I thought about arguing, but knowing my time was short, I put that jab to my management of the committee to the side. “If you weren’t snapping covert pictures of Jackie, then let me see the pictures.” I held my hand out for the digital camera.
“In your dreams,” he muttered, his gaze darting toward the windows of the shop. As dusk was falling, the light from CBM gave out a soft, inviting glow.
“I’ll tell Jackie,” I warned, not moving my hand.
He took the strap off his neck, clicked a button on the camera, and handed it to me. “Fine, I took a few shots. I’ve been worried about her since this whole travel scam thing. I don’t want anyone hurting her.”
I clicked through the pictures and saw a few with my aunt, smiling at a customer or to my amazement, reading a paperback when the shop was empty. “Caught you,” I murmured.
“There is nothing inappropriate about those pictures. Your aunt is a lovely subject,” Josh sputtered at my comment.
“No, these are great pictures. You should show her a few and tell her how much I enjoyed them.” I was ready to hand the camera back when I saw one of the pictures Josh had given out during the last meeting. The one Greg had folded and put into his pocket. The picture showed the inside of a car, filled with bags with logos from my shop, Diamond Lille’s, and more than a few of the fast-food places in Bakerstown.
But the food leftovers weren’t what held my interest. It was the Baggie tucked inside the open glove box, which appeared to be filled with smaller Baggies of white powder. Josh had taken a picture of our local drug dealer’s stash and hadn’t even noticed. The antique dealer had perched his overweight frame on one of my patio chairs, trying to catch his breath from the exertion.
I handed Josh back his camera. “You should be careful taking pictures around town. Maybe hold off on the project for a few weeks. You said it yourself that Jackie might be in danger. What if the guy sees you when he’s stalking her?”
“I’m not afraid of anyone.” Josh’s words didn’t match the fear I saw in his eyes. “But you may be right that I should be more careful around town. You never know who’s going to be angry when I disclose their dirty secrets.”
“Exactly.” I checked my watch. Five after. “Look, I’ve got to go. We’ll talk tomorrow about the trash issue, and I promise the subject will be on the next agenda for the meeting.”
Josh’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
“Good night to you, as well.” I took a last worried glance at the shop and started power-walking down the street. I’d call Aunt Jackie as soon as practice was over, just to make sure she was okay.
Greg was standing in the parking lot talking on his cell when I arrived. He gave me the look and then kissed me quickly. “No worries, Esmeralda. She just showed up. Thanks for checking.”
“You asked my neighbor to see if I was still at home?” I pointed to my watch. “At ten minutes late? What would happen if I was twenty minutes late?”
“These days, you’d get a visit from whatever deputy was on duty. And probably a fun ride in the back of the squad car to your destination.” Greg nodded to the barn where the practice was being held. “Darla’s running late herself. We’re supposed to grab a drink and mingle until she has everyone here.”
“Good, I’m dying of thirst.” We wandered toward the open bar, where Greg got a beer and I opted for an ice-cold bottle of water. I drank half of it down before we sat down at a table.
He considered me. “You want to tell me why you were late?”
“Sure. Sadie got in a fight with Dustin Austin, so I took her to the shop to calm down.” I saw the worry in Greg’s eyes. For all he said I should stay out of things, he sure took his job as the town’s protector seriously. “No worries, she’s talking it out with Aunt Jackie.”
“What were they fighting about?” Greg sipped on his beer.
Laughing, I tilted my head closer to keep anyone from overhearing. “They are, I mean, were involved. I guess he pulled the old if-you-loved-me ploy.”
Greg’s eyes widened. “Austin and Sadie? Wow, I didn’t see that one coming.”
“Honestly, neither did I.” I thought about the picture in Josh’s camera. “But once I got her settled, I literally ran into Josh taking pictures out on the street.”
Greg groaned. “I thought I told him to cool it.”
“He thinks he’s protecting Aunt Jackie along with the streets of South Cove from a mountain of trash.” I finished my water.
“He’s going to get himself hurt,” Greg muttered.
“I saw the picture you took from the pile at the meeting.” When he didn’t answer, I went on. “Let me clarify—I saw what interested you in that picture.”
“Jill, stay out of it. This is my job and part of an open investigation.” Greg took my empty bottle. “You want another water or a beer?”
“You think you know who Kent’s supplier was?”
Greg finished his beer, ignoring my question. “Beer or water?”
I stared. “Fine, beer.”