The Murder Show

CHAPTER 18

Maya all but crashes through the doors of the station finding everyone waiting for them in the reception area. "WHAT HAPPENED?" She growls out.

Ruiz and Vasquez look between each other wide eyed. "She, um, we... We went to the deli, and she needed to use the restroom, and obviously there's only 1 door so we waited for her..."

"WHERE?" Maya barks, noting how the two officers look between themselves. "WHERE DID YOU WAIT?" She repeats.

Vasquez sighs. "In the cruiser out the front. But we were RIGHT outside the door, there's no way anyone coul-"

Maya cuts him off. "BUT THEY DID! Do you understand what close protection and eyes on mean? Did what happened at the bar teach you NOTHING?!" Maya screams at them before turning to Amelia, Teddy and Miranda. "Have any of you got anything from her?" She almost pleads.

Amelia shakes her head, eyes watery with fear. "I've been trying to call her since Officer Ruiz called you, but nothing." She says shakily. "What do we do? You have to find her, please."

Maya nods. "I know, we will." She runs a hand through her hair, desperately trying to focus on the facts right now, and not the who. If she does, she may break down.

"You two..." Andy says, speaking for the first time as she stands in front of the two uniformed officers. "Get your asses back to the station. I want a full report on my desk on this in the next hour. And you can bet Lieutenant Sullivan will be hearing about this." She says sternly.

Andy then turns to the three radio station employees. "We need to go to the deli, and see if we can get any information, and then back to the station." She holds out her card. "Call me THE SECOND you hear anything - if she calls you. The. Second. That clear?" She says.

"Of course." Teddy says taking the card. "And let us know as soon as you have any information. Please." She says to the detectives.

Maya nods simply, a frown on her face. Andy nods offering a small 'will do' as they leave.

___

Their car pulls up to the deli, the tyres screeching as they come to a stop, Maya not even waiting for the car to fully stop before she is opening the passenger side door and running into the deli. "Detective Bishop. I need to speak to the manager. NOW." Maya says, showing her badge.

A nervous looking cashier nods darting into the back appears seconds later with a man in a short sleeved shirt with the company logo on. "I'm Stephen, the manager. Can I help you?" He asks.

Maya nods, as Andy walks in joining them and introducing herself. Maya produces a photo of Carina on her phone. "Have you seen this woman today? She came in around an hour ago?" She asks.

He leans forward looking at the screen, before nodding. "Yeah, Dr... something right? From the radio? She comes in here most weeks for one of our Italian sandwiches." He says.

"Did you see her today?" Andy asks.

He frowns "Um yeah... Why? She in trouble? She do something?" He asks.

They ignore his question. "Did you see her leave?" Maya asks.

He thinks for a minute and then shakes his head. "Um, not that I recall..."

"Do you have CCTV?" Maya immediately asks.

He nods. "Sure do, covering the counter and register." He says.

Maya grits her teeth. "What about the doors?"

The man shakes his head. "No sorry... We did but the camera's covering the front and back door got busted a few weeks ago, mindless vandalism." He sighs. "Haven't got around to replacing 'em yet."