Death on a Short Leash Read Online Free PDF Page A

Paula completely naked except for a sparkling G-string.
    Maggie was still recovering from the act when the manager approached and threw Nat’s card down on the table. “What d’ya want?”
    â€œYou know her?” Nat asked, showing the man Johanna’s photo.
    The man picked it up. “Maybe. Who’s asking?”
    â€œShe’s missing,” Nat answered.
    â€œYou the cops?”
    â€œNo. We’ve been hired to find her.”
    â€œThat little bitch has caused me a lot of trouble. I’ve got her billed as part of my International Revue —Heidi from Holland.”
    He sighed. “The clients loved her, with those long blonde braids and that innocent schoolgirl look . . . went over great with them.”
    â€œAnd she stripped?” Maggie asked, awed.
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œWhen did you see her last?” Nat asked.
    â€œCouple of weeks ago. Must’ve been around the second of September.”
    â€œDidn’t you wonder where she’d gone?” Nat asked.
    â€œSure. I was steamed, but I figure she’d gone off to strut her stuff someplace else!”
    â€œCan we speak to some of the girls backstage?”
    â€œI dunno ’bout that.” But another folded bill changed hands, and the manager tilted his head for them to follow him backstage. Banging on the door of a dressing room, he flung it open to reveal several girls sitting in front of makeup mirrors. “This gent wants to talk to you about Heidi.” He turned to Nat. “Make it snappy. They’re due back on the stage in ten minutes.”
    â€œShe’s gone for good, eh?” Gretel asked. “Can’t say I blame her. He’s a pig to work for.”
    â€œShe didn’t say anything to you about leaving?” Maggie asked.
    â€œHeidi was very quiet.” Maggie turned to the speaker, a dark-haired girl dressed in a multicoloured Mexican skirt—and little else. “But she had a boyfriend,” she continued. “He usually picked her up as soon as the show was over.” She bent to stroke the chihuahua that sat shivering on a velvet cushion at her feet.
    â€œWhat a cute little dog,” Maggie exclaimed.
    â€œChi-Chi. He’s part of my act,” the girl explained. Maggie couldn’t even imagine what part the poor little thing played.
    â€œDid any of you get to know her well?” Nat asked.
    â€œNot really,” the girl billed as Gretel answered. “She always acted like we wasn’t good enough for her.” Maggie noted that all the girls had Canadian accents. So much for international flavour.
    Just as they were about to leave the dressing room, Maggie asked, “What did the man who picked Johanna up look like?”
    â€œNever really got to see him, did we, Conchita?”
    â€œNo. Always waited in his car out back.”
    â€œDo you think he could have been blond?”
    â€œNaw,” Gretel said. “He looked dark-haired to me.”
    After thanking the girls and leaving one of their cards, Maggie and Nat left the club and headed back to Kitsilano. “Well!” Nat remarked as he pulled up in front of Maggie’s house. “And to think her parents had no idea.”

CHAPTER THREE
    â€œS o,” Nat asked the following morning, “did you sleep well after your night on the town?”
    â€œI’ll never be able to look another dove in the face,” Maggie answered, laughing. “But that nightclub sure puts another face on Johanna Evans’ disappearance.” She paused as she looked down at the list in front of her. “I’ve been looking over the names that Marie left for us. I think the vet, Dr. Carl Williams, would be the one to start with. Then there’s a girlfriend, Sandra Owens, and a boyfriend, Hans Van Dyke.”
    â€œGive the vet a call,” Nat said, “and make an appointment for one of us to go around there.”
    Maggie nodded and reached for the