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 serving shakes 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 live in 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 me to 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.
When Andrew came back, he wore jeans, tennis shoes, and a Have a Happy Day T-shirt with a yellow-and-black smiley face right out of the seventies.
“You look perfect,” I said as I handed him the file.
“Fill out this. I’ve set you up with hours this week.
You’ll be training with a lot of different employees, but if you have a conflict with any of those days, just let me know. ”
I stayed a little later on my shift than I’d expected, getting Andrew set up, so when I ran into Beth coming into town as I was leaving, I wasn’t surprised. “How did the research go?”
“Great. There was a lot of material to back up Dom’s memories.
Sometimes that isn’t the case. Especially since he was so young when she died.
A lot of similarities with the Matthews group, especially the fact that they started in Idaho and the local community ran them out of town.
So they settled in a little town near Bakerstown.
They hung out at the university to find converts.
” Beth had paused in front of the Train Station, Uncle Harrold’s shop.
His son was running it now, with Harrold popping in now and then between cruises.
I waved at Christopher as he watched us through the window.
“Do you need to stay longer with this new information?”
She shook a finger at me. “You’re trying to get me in trouble with Jim. My agent loves the new information. I’m going to send her new pages tomorrow morning, once I review what I wrote today.”
I glanced backward toward the bookstore. “If you don’t have time to work the store, I can take you off the schedule.”
“Don’t you dare. Besides, Deek and I are going to talk about what to expect during the publishing process.
I know his experience won’t totally match mine, especially when you look at possible sales potential, but I really want his take on working with our agent.
Sometimes I feel like I’m asking for too much.
” She glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to run.
I’ll eat at the diner before I go into the bookstore, so don’t worry about me. ”
“And just like that, I’m on my own again,” I teased. “This empty nest syndrome is hard to deal with at times.”
“I’m sure you have tons of things to do.” Beth looked around. “Besides, Greg kind of scared me when he threatened us with ankle monitors. He really doesn’t like you messing with his investigations, does he?”
“He just worries.” I adjusted my tote. “Oh, and Andrew should still be there when you get to the bookstore. Deek’s going to train him in closing since you’re there tonight.”
“Andrew?” Beth grinned. “Don’t tell me you already hired someone. Is he nice?”
“He is nice. Let me know what you think of him tonight when you get home. I don’t want to miss anything.”
“Okay, I guess I better hurry. I’m meeting Sadie in five minutes.
” Beth hugged me. “Thanks for setting this up. Maybe talking to someone who’s actually dating a pastor will help me understand Jim a little better.
Or at least she can give me scripture to throw back at him when he becomes too clingy. ”
“I live to serve.” I headed down the street and toward home.
Matty Leaven’s store was still closed. Had the thief taken too much stock for her to reopen?
Or was she on vacation? Whatever it was, at least she wasn’t here making a fool out of Josh.
Or getting Mandy riled up. I thought Mandy could take Matty if it became a fistfight.
Mandy loved Josh and she wouldn’t put up with anyone messing with his head like that.
At least I hoped so. Maybe I should finish reading those books he gave me and make my notes so I could take the books back and talk to him. Because if I didn’t bring the books, he’d probably worry me to death about why I hadn’t brought them.
First up, running Emma. Then I’d dig into the history of South Cove and the building that had housed Chip’s Bar. Hopefully something would add to the storyline, because as of now, my only theory was that a roving steel-tip dart player had wanted Chip to tell him something.
It didn’t sound probable. Not even in a B-movie plot.
* * *
It was almost dark when I finished reading the parts of the books that dealt with Chip’s Bar building.
One of them even had pictures of the inside of the bar when it was first built.
I wondered if the library had more pictures and maybe a blueprint.
In my notebook, I wrote down a theory and what I’d need to prove it.
If the building had a secret room, Chip might have had something in there that someone else wanted.
I texted Chris to see if she could get me in the building sometime.
Surprisingly, I got a text back saying that she was going in tonight to access the work that needed to be done to reopen. She wanted to put a plan together and present it to Dom before he decided to sell the building and recoup his investment.
Greg had called earlier. He was in Bakerstown having dinner with the police chief there. Alanzo? I’d met him once when he’d wanted to talk to me about my old history professor and to tell me to stay out of his investigation.
I swear, these guys were like a broken record. No one even asked what evidence I’d found until I had pinpointed a killer. But to both Alanzo’s and Greg’s defense, most of the time I just had hunches.
Like the idea of a secret room.
I grabbed a tape measure and Emma’s leash.
At least I could pretend like I was just going on an evening stroll.
I tucked the notebook and a couple of pens into my tote and we headed back outside.
Emma glanced toward the beach, wondering why we’d be running twice today, but when I turned toward town, she quickly fell into place.
Maybe she thought we were going to get Greg or even Beth.
No matter what my dog thought, just the size of her would deter anyone from messing with me.
I saw a few bikes in Lille’s parking lot. I didn’t know an Indian from a Harley, but I knew these bikes were large and made for distance driving. There weren’t any three-wheelers or dirt bikes in the lot.
A flicker of light caught my eye as I turned to see a man leaning against a bike.
The light from the flame added to the streetlamps and the moonlight to confirm it was Gunter sitting and watching as I walked past. I wondered if Dom was in the diner with Lille.
He probably felt safe there, but if I was going to have a bodyguard, he’d be with me all the time.
I waved and kept walking. I thought I saw his head tilt in greeting, or it could have been a shadow.