Page 37 of Merry Murder Season
Beth laughed just as she took a sip of coffee. She set the cup down and grabbed a dish towel to wipe the coffee off the table. “Please don’t think I’m interested that way in Dom. He’s a subject matter expert. Nothing more. If Jim and I don’t work, I may never date again. I’m finding that I don’t like people telling me what I canand can’t do.”
“And on that note, I’m heading to work. Thanks for the cookies, Beth. Be careful walking home tonight. If you want an escort, stop by the station and I or one of the guys will be glad to walk you home. Like I have to tell my dear wife often, a murderer is running loose, so be vigilant.”
“You just tell me not to take Emma running and Toby comes to walk me home,” I corrected his wording.
“I haven’t done either one this time, have I? But I kind of expected you’d have company last night.” He looked pointedly at Beth. “I won’t tell you what to do, but if anything happened to you on my watch, Jim would never forgive me. So please, be careful.”
We watched as Greg left the house. Emma stood and walked him to the door. I called her back to the kitchen and rubbed her head. “You’re going to be on your own today, girl, until I get back from work.”
Beth sipped her coffee. “I’m going to miss all of you when I go home. It’s stupid that we live so far apart. Maybe after I graduate, we can convince Amanda to move down here. Once I have my degree, nothing is tying Jim and me to Nebraska except his mom.”
I didn’t want to get my hopes up, but I sent an invisible positivity bubble up in the air to the granter of impossible dreams. As I stood to go to work, I said, “That would be amazing.”
As I was walking out to the sidewalk, a voice called, “Wait up.”
I turned and saw Esmeralda crossing the street. “You’re going in early.”
“Greg has a meeting with the Bakerstown chief and the county district attorney. I want to make sure everything’s set and keep him from having to dispatch until nine when Toby comes in. I have a feeling it’s going to be a busy morning.” She pulled a woolen shawl around her shoulders. Its red color contrasted nicely with her blue pants and dress shirt.
I didn’t respond right away, but then I asked, “You have a feeling? Or the spirits told you?”
Esmeralda paused at the entrance to Diamond Lille’s, where she was probably picking up food for Greg’s meeting. “Is there a difference? Be careful today, Jill.”
As I walked the rest of the way into town, I realized that both Greg and Esmeralda had ended conversations this morning the same way. Be careful.
I looked around before crossing the street. The dark empty windows of Chip’s Bar gave me a chill.
Be careful.
I unlocked the door to the bookstore and turned on all the lights, letting the smell of coffee and sugar chase the scaries away. Time to focus on work and not killers.
Chapter 15
About nine that morning, after the coffee rush had ended, I was working on next week’s schedule when a young man in a suit and tie walked in the door. He looked like a lawyer who lived on the bluff overlooking the ocean and came in every day for a large coffee and two cookies. He said it was just enough to get him through the commute. He was one of our audiobook customers from the store Deek had set up on our website. Now, several people bought audio for their drive to work after seeing the new release on the shelves when they were buying coffee. I would have, but my walk wasn’t long enough to get involved in the book.
He walked up to me where I sat on the couch with my laptop and held out his hand. “I’m Andrew Walsh and I’d like to apply for the barista job.”
“Good morning, Andrew. Let’s do your interview now. I need someone soon.” I set my computer down. “Did someone refer you?”
“Evie. She’s my mom’s best friend. Of course, I don’t expect any special favors from that.” The kid’s face flushed down to the collar of his white shirt. His hair was bright red. I knew they liked to call it ginger, but he looked more like a carrot top. “I’m in school in Bakerstown and studying English Lit as my major. I’d like to focus on libraries in the future. I think they’re dying out.”
“Do you now?” I took the piece of paper he handed me. “What work experience do you have?”
“I worked summers at the Shake Shack in Bakerstown, but I’d like a more professional position where I could expand my knowledge of current literature and buying trends. My boss, Caryn Moss, said all you had to do was call her and she’d give me a good reference.” He squirmed a little. “Well, she said great, but I don’t like to brag. It was all about making and servingshakes there.”
“Great customer service is what I need here as well. I’ll give her a call. So can you start today?”
His eyes widened. “Of course. I go to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but other than that, I’m free. And I could work nights after five.”
“Okay, Andrew. Let’s start now. Do you have something besides that suit to work in? I’d hate to have you stain it.” I paused as I stood. “I’ll go get the hiring paperwork while you go change. Or do you livein Bakerstown?”
“No, I live with my mom about five miles away. I can be back in about ten minutes. Should I wear something specific?” Andrew stood with me and followed meto the counter.
“Closed-toe shoes, a full T-shirt—no sleeveless shirts—and long shorts or jeans. No short shorts. We’re probably a little more formal than the Shake Shack.” I paused and looked at him. He seemed smart. His resume was clean and showed he’d made honors in high school. As long as the reference cleared, and I thought it would since Evie sent him, he’d do just fine. “Do you go by Andrew or Drew?”
He rolled his eyes. “My mom calls me Drew, but I go by Andrew. I have since I started writing my name.”
After Andrew left, I went to get the folder of employee paperwork I’d had Evie set aside. She’d already processed the paperwork for Beth. Two more folders lay on her desk. Just in case. I had a feeling I was going to be able to use both of them.
