Purrfect Guitar (The Mysteries of Max Book 80) by Nic Saint

Author:Nic Saint [Saint, Nic]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Puss in Books
Published: 2024-03-23T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 34

We found Luke Boynes, the man who ran the Charlie Dieber fan club, in the fitness club where he worked. As expected, he was the same Luke we’d met before. The bespectacled, scrawny young man wasn’t a personal trainer but worked in the admin department, where he mainly busied himself with keeping the customer database fully up to date. When we entered the office, he looked up in surprise, since customers mostly aren’t allowed a peek behind the curtain of their cherished fitness club.

“Detective,” he said, adjusting his glasses. “Can I… can I help you?”

“We need to ask you a few more questions, Mr. Boynes,” said Chase.

The deer-in-the-headlights look was one I’d seen many times before, but it was particularly strong in this one. “O-o-of course,” he stuttered as he rose from behind his computer.

“Mr. Boynes?” said Odelia in kindlier tones.

“Y-y-yes?”

“Last time we spoke you didn’t mention that you knew the victim.”

“B-b-but I didn’t—I don’t.”

“You didn’t know Doug O’Connor?”

His eyes widened even more. “That was Doug?”

Odelia nodded. “You didn’t recognize him?”

He blinked a few times. “I-I-I’m afraid I didn’t take a good look at the b-b-body. So t-t-that person I saw—the dead person I saw—that was…” He gulped. “That was Doug?”

“I’m afraid so. And since his death has been qualified as suspicious, we’re conducting an official investigation into the circumstances. Did you know him well?”

“I did,” he said, sinking back into his chair. “Doug worked for Charlie, and I run Charlie’s fan club, and in that capacity, Doug and I worked closely together.”

Chase had given up waiting for a chair to be offered, so he grabbed one himself and sat down, taking out his notebook. “When did you last see Mr. O’Connor?” he asked, shifting into full interrogation mode.

“Um… I guess… I last saw him… yesterday?” He nodded to himself. “Yes, yesterday. I’d gone out to the house to collect a special collector’s edition of one of Charlie’s records and also a stack of autographed photographs. We’re running a giveaway, and the photographs and the record are the main prizes.”

“And how did he seem to you?” asked Odelia.

“Fine,” said Luke immediately. “I mean, he seemed his usual self.” He dragged a hand through his hair. “God, I can’t believe this. This is so… I mean, it’s… And you’re saying his death was… suspicious?”

“Doug was murdered,” said Chase dryly.

“Murdered! My God! But who… I mean why… I mean how…”

“What kind of person would you say Doug was, Luke?” asked Odelia.

“He was very kind. Very sweet. And very loyal to Charlie. He had started out as a fan and had worked himself up to his current position and was doing a great job. Charlie once told me in confidence that Doug was the best personal assistant he’d ever had, and that was saying something, as he’d gone through several before he landed on Doug. It’s not easy to be the PA to a star of Charlie’s caliber. Lots of late nights and eighty-hour working weeks. But Doug never complained. Said it was an honor to work for the world’s greatest pop star.

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