Chapter 14
Holt
When I got back to Doe’s I saw the window panel on the front door smashed out.
As I approached the front steps I looked around to see what could have caused it, but my need to check on Piper was too great to really look.
I picked my way through the pieces of glass and just stepped through the area where the window once was.
I saw Piper giving everyone food. She looked pale and a little shaky.
I walked quicker to get to her, she turned just as I approached. I used her momentum to pull her into me and grabbed the tray at the same time before it could crash into the floor. Looking down at her, I could see stress around her eyes. Other than that, she seemed physically fine.
After checking in with Carter, I guided her to the back office. I wanted her to sit down for a minute and I also wanted to ask her if she saw anything.
“Holt, I can’t just shut down the cafe for a couple of hours, customers will start coming in again soon,” she says.
“Sterling and Carter will get through the customers quickly, and then we can talk about next steps. Why don’t you sit down for a minute and take a break,” I gently suggest.
“I’m fine, Holt, really,” she tries to tell me as she sits down on the worn loveseat. I sit down next to her, only giving her an inch of space. I would pull her onto my lap, but I’m not sure she is ready for that.
“Can you tell me what happened,” I ask her, trying to keep a level tone. I don’t want her to think that I am angry.
“Honestly, I didn’t see much. I was behind the counter. A customer had just left about a minute before and then crash! The loud noise made me drop behind the counter,” she explains. I nod, trying not to show my frustration. I need more.
“I need you to think back to when you were helping the customer, did you see anything,” she may not realize it, but in the moments before the crash there may be something she is missing. She is already shaking her head.
“No, Mrs. Salter was talking to me and I wasn’t paying attention,” she explains. My ears perk up.
“Did Mrs. Salter take her food to go,” I ask her. If she left, she more than likely saw someone at least enter the parking lot.
“Yes, she did, she always does. I hope she is okay. I bet she barely made it to her car before this happened,” Piper murmurs.
“We will check on her,” I assure Piper. There is no need to have her worrying about another thing.
Not to mention, I am hopeful that the woman saw something.
I put my hand on her legging covered thigh and gently squeeze it.
She jumps slightly and looks at my hand.
She doesn’t push it away, so I take that as a win. I keep it in place and don’t move.
“Did you hear anything before or after the crash,” I ask her. I need her to really think this through. She takes a deep breath and holds it in. Her eyes flutter closed.
“The only sounds I remember hearing is the crash of the door window and squealing tires. The sounds happened almost at the same time,” she says. She brings her hands up to rub her closed eyes.
“Thats good, Piper,” I say. I bring my hand up to the back of her neck and start to lightly massage there.
She is so tense. She freezes up for a second and then her shoulders drop and she sighs.
I pull her head to my shoulder and wrap my arm around her.
I take a deep breath. This woman is going to fucking kill me. I continue to rub her back.
After a few minutes I sense that she has fallen asleep.
I take a few minutes to enjoy the feel of her soft body pressed up against mine.
Her hair tickling my neck. I breathe her in.
Once I feel like she won’t wake up, I shift out from under her and guide her to lay down on the loveseat.
I grab the throw blanket that is on the back of the couch and lay it over her.
She murmurs some nonsensical sounds and then quiets down again. After another moment, I quietly turn and walk out the door. I pull the door closed behind me, and head out to see what Carter and Sterling may have heard from the customers.
When I get to the front of the cafe, I see that most of the customers have cleared out. Sterling is on the phone and Carter is on his laptop. I reach Carter’s table and he starts to speak immediately.
“Most of the customers were of no help, one said he thought he saw a dark colored, older model sedan head out of the parking lot, but he couldn’t be sure.”
By the time Carter finishes, Sterling comes up.
“I’m asking the Sheriff if he can get a hold of the video footage in the area. Maybe one of these businesses has an old school camera that we can review,” he explains. Carter is nodding.
“That’s good, I’ll see what I can do on my end,” he cracks his neck and goes back to typing furiously.
“What the hell did they use to shatter the window,” I mutter. I look around but I don’t get far before I see it. Bending down to inspect it closer, I see a half a brick laying amidst the shards of glass.
“Wonder who the hell could be mad at Piper,” Sterling comments. He is standing to my left looking down at the brick with me.
“I’m going to fucking find out,” I promise, quietly. Whoever the asshole is, they will find out what happens when you mess with what is mine.