Tea Cups and Carnage (18 page)

“And why are you so concerned about where someone is living? He put his hand on my arm and stopped our progress to get my attention before we continued. “Please tell me you’re not trying to investigate this murder.”

“Of course not, I just thought it was interesting, that’s all.” The lie felt heavy in my mouth. Thinking about my conversations with Kathi and Darla, I knew I’d been investigating all along. Especially after I found out the dead guy was Kathi’s cousin. Something in all this craziness wasn’t adding up right and I wanted to get it solved.

I had actually written up a suspects pool in my notebook. The only thing I hadn’t done was label the page “people who could have killed Darryl.”

As we continued our path down to the beach, I wondered if I’d ever stop my investigations. I knew it was a bone of contention between Greg and me. Was it my fault that I found things interesting and wanted to learn as much as I could?

The kiss he gave me when he left me at the food truck was brief and I could tell we both felt like there were things unspoken, but we didn’t have time for a real fight, and I wasn’t sure what I’d say if Greg gave me an ultimatum.

If I didn’t stop sleuthing, would we have to break up?

I let the food truck door slam behind me as I entered and Sasha spilled coffee on her hand as she jumped.

“Ouch.” She sat the cup down and grabbed a napkin as she looked at me. “Are you okay?”

I shook my head, tears filling my eyes. I so wasn’t okay, but I didn’t want to talk about it. I didn’t even want to think about it. I found a napkin, wiped my eyes, and as Aunt Jackie would say, bucked up. Which basically meant quit being emotional and just do the job at hand. The relationship stuff could wait for another day. “Fine, I’m just tired.”

Sasha seemed to consider this as she handed the now-full cup to the waiting customer. “Enjoy the festival,” she called out the window, then she turned to me. “Mercury is in retrograde. Which means you shouldn’t make any decisions about relationships or business ventures until after the 20th.”

I poured a cup of coffee for myself and leaned against the counter, looking at her. “I didn’t know you believed in all this horoscope stuff. Or have you been talking to Esmeralda?”

I would have sworn that Sasha blushed at that question, but with her dark skin tone, I couldn’t really tell. I did see her gaze drop and she grabbed a rag, washing up a spill that I couldn’t see. “So, yeah, I went and got a reading the other day. She had come into the store and when she touched me, she said that things were happening in my life that we needed to explore.”

“I wish I could do that to sell coffee.” I sipped the dark brew, letting the warmth ease out the crazy I’d felt just a few minutes ago. Sometimes just saying nothing was the best response to a problem.

“Don’t tease. It was really helpful for me to sort out some things that had been bothering me. I wasn’t sure what was happening in my world and when she told me that the climate was wrong to make any big decisions, I realized she was right.” Sasha squared her shoulders. “And I think the advice can be given to you as well. You looked ready to shoot a bear when you walked in, and I know you and Greg just had dinner together.”

“We did. And nothing’s wrong.” I put my coffee down and grabbed the closing checklist that Aunt Jackie had modified for the truck.

Sasha shrugged. “If you say so. Just remember, no big decisions.”

“Until after the 20th. I get it.” I didn’t like being snippy, but even if I put on a happy face, Sasha would see through it. That’s what happens when you work closely with someone. They know your moods. And this was one time I didn’t want to examine my feelings even if it meant keeping my co-worker at arm’s length.
Greg and I are fine
became my mantra as I worked through the check list. And as I finished the close, I’d almost convinced myself of the fact.

Almost.

Toby came into the truck right at nine. He grabbed a cookie from the display and leaned against the counter, right where I’d been two hours ago with my conversation with Sasha. The truck wasn’t that big, so leaning areas were limited.

“What are you doing here?” I had just turned off the last machine and was putting the cash register money into a bag.

“Greg gave me a dinner break and told me about the leftovers in my fridge. Since I’m heading that way, I thought I’d walk you home.” He pointed to the coffeepot I’d just turned off. “Did you dump that yet? I could use a refill.”

“Go ahead. I was just about to shut it down for the night.” I looked around the small kitchen and grabbed my tote. I knew I needed to ask him about the bank bag in the apartment, but maybe this wasn’t the right time. Not that I thought Toby would go all serial killer crazy on me, but stranger things have happened. “Dump whatever’s left and let’s go.”

I’d closed up the outside of the truck and was just locking up the windows when he came out, turning out the lights as he left. He held out his hand. “Give me the keys and I’ll lock the door.”

“I can do it.” I moved in between him and the closed door and turned the last lock. The truck had been vandalized once before I’d bought it. One of the things I’d had done at the truck was being repainted from the cheery Good For You Desserts truck that never opened, was to get all new locks installed. Now, Aunt Jackie and I had the only keys, besides the one I left in the shop for whoever was opening the truck.

“Fine. Just don’t tell my mom. She’d be upset to find out that I didn’t act like a gentleman.”

We walked toward the house in silence. Finally, Toby looked up at the stars. “Nice night.”

“You don’t have to make small talk.” I looked over at him. “I appreciate you walking me home, but it really was unnecessary.”

“Like I said, I was heading this way.” He shrugged. “You’re in a mood.”

“I’m not in a mood,” I snapped back. Okay, so maybe I was. Taking a deep breath, “Sorry, I’m beat and grumpy.”

“So is my other boss. You two have a fight?” We crossed the highway and now headed up the small hill to my house. The county had put sidewalks all the way from Diamond Lille’s to the highway for easier access to the beach for tourists. I also appreciated not having to share the side of the road with traffic.

“No, we didn’t have a fight.” That much was true. We probably would have one in future, but as for tonight, there had been no argument. Just the unease that things were a little off between the two of us. “Mercury in retrograde,” I murmured.

“Oh, don’t you start that too.” He groaned as we turned into my driveway and we paused at the gate to the front yard. “Sasha’s been out of sorts for a month now, blaming it all on this retrograde stuff. I’ll be glad when the darn thing moves.”

That made me smile. Before I opened the gate, I turned to look at him. “Greg put some leftover chicken in your fridge tonight. And found one of our deposit bags.” I paused, waiting for his reaction.

“Cool. I’m starving and I didn’t want to have to go get something.” He stepped toward the shed, but noticed I was still standing there with my hand on the gate latch. “So what’s the other shoe that’s got you all wound up?”

“Why did you have a bank bag on your table?”

Toby grinned. “It’s been there for over a week. Every morning I swear I’m going to take it to the shop and it’s still sitting there when I get home. Lately, it’s been a contest to see when I’d finally remember to bring it back.” He groaned. “Jackie’s not upset about the deposit slips not being put into the cash register like we’re supposed to, is she?”

“You knew about the deposit slip policy?” I swore as soon as this weekend was over, my aunt and I were having a sit-down where we talked about all the rules she’d developed for the shop. I was tired of being out of the loop. I pushed the thought away. I was getting distracted. “No, she’s upset because one of the deposits didn’t hit the shop’s account.”

“Wait, you’re saying that shop money was stolen?” He put a hand on his cell. “We should call Greg.”

“Hold on. I don’t have all the facts yet. But it looks like the missing deposit was one of the two in your bank bag.” I could see him physically react.

“Good, I would hate to think we had a thief in the area.” He looked toward his apartment and I was certain his mind was back on the chicken. I needed to ask the question.

“Toby, did you put a $3000 check from the city into your account?”

He had started walking to the shed but my question stopped him cold. “You think I took the money?”

“You didn’t answer my question.” I wasn’t going to apologize. I had a right to know.

He looked at me for a long time. “No Jill, I didn’t put any money that’s not my own into my account. I won’t steal from you or anyone.”

With that he turned away and walked to the apartment, pulling out his key and entering without another word.

And I felt like a heel. I went into the house and locked the front door. I let Emma out for a quick potty break before we trudged upstairs with a book and a bottle of water. I was done for the day. If I kept having conversations about missing money with my staff, pretty soon I’d be back to working all by myself. I could still hear the music playing out on the beach and I wondered when Greg would pull the cop card and have them shut down. I glanced at my clock, it was already ten-thirty and the last band had been scheduled to end by ten. But the music was nice as it floated into my bedroom on the evening breeze and I fell asleep listening to the eighties cover band that somehow knew all my favorite songs.

* * * *

The alarm blared in my ears and I kept trying to turn it off, but then I realized I was still dreaming. This time, I sat up in bed and took the alarm into my hands. I thought about pitching it across the room, but just turned it off, knowing that tomorrow I’d have a day away from the shop.

A day crowded with errands, but at least I didn’t have to juggle the truck and the shop today. One last day for the truck, then we’d park it until the next festival. But before we opened for the fourth of July, I’d make sure we had hired another part-timer or two. Aunt Jackie and I were going to have this talk about more staffing or the truck would stay parked. I was beat.

I let Emma out, poured a cup of coffee and headed back upstairs for a long, hot shower. I didn’t have to open the truck until nine, so I had some time to properly caffeinate myself as well as enjoy the Sunday paper. Typically, Greg hung around on Sunday’s and we read the paper together, but I didn’t think I’d see him today, no matter that he’d implemented the No-Guilt-Sunday rule. Keeping our distance for a while was probably the best idea.

By eight forty-five I had the truck open for business. Except there weren’t any customers. The partiers from last night were all sleeping in and the festivities for the morning hadn’t started up yet. So I took a book out of my tote and grabbed one of the folding lawn chairs we kept in the storage compartment and sat out in the sun.

I supposed I looked like Austin with his beachside bike rental outlet on most summer weekends. We all knew he wasn’t truly there for the customers, instead just enjoying the sunny California summer morning. I heard the waves crashing on the beach behind me and smiled as I opened the book and got lost in the story.

I didn’t have a single customer until ten, a good hour after our start time, and even then, it was sporadic until noon when people started showing up and ordering iced drinks. I made a note in the notebook I kept in my tote bag to adjust beach sales time, at least on Sundays. That would help with the staffing issues right there. We could open at eleven and not miss too many sales.

Managing the food truck was a different world and I was enjoying learning more about the best practices. It was just killing me trying to keep up with the staffing and extra duties right now. And nothing would really change until fall.

Except in fall I’d be cutting my own hours because I’d be going back to school. Maybe we needed to add more than just a part-time position. I mused over that idea as I served coffee and treats all morning. I was surprised to see Nick arrive and park his bike near the truck. I glanced at the clock as he put a chain around the truck bumper.

“Hey, boss.” He turned to wash his hands and put on his apron.

I handed out an iced mocha to the last waiting customer and then turned to face him. “I didn’t realize it was that late already.”

“You been busy?” He checked the coffee levels and the little signs we had on each, telling the staff when the last batch was brewed.

“Not until eleven. Since then, it’s been steady.” I took a slice of cheesecake out of the fridge and grabbed a spoon. I was starving.

“You still need me to work, right?” Something in his voice made me look at him.

“Of course, why? Do you need the day off?”

He shook his head. “No, I just don’t want you to feel obligated to give me hours ‘cause you and my mom are friends.”

“Believe me, if I could clone you, you’d get double the shifts this summer. I definitely need you all the hours you can work.”

He smiled. “That’s what I told mom, but she said I should make sure and not just assume.”

Leave it to Sadie to worry about everyone else. “Seriously Nick, if you hadn’t joined the staff this summer, I don’t know how we could have pulled off this annex thing. And with Aunt Jackie on the injured reserve list, I may need more help.”

A voice drew me back to the window. “Hey, you guys open?”

Blake stood under the truck window, a lazy grin on his face.

“Of course.” I sat my plate down. “What can I get for you?”

“The largest coffee you have. I didn’t get much sleep last night. I went over to Kathi’s shop after the gig at the winery and we talked for hours.” He pulled a ten out of his wallet and laid it on the counter. “We’re playing the two to four shift here on the beach bandstand and then going back to the winery to start our regular gig. I’m loving the hours, but man, I’m beat today.”

I hear you buddy.
I rang up the coffee as Nick poured it. “I saw you and Kathi walking through town yesterday. I take it your date went well?”

“Kathi’s a winner. She’s smart, funny, and of course, beautiful.” Blake grinned. “I’m sounding like a high school kid gushing on his first date, huh?”