Chapter 13
Piper
I am relieved to occupy myself with customers, but I can still feel Holt’s eyes on me. My neck prickles with awareness.
“Jesus,” I hiss. He chuckles and puts his hands on my waist to steady me. I tense and inhale sharply, but he keeps his hands in place for a moment. Long enough that I relax marginally.
“I’ll see you in a bit,” he says and kisses me quickly on the temple before leaving through the front door. I stand there stunned. Mouth agape. I am shaken out of my stupor by a throat clearing.
“Piper, dear, can I get my usual,” Mrs. Salter—one of my elderly patrons— asks me. She is smirking at me and her slightly cloudy eyes are dancing.
“Nope. Not a word,” I warn her. I don’t need anyone else putting ideas in my head. This is twisting me around like a pretzel.
I take a minute to package her apple strudel and get her coffee together. Turning back to the counter I see her shaking her head at me.
“I know you don’t want to hear it, but I’m going to say it anyway. I’m old and I know things,” she says shaking her index finger at me. I bite my tongue and sigh. I can’t be rude, even though I want to be.
“You need to get out of your head, dear. Just go for it. Ignore that little voice that feeds your insecurities,” She leans forward and speaks in a lower tone.
“Put that little bitch in her place, don’t let her ruin a good thing,” she says. In the span of 5 minutes I am stunned speechless. Mrs. Salter nods twice at me, takes her food, and leaves a $10.00 bill on the counter.
People are full of surprises today. I watch her walk out the door.
Shrugging, I turn to look back at the brew station and think I could use a little normalcy and a few less surprises.
Just when that thought crosses my mind, I hear a crash and glass shatters.
Instinctively, I drop to the floor. I hear car tires squealing in the parking lot and then it is quiet.
I crouch up a bit to look over the counter and see a couple of my patrons standing up.
I look over in the direction of the front door and see the big window shattered.
As I stand up straight, I see Carter approach the front door and step through the area that just moments ago was a window.
His eyes are on alert and he has a grim look on his face.
“Perfect timing,” is all that I can think to say.
Carter’s blonde eyebrow raises. He is looking around.
He crouches down, but doesn’t touch anything with his hands.
I see him pull out his phone and know that he is calling Holt.
I notice some of my customers packing up.
Carter pulls the phone away from his ear.
“Everyone, if you could just stay where you are for a few minutes that would be helpful. We need to get witness statements,” he explains. I’m shocked when everyone just sits down and follows his orders.
“Coffee and pastries on me while you wait,” I say as I come around with a carafe and start refilling cups.
I know I’m in shock, but I don’t know what to do about it.
I am just going through the motions. I go back to the counter and grab a tray with some pastries.
Putting a stack of plates on the tray I walk back over to the tables.
When the tray is empty and everyone has been seen to, I turn around straight into a muscular chest. I almost drop the tray but Holt grabs it with one hand, and wraps his other arm around my waist.
“Sorry, I d-didn’t see you,” the words tumble out of my mouth. Holt is looking down at me intensely. His jaw is clenched. I put my hand on his chest and try to push back but his arm has me pinned into place. He keeps looking at my face, almost inspecting it.
“You okay,” he finally asks me. I nod at him. My mouth is dry. This seems like such an extreme reaction.
“I’m fine, which is more than I can say about my window and door,” I try to make light of the situation. I have this strange feeling in the pit of my stomach, one that I am trying to ignore.
“Looks like it happened just before I pulled into the parking lot,” Carter says. I look over at Carter who has approached us.
“Did you see anything,” Holt asks Carter. His tone is serious. He sounds like he is on a job. Immediately going into problem solving mode.
“Nothing, man. I must have pulled in seconds after it happened. Piper was still crouched down behind the counter,” he explains. I’m still pinned to Holt, his arm keeping me in place. His jaw clenches.
“Damn it! Lets talk to everyone in here. See if they saw anything that will give us anything,” Holt directs. The frustration in his voice is barely contained.
“I called Sterling. He should be here in a minute. We will get through the customers and call the sheriff,” Carter says. Holt nods in response and guides me to the back room.
“Close it up for a bit,” Holt says as we are walking. I see Carter nod in response before we disappear into the back.