that. Where were you when you saw Nicole?”
“I was headed to the food court at Stonestown. As I was going up an escalator, I looked over and she was coming down. I called her name, and she turned immediately—then as soon as she recognized me, she turned away again. But it was definitely Nicole Snaff.”
“Was she with anyone, or was she alone?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did she look healthy?”
“I guess so. I mean, she didn’t look strung out or anything.
She just looked normal, like the girl I used to play soccer with.
But it was weird, you know? So I mentioned it to another high school friend, and she told me that Nicole’s been missing.
I looked it up and saw the news stories online.
That’s when I called the San Julio police.
They were the only ones with a number listed to call. ”
I changed subjects. “Did you know Tina Barnes?”
“You mean Cheyenne?” Allie was quick to put the cases together. “Ohmigod, do you think her murder is somehow connected to Nicole?”
“Not right now. But I did notice that Tina worked here. Did you know her?”
“No, not really. I’m only in the building during the day, and I don’t really interact with the dancers or club staff.
But everyone here has been talking about what happened to Cheyenne.
It’s so scary. I didn’t tell my mom and dad anything about it, though, because I know if they heard, they’d want me to move back to Walnut Creek. ”
Cindy and I talked with Allie for a little while longer, then headed out. We hadn’t made much progress, but talking with Allie had convinced me that Nicole Snaff was alive and somewhere in or around San Francisco. We just had to figure out how to find her.