Smiling, I slipped a bookmark between the pages and closed the book. “I believe I’ll charge my time to research this morning.” Jackie had set up a “slow time survey,” trying to see who and when someone stocked the pastry display, completed marketing activities, or did research for new books and coffee delights. My reading fell into two of those categories, even if I didn’t explain exactly how I used my time on her survey. I believed she had a clue, though. Toby looked tired this morning. “Rough night? Too many DUIs?”
“Nah, Greg had me reading through old case files to see if we could match the toxin he found . . .” He paused. “You’re good. All concerned about me and then I’ll spill a tidbit or two. You should go work with Darla at the newspaper.”
“All I wanted to know was that you’re okay.” I grabbed my purse out of the office, ignoring the jacket Toby had thrown on my desk. “You’re the one who went all detailed on me. Haven’t you ever heard that when someone’s asking about your health, nine times out often, they really don’t care?”
“Aw, boss, don’t go all warm and mushy on me. You’ll give me false hope.”
I paused on my way out the door. “False hope about what?”
“That you really have a heart.” Toby grinned and started restocking the dessert display case, something I should have done instead of reading.
Walking back home, I called Greg, but then hung up the phone before he could answer. The way he felt about our parts in the mystery play, I’d better deliver this news in person. I entered City Hall through the side door, where the police station had its offices. They had a back door for officers and the occasional lawbreaker to enter, but this door took me directly to the reception area and Esmeralda.
“Jill, I didn’t expect to see you today,” Esmeralda chirped, then held up a hand halting my response. “South Cove Police Dispatch, how may I help you?”
I thumbed through the magazines on the rack, finding mostly old copies of Guns & Ammo and a few House Beautiful issues. I made a mental note to bring over some of my own magazines that had started to stack up on the floor of my office for when I had time to read them, which would probably be never. I watched Esmeralda handle the call and wondered about her greeting. Wouldn’t a real fortune-teller know when she was going to see someone? Or was I thinking of a psychic? Could Esmeralda see the future? Or were her powers limited to the range of the crystal ball?
Smiling, I twisted these thoughts around until I heard my name.
“Jill, are you all right?” Esmeralda appeared concerned.
I dropped the magazine I’d been flipping through and walked back to the reception desk. “Sorry, I got lost in the article.”
Her eyes narrowed and she grunted. “Right. You don’t have to lie to me.”
“Really. It was about a local hunting area.” I dug my hole deeper and she continued to stare. “Whatever. Is Greg busy?”
Esmeralda pointed to the closed office door. “Barricaded himself in the office this morning with a pile of files that Toby gathered for him last night. I’m sure he’d welcome a distraction.”
I stepped toward the door, but stopped when she continued.
“I don’t need the crystal ball to see the future. Sometimes I just like to be polite and not freak people out.”
I turned and saw she was smiling, but something in her face registered a feeling of sadness.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have . . .” I started.
She waved her hand toward me, mirroring my own response. “Whatever.”
As I opened the door to Greg’s office, I thought about Esmeralda and her life here in South Cove. And for the first time, I realized I’d never seen her with a friend or even on a date. I’d assumed my neighbor was a recluse by nature, but maybe she was trying to reach out. That would explain the campy friends song she kept repeating when she did my readings. Or it could have been a warning about Aunt Jackie.
My head hurt, so I pushed both ideas away and put on a smile I didn’t feel for Greg.
“Uh-oh.” He stared at me as I walked in. “What’s going on?”
Slipping into one of his office chairs, I frowned. “Why does it have to be a bad thing if I stop to see my boyfriend on the way home from work?”
“Mostly because you have that smile on your face, which usually means you did something that I need to clean up.” He studied me, then checked the clock. “You haven’t been interviewing my potential suspects again, have you?”
“The day’s early, but no.” This time my smile was genuine. “Actually, I do have a favor, or really, just a favor you’ve already granted.”
“Do I want to know this favor?” Greg’s voice sounded gravelly, like he’d been drinking coffee and smoking all night. Except he didn’t smoke.
“Were you working with Toby last night? He came into the shop all worn out and you look twice as bad as he does.” My intuition told me there was something more going on than just reviewing files. I pointed toward the pile of manila folders on his desk. “What are you looking for?”