An hour later, Nick and Christian found themselves canvassing the neighborhood surrounding the crime scene. They moved methodically, knocking on doors, questioning homeowners and passersby. But with each conversation, their frustration grew. No one seemed to have seen or heard anything unusual on that fateful evening. The night's secrets remained stubbornly hidden.
As they neared the end of their route, the detectives' eyes fell upon the Green Vault bar. It stood just a stone's throw from where Rose's body had been discovered. Perhaps here, they thought, they might finally find a witness. From the outside, the establishment was unremarkable – a dark facade devoid of windows, with only a bright green neon sign above the door to announce its presence.
Stepping inside, Nick and Christian were immediately struck by the bar's gloomy atmosphere. The air was thick and stuffy, carrying the lingering scents of stale beer and fried food. The green walls, clearly an attempt at creating ambiance, seemed to cheapen the interior instead. Dim lights cast long shadows, their weak glow barely illuminating the dark brown, round wooden tables and chairs scattered throughout the space.
The bar staff, mostly young women, moved about in black pants and green t-shirts emblazoned with the establishment's name. At the center of the room stood a large, dark bar counter. Behind it, a peculiar-looking bartender in the same green uniform was lining up a row of glasses, preparing drinks with mechanical precision. Monotonous music droned in the background, barely audible over the low murmur of the sparse crowd.
Nick's eyes scanned the room, searching for surveillance cameras. To his dismay, he found none. He noticed the patrons eyeing them curiously, whispered conversations dying down as they passed. It wasn't long before a blonde woman with a short haircut approached them. She wore all black, a small silver stud glinting in her nose.
"Can I help you gentlemen?" she asked, her voice tinged with nervousness. "I'm Evelyn, the manager here."
Nick flashed his badge discreetly. "Detective Nick Larsen, and this is my colleague, Christian Basher. We'd like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind."
Evelyn nodded, gesturing towards a table tucked away in a corner beneath the stairs. "Of course. Let's sit over there, away from prying eyes and ears. We don't get many police visitors here, and I'd rather not alarm the customers."
Nick and Christian settled into chairs on one side of the table, while Evelyn took a seat across from them, her hands clasped nervously on the tabletop.
"We appreciate your cooperation, Evelyn," Nick began, his tone professional but not unkind. "Two days ago, a young woman named Rose Saltano was found dead near your bar. We're wondering if you might have seen her here that night."
Nick produced his phone, pulling up a photo of Rose. Evelyn leaned in, studying the image carefully.
"I wasn't working two nights ago," she said slowly, her brow furrowed in concentration. "But I've seen this girl before. She came in with friends a while back, drinking mulled wine."
