Relaxer Can Be Murder ©

The smell of fresh baked bread hit them as they walked through the main door to Joey’s Place. The crowd was heavy, as it usually was on a Saturday morning. Dara spotted an empty table on the far side of the restaurant. “Follow me.” She fought her way through the crowd and boldly claimed the spot.
The detective watched her move. He liked what he saw. If he played his cards right, she might be lucky enough to be Mrs. Chuck Thomas.
He sat across from her, somewhat mindful that she was his only potential lead. He opened his notepad and snatched the pen he’d tucked behind his ear. “What’s the spelling of your name, including a middle initial?” he rattled off a few more questions in order to extract personal information from her.
Dara obliged, but wondered how long she could tolerate his attitude.
“Hi Dara,” Brenda Paulson strolled over to their table. “I’m surprised to see you here today. I don’t know what happened next door, but I sure hope it’s nothing serious. Macy’s worked too hard to have someone destroy it. Do you know what happened?”
Detective Thomas held up his hand. “I’m Detective Chuck Thomas, lead homicide detective, and she’s not at liberty to discuss anything relating to the case.”
Brenda’s face paled. “Homicide detective?”