18. McKenna
McKenna
A few hours after Austin opened up to me about his parents, he’d fallen asleep next to me in my bed.
He’d insisted we eat in there together, and what Austin wants, he apparently gets.
I was working the closing shift at work today, and I hadn’t had the heart to wake him, even though he’d be pissed at me for that later.
By the looks of it, he’d stayed up all night, and as much as he wanted to be awake at all hours to pretend to be my bodyguard, the man needed sleep in order to function.
I’d almost forgotten about Austin’s hand in killing my boss when I walked into the diner, but was quickly reminded when I found the cook, Brynne, and Tasha huddled by the register. A quick survey of the building showed two tables full. All the others were bare.
“What’s up?” I asked, mustering the most casual tone I could. Brynne shot me a knowing look, but kept it discreet enough that the others wouldn’t catch on. I didn’t miss the hint of suspicion there, either. She wanted details on last night .
The cook, Dan, raised a paper in the air. “Says here boss skipped town.”
I joined them, scanning the typed note. At least we didn’t have to worry about matching handwriting.
“Looks like Marv left the diner to his daughter,” Dan continued. He was almost entirely bald now, hiding it below a chef’s hat every day. He typically kept to himself, but whenever drama arose, he couldn’t help but interfere.
“I didn’t even know he had a daughter,” Tasha chimed in. Her uniform was identical to ours, her red hair in a high ponytail, her curls unruly where they dangled free.
Digging into Marv’s family tree had to be Booker’s doing, if history was anything to go by. “Weird.” I shimmied out of my coat, draping it over my arm. “Do we know when she’s showing up?” I glanced at the two couples currently eating a late lunch. “Should we even be open today?”
Dan shrugged, the wrinkles framing his mouth creasing as his lips pursed. “It’s just business as usual. Ain’t too hard to keep cooking.”
I cocked a brow. “Have you been cooking, or staring at this note all day?”
He raised his palms in mock innocence. “Call a guy curious. Nothin’ interesting happens back in the kitchen.”
I tugged on the hem of my skirt. “Wanna switch?”
He looked like he’d rather dig his own grave. “I think I got food burnin’.” With that, he disappeared through the swinging door. Dan hated socializing, so the thought of actually serving meals to the patrons gave him the ick.
The woman at one of the tables raised a hand for Tasha’s attention, and she hurried off to get them whatever they needed. Brynne stayed put, eyeing me.
“Wonder where he went,” I said, doing my best to make casual conversation like any normal person would when their boss suddenly up and disappeared.
Brynne set the note back on the register where I assumed they’d found it. “Probably finally found a girlfriend and followed her to some place better than Whiskey Ridge.”
I nodded. “Probably.” I lifted my jacket in a subtle sign to follow me to the back, and she dipped her chin. We headed through the kitchen door, and as we passed, I snuck a quick look inside the office.
There wasn’t a speck of blood to be found. No evidence that anything of the murder variety had gone on in there. How Booker, Austin, and Henley got away with this shit, I had no idea. It was likely best I didn’t find out.
I popped open my janky metal locker and stuffed my jacket inside.
“Long night with Austin?” Brynne asked, leaning a shoulder against the greasy wall.
“Not for the reasons you’re thinking.” It took two tries for the locker to click shut.
“Oh, I know. Booker thinks he’s sneaky, but I felt him leave. If I wasn’t so tired from our earlier…activities, I would’ve followed his ass had I known where he was going.”
I winced slightly, chewing a little too hard on my gum. “Sorry. I would’ve called, but it was the middle of the night.”
She waved a hand. “Don’t worry about it. But if you think you’ll get away with anything like that a second time, you’re mistaken. I only let the best friend excuse slide so many times—I’ll forgive you for now. But from now on, I want to know when shit like that happens.”
“Shit like what?” an unfamiliar voice asked, the feminine pitch coming off deeper than any of our coworkers.
Brynne and I turned our heads to find a woman wearing an oversized suit jacket and ironed slacks. By the looks of her flawless dark hair and speculating eyes, she seemed like a nosy one.
“When I have a pregnancy scare,” I lied easily, crossing my arms. “Who are you?”
The woman pasted on a clearly fake smile, handing us two business cards that we were both hesitant to take. “Marv’s daughter, Monica.”
A thoughtful hum slipped past my lips as I studied the card, flipping it over for legitimacy.
“Real estate agent, huh?” Even Brynne was skeptical.
“I was a real estate agent. I suppose now I’m here to run”—Monica’s chin lifted as she surveyed the greasy space—“this.”
“Ever run a diner before?” I questioned, suspicious of the way she was dressed so improperly for not only this diner, but this town too. Whiskey Ridge was not a suit-and-tie-type area. Wearing clothes like that would only get you robbed.
Monica clasped her hands together in front of her, her sleeves a little long, but I guessed it was to complete the chic look she had going on. “Nope. But it’s never too late to learn, right? ”
Brynne slowly nodded, and it was clear she was hiding her smirk.
“Right,” I repeated. “Well, we’ve got a shift to start. I’m McKenna, and this is Brynne.”
Monica looked between the two of us, that same smile as before back on her red lips. “I’ll be popping around to get a feel for the place in a bit. I was just filing some paperwork when I heard the two of you chatting.”
I held my tongue about the office being empty when we passed it—and how there wasn’t a clean enough surface around here to handle paperwork elsewhere. Plus, just minutes ago, Dan and Tasha didn’t seem to know when Marv’s daughter would arrive, meaning she hadn’t introduced herself yet.
I forced a small smile before walking past her to go out on the floor. Brynne was on my heels, and though I couldn’t see her face, I knew she was likely as mistrusting of Monica as I was.
We weren’t even aware Marv had a daughter until Booker forged that note.
He had his ways, but it was weird she’d shown up immediately the following morning.
That was, unless she lived nearby. But I’d never seen her in Whiskey Ridge, so she had to live either in a bordering state or elsewhere in Idaho.
Either way, I wasn’t sure what her deal here was. Maybe she was being weird because she ultimately wanted to sell the place in the end.
Or maybe she was skeptical about her father skipping town and leaving only a note behind.
Perhaps the men’s murder antics were starting to catch up with them.
I was surprised it took Austin nearly my entire shift to start spamming me with texts.
Annoying stalker: Where the fuck are you?
I smiled at his new contact name popping up on my screen, only because it was so on brand for him.
Annoying stalker: In what world did you think it was okay to leave the house without waking me?
Annoying stalker: Especially after last night
Annoying stalker: I know you like punishment, McKenna, but playing with your life isn’t a turn on for me
Annoying stalker: Stop ignoring me. Booker told me Brynne is at work with you, so if you’re pretending to be dead, it’s not going to work
Booker’s such a snitch
Annoying stalker: I’m coming to get you
For some reason, alarm bells shot through me. I didn’t want to see him. Not so soon after…everything that happened.
No.
Annoying stalker: Yes.
I won’t get in your truck
Annoying stalker: I’ll drag your ass out of that diner by your ponytail if I have to
Kinky, but no. I’ll cut your dick off
Annoying stalker: You wouldn’t. You like it too much
I never once said I liked it
Annoying stalker: Your cum dripping down my shaft was proof enough of that
Oh my god you’re so fucking annoying
Annoying stalker: I’ll be there in twenty
No, you won’t. Now leave me alone. I’m working
Annoying stalker: Even I know there’s no one eating in that place aside from one or two people at this time of night
I didn’t even have to look up to confirm that was true.
I don’t want to leave my car here tonight, so no. I’ll drive myself home. My shift is literally only ten more minutes. I’ll be on the road by the time you’re halfway here
Annoying stalker: Then I’ll speed
Then I’ll call the sheriff and have him watching for your truck
Annoying stalker: You think I don’t pay the sheriff off already?
I rolled my eyes, to which Brynne gave me a questioning look from the other side of the bar where she was wiping the stools. I held up my phone in answer, and she immediately recognized his nickname and the red X that was his profile picture.
“Let me guess. He’s mad you’re at work and not within five feet of him?” Brynne asked, rubbing at a particularly tricky spot of old barbecue sauce.
“He’s mad I’m not literally glued to his side.” I was sure he’d like that, too. Which was why I sent him what I did next.
I’m not coming home anyway so don’t worry about it
His response came immediately.
Annoying stalker: Where are you going?
Wouldn’t you like to know?
Annoying stalker: If it’s to see another guy, just know I won’t hesitate to cut off whatever part of him touches you
Jealous, cowboy?
Annoying stalker: Feeling more murderous than anything, kitten.
“Poking the bear is a dangerous game,” Brynne sing-songed as she took note of the giant smile on my face.
“But it’s just so fun.”
“By the look on your face, I can tell. Makes me want to rile Booker up for the hell of it.”
I looked up from my phone, sending her a devilish smirk. “The poor duo.”
“We really put them through hell, don’t we?”
“Oh no, don’t loop me in with whatever group thing you all have got going on. Austin and I?—”