The Other One.
Someone is involved in a murder case, someone who knew Maura, and someone who they never expected to find there.
"The body is down there, by the stage" the woman said letting Jane and her team into the lounge. Jane looked around, it was a small room for a bar, dim lights and a large stage fitted with poles and lights, obviously a place girls danced at night for the entertainment of men. She pulled on her gloves as the chief medical examiner Maura walked in carrying her case. "Hey Maura, the vic's down there" she said pointing at the body on the floor, from where she was stood she had no doubt he was a very large man, bald and from what he was wearing he was more than likely a business man who had come looking to get his fix of young women. "I'll see if we can find a witness". Maura nodded and walked down to the victim to begin her examination as Jane walked off to the barmaid. "Was anyone here last night who saw what happened?" the barmaid a young woman with long black hair and black eyeliner nodded chewing her gum. "Yeah the dancers where there, on stage when he went. I think one of them is still here in the back, she's always here early to rehearse, from what I heard she was pretty shaken up about it. She's known as Aphrodite but her real name is Claire. I'll go get her for you" she muttered walking off behind the bar and round behind the curtain on the stage. Jane looked around at her team working, Korsak was down by the body, her brother Frankie was on the door taking a statement from the bouncer.
The barmaid returned followed by a petite woman in a silken robe, she had beautiful long blonde hair in a plait and beautiful brown eyes, she looked almost slightly familiar to Jane but she couldn't place why. "Y-you wanted to see me?" she spoke looking at the detective, she was nervous but Jane could detect a British accent in her voice and she was obviously well spoken.
"Yeah" Jane responded taking out her notebook. "I heard you were on stage when the guy went down, can you tell me what happened?"
Claire nodded.
"I'm not really sure myself detective, I sing on the stage at night and last night I was singing, he was a regular I know that much though I couldn't tell you his name he always brought flowers and a bottle of wine with him for the performers after the act. Last night I couldn't see much when the lights are on you're pretty blind on the stage, I just remember hearing a commotion, the music stopping and someone shouting he's dead! I was taken off stage by security and calmed down. I didn't know it was him until later in the night when the bar was clear." She rubed her hand up her arm.
"He was a really nice man, unlike some of our other … guests, he was always such a gentleman to us." She smiled gently looking at the detective. "I'm sorry I can't tell you more".
Jane smiled.
"Thanks Claire can I take your phone number in case we need to talk to you more? And can I also ask what your last na-"
"CLAIRE!" Jane spun round to see Maura had returned up the steps and was looking at the woman with a look of shock and confusion.
"Maura you know her?" Jane asked.
"I should do… she's my sister".