“That’s not what Greg says. He’s always complaining about your card habit. I hear you have a tendency to cheat.” Toby set my coffee in front of me, and I took a big sip before answering.
“He’s a downright dirty liar.” I took a napkin out of one of the dispensers I’d found at a used restaurant supply store. I was sure they came from some 1950s cafeteria complete with bobby socks on the waitresses’ feet and beehives in their hair. Wiping the whipped cream off my lips, I took another big draught. Coffee and chocolate mixed, that was an elixir of the gods. I sighed my approval.
“Better?” Toby leaned against the counter, watching me. I looked around. The place was empty except for a couple of teenagers who were over in the book side, reading on the couch and nursing frozen lattes.
“Much.” I pointed to the empty shop. “It been like this all day?”
He threw a bar towel over his shoulder and poured himself a glass of ice water. “Nope. I always have a good steady run of customers from about noon to three. Then it starts to slow down. The kids go home about now to get ready for their dates, or to eat dinner with their folks. And most of our walk-in customers have already returned to the bed-and-breakfast to get ready for their evening out.”
“You really have a handle on this shift, don’t you?” I took another sip of my coffee.
Toby eyed me. “You really want to talk shop, or are you just keeping me from asking what’s going on? Who were you so mad at? I hope it wasn’t Greg. I like working for both of you.”
“Not Greg, Amy.” I told him about my brainstorm on the beach and then explained how we needed to cast a bigger net for Kacey’s murder. “It has to be someone she knows, right?”
Toby nodded. “Good thought. I’ll talk to Greg tonight and see if he’s interviewed any of Kacey’s friends. The real ones who didn’t like the fact she was going back to Austin.”
“Like the women who visited the coffee shop before the memorial? Both of them seemed to hate Austin. Hey, I thought you were banned from working the case?” The mocha was making my body all warm and squishy. Some people used alcohol to get a buzz. I’d take my coffee fix any day.
Toby took off his apron. “I can’t work the case. Nothing wrong with me talking to my overworked boss about what he’s done.” He paused in front of me. “You going to be okay here alone? According to Jackie, this is kind of a dead night lately. Everyone heads out of town for their Friday night entertainment.”
“Then I’ll get a lot of reading done.” I patted my tote. “Besides, I brought my notebook. Maybe I can figure out some more avenues of investigation we haven’t come up with yet.”
“I love it when you talk sleuthing to me.” Toby grinned. “You know if Greg finds out we’re doing this, we’re both dead.”
I found myself defending my perceived slights against my boyfriend for the second time that day. When I paused to take a breath, Toby started laughing. “You are just trying to wind me up tonight.”
“I want you to be on your feet. I’ll drive by a few times once I start patrol.” He held up a hand. “Hey, I could shuttle you home if you’d like?”
“I don’t want a ride in the police car.” Toby had a habit of putting me in the back like a recently caught criminal. Not as sexy as it sounds in the movies: The backseat reeked of sweat, alcohol, and a faint odor of vomit. And that was when it was recently cleaned. “I can walk home all by myself. I’ve done it for years.”
“Call me if you change your mind.” Toby disappeared into the back office.
I walked around the counter and stashed my tote bag, pulling out the notebook and starting to doodle. The teenagers left a few minutes after Toby, and I was alone in the shop. After an hour of no customers, I tucked the notebook back into the tote, frustrated with the lack of progress I’d made. I really needed to talk to Austin. I picked up the contemporary romance I’d started yesterday and went over to the couch to put my feet up on the coffee table and read.
The jangle of the bell drug me out of the story, and I looked up and saw Dustin Austin standing in the middle of the shop. Surprised, I looked around the store and realized it was just the two of us. Had I somehow called him telepathically since I’d been just thinking about him? I shook off the unease and stood. “I thought you were still in custody?” The look on his face told me I’d overstepped. “I mean, what can I get for you?”
“For your information, I am only a person of interest. Your boyfriend sure isn’t keeping you in the gossip loop.” Austin walked toward the counter and sat on a stool. “I thought your aunt worked the evening shift.”
“She does, but she had plans tonight.” I felt like a jerk so I repeated my question. “What can I get for you?”
“Coffee to go, black, three sugars.” He leaned on the counter. “Can you give your aunt a message?”