Page 10 of Take a Hike
“What’s the timeline on this?” Callum asked, apparently not as entertained as his wife by the sudden influx of criminals.
Charlie met Fifi’s gaze again and had a short, silent conversation via expressions. “Two days, if we’re lucky,” she finally answered. “If it takes five, we’re pretty much screwed. Mom’s first court date is in four days.”
“So what do you need from us?” Ellie asked, and Charlie grinned at her before looking over at her sister.
“I’m starting to get why you like this town,” she said. “Where else would we find such a helpful murder club?”
***
The meeting lasted an hour, and people gradually left until just Lou, Charlie, Fifi, and Bennett remained in the coffee shop. Ian and Rory headed out with a fresh supply of coffee for the night-shift firefighters, and Callum mentioned needing to stop by the station quickly.
“He’s just going to search for that last treasure hunter,” Lou said after her husband had left. “I know that was driving him crazy.”
“He shouldn’t feel bad.” Charlie carefully zipped the keyinto her pocket. “Rhys is the stealthiest of that bunch.”
“Thanks for hosting, Lou,” Fifi said, standing up and stretching.
“No problem. I would’ve had us meet at our place, but Callum’s having the kitchen remodeled, so everything is everywhere. I’m tempted to join you guys in the honeymoon suite.”
“EvenI’mnot allowed in the honeymoon suite,” Charlie mock-complained, tossing a balled-up Post-it note at her sister. Bennett caught the paper before it could hit its target and then launched it into the recycling bin across the room. When the paper ball dropped into the bin, Charlie gave her brother-in-law an approving nod. “Smooth.”
Bennett grinned, looking disarmingly pleased for a second before his usual stoic mask dropped into place.
“Feel free to take off,” Lou said, starting to pull one of the tables back to its original spot.
“We’ll help you clean up.” Fifi grabbed the other side of the table, and the two women moved it across the room to its original spot. Bennett lifted a table by himself, being a burly strongman type, and Charlie followed him with two chairs. Once the shop was back to how it looked earlier in the day before the murder club meeting, the room felt silent…well,almostsilent.
“What’s that buzzing?” Charlie asked. She’d watched a video about murder hornets a few nights earlier when she couldn’t sleep, and her brain instantly went into killer-insect mode.
The other three stood still and listened for a moment.
“Drill,” Bennett stated.
“Phew,” Charlie said. “I thought murder hornets atfirst—wait…why is someone drilling right now?”
“Andwhatare they drilling?” Fifi asked.
“It sounds like they’re right outside.” Lou’s eyes went wide. With an audible inhale, she lunged for the locked door, the other three close behind her. Lou fumbled with her keys for a second before shoving it into the lock.
“Wait!” Fifi and Bennett chorused.
For once not taking the opportunity to make a joke about the way her sister and her new husband acted more like twins than she and Cara—heractualtwin—did, Charlie eased the shade to the side so she could peer out into the darkness. The buzzing had stopped, but there was something across the front of the door that hadn’t been there an hour earlier—or even ten minutes earlier, when Callum had left.
“What is that?” she asked, peering around again, looking for whoever had been making the noise.
“What’s what?” Lou wedged her face next to Charlie’s so she could see outside. “Oh, that’s what. That doesn’t look good.”
“What doesn’t?” Fifi asked, trying to get a glimpse through the gap Charlie had made.
With an irritated grumble, Bennett reached past their heads and snapped up the shade so the entire door was revealed. Halfway up, a two-by-six board was now spanning the width of the door.
“Is that…?” Lou unlocked the door and tried to shove it open. The door didn’t budge, the board holding it shut. “I guess it is. Why would someone bar the door?”
Only very bad reasons to block the door immediately struckCharlie.
“Back door,” she said, turning to see that Fifi and Bennett were already charging toward the counter and the employees-only hallway behind it. Rather than go around, Bennett, Fifi, and Charlie all vaulted over the counter.
“Caneveryoneexcept me do that?” Lou grumbled as she ran for the opening instead. Charlie waited for her to catch up before chasing after Fifi. By the time she reached the back door, Bennett was already slamming his body against it. The door shook in its frame, but it didn’t open.
