Page 9 of The Beachside Cafe
“I didn’t. I was waiting for you. I’m… not really hungry, to be honest.”
“Nonsense. You have to eat breakfast. It’s what gives you energy to get through the day. You should know that.”
He was grinning so she knew he was teasing. He looked like he was in a better mood than she would expect under the circumstances. Then again, he was only investigating where the man he’d given money to was, not a husband or a close relative.
“I actually do know that, thank you very much,” she said the words sarcastically but without malice. “No, I plan to make myself eat a biscuit or two. I don’t know. You go ahead and order when she comes, if you want.”
“I’m starving!” Cameron announced. He leaned closer to her again, over the table. “But I’m not ordering until you do. I refuse to eat in front of you while you sit there, pondering how awful life is right now.”
For some reason, instead of getting angry with him like she would if Doug had talked to her that way, she felt calmer.
“I don’t want to sound harsh,” Cameron said, “but you absolutely have to keep up your strength so we can find out what’s going on here. I don’t want you fainting away all day because you didn’t get proper nutrition.”
“Fainting away?” Jaymee was immediately reminded of Victorian times when ladies seemed to have done an incredible amount of fainting. She couldn’t help smiling. “I don’t think I’ll be fainting away any time soon. I am very healthy. I think I’ll live if I skip a meal or two.”
She saw the server approaching out of the corner of her eye.
“But you shouldn’t,” Cameron continued.
She had to laugh softly. “I already said I’m going to order. All this chatter has made me hungry.”
He gave her a confused look. The waitress was suddenly next to their table, a bright smile on her young face. “Hello!” she said brightly. “My name is Bethany and I’ll be your waitress. Here’s your tea, sir. Can I get you a refill on your water, Ma’am?”
Jaymee looked up at her. “Yes, but also, please, I’d like a coffee. Also, the steak biscuit with some of your hash browns on the side would be lovely.”
The girl whipped out her ordering pad and wrote it all down swiftly. “Wonderful,” she said, turning her eyes to Cameron. “Are you ready to order, too?”
“I’ll have the steak and eggs special, steak cooked medium, eggs scrambled. Toast on the side, please. And a cup of ice.”
“You got it. I’ll be right back.”
The girl scooped up the menus, smiled and was on her way.
“So I could tell you’re curious about me,” Cameron said. “The way you and Cheyenne looked at me last night. I think I owe you an explanation.”
Jaymee’s heartbeat quickened. She was almost afraid to hear what he might have to say. She chided herself for watching too many detective shows.
“I know more than I could tell you last night. At least, I thought I knew what I know now. I confirmed it, that is to say.”
Jaymee gave him a confused look. He chuckled, shaking his head.
“To be clear, I knew more than I could tell you last night but needed to confirm it first.”
“That makes much more sense,” Jaymee said, nodding. “So, yes, please tell me what it is you think I should know.”
“First of all, I’m a private investigator by trade. I invest in stock and have shares with several companies. But I didn’t come to the Saltwater Café to invest because of your husband. I found out about his need for investors another way. Relating to a case I was working.”
“A private investigator, huh?” Jaymee couldn’t help the skeptical look that came to her face. She’d seen the car he was driving. It was the most modern vehicle she’d ever been in. At night the dashboard lit up like the inside of a spaceship. Everything was curved and sleek and fancy.
“I see that look on your face,” he said, wiggling one finger at her. “But don’t let my wealth fool you. Only reason I can do this career is because I come from a rich family. Family ancestors owned a very successful toy factory in London, England. I still have relatives there. Let me tell you the whole truth. I invested in your café because I’ve been investigating a string of vandalism and destruction that has been going on up and down the east coast. There are two brothers we believe are committing the crimes. I thought if I was in the know, I would hear something. Little did I know it would happen to the very café I invested in.”
“Do you think the break-in has anything to do with Doug?” Jaymee asked, alarmed.
He shook his head. “I really don’t think so. But I can’t be certain. Now that I have more to go on, maybe I can catch these brothers before they strike again. They are following a pattern. They’re clever. Stay one step ahead of me. But I’m going to catch up with them sooner or later.”
“Do you want to go through my husband’s desk in the study? I’d like it if you did. And there’s something I want to show you, too. And you have full access to my café. Look around there as much as you like.”
Cameron nodded. “Thank you. And try not to worry. We’re going to solve this.”
