let Emma in and closed up the house. Toby would be leaving soon for his evening shift, so I didn’t want to leave her outside after dark without anyone around. In reviewing the town’s security feeds, Greg had seen packs of wild dogs roaming the streets at night. My luck, they’d wander our way and Emma would think they wanted to play.
As we turned off onto the highway, I could see the lights the city had strung all around the beach area. Even though the area was empty, the lights illuminated it like some abandoned carnival show.
I hoped the festival would bring in the customers Mary had promised the group. The Business-to-Business group could get a little grumpy when they’d spent money on an activity that didn’t bring in people. Or as Josh had said, the wrong type of people.
“Have you had any complaints about speeding motorcyclists?” I turned away from the beach and watched Greg drive.
He turned down the music. “How did you know?” He shook his head. “Never mind, sometimes, it’s like you’re in my head. Or do you have a bug placed in my office?”
I smiled. “Maybe I’m just psychic, like Esmeralda?”
“I didn’t think you believed in her gift?” He slowed for a set of tight turns in the road. “Don’t answer that, I’m not sure I want to know. Anyway, yes, I had three different reports of some guy racing through Main Street at three different times of day. But never when Tim was anywhere close to be able to find him. Esmeralda was ready to shoot the guy herself.”
“I saw him during the meeting and then again after lunch. The guy was huge! He about ran over an old lady with a walker. And she was a tourist.”
“The reports we got were for a skinny kid. Most of the callers thought he was in high school.” He took my hand in the dark. “Heaven forbid, we wouldn’t want a tourist to be hurt on our streets. You’re beginning to sound like Marvin. It’s kind of creepy.”
“I didn’t mean it that way.” Okay, maybe I had, but the woman had been using a walker, for gosh sakes. Didn’t the rider have a grandma somewhere? “But I saw the guy, he was football defensive lineman big. I don’t know how he didn’t blow out a tire.”
“Eyewitnesses are typically a little off, but this is kind of crazy.” Greg pulled the truck into the parking lot tucked between the highway and the mountain. He turned off the engine and turned to look at me. “You ready to forget what’s been worrying you and have a relaxing dinner with the handsomest man on the South Cove police force?”
“I didn’t know Toby was meeting us here.” I rubbed my finger over the stubble on Greg’s face. When he had meetings at night, he typically shaved twice a day. I kind of liked the rough look being unshaven gave him.
“Funny girl.” He slid out of the truck and shut the door, walking around to my side to let me out. He caught me halfway down and let my body slide down skimming his own. The guy knew all the right moves. He led me toward the front door. “Let’s get some food now, I’m starving.”
Chapter 4
On the first day of the Summer Beach Blast Party, I’d arrived at the shop early, but I wasn’t the first one there. Kathi Corbin sat at one of our outside tables, looking at her phone. Her blond hair shimmered in the morning sunlight and I wondered if she had been born with that color or had she gotten it under the hand of an excellent hairdresser. She glanced up as I approached and slipped her phone into her Coach bag. If the purse was a knock-off, it was a great imitation.
“Good morning, darling,” she crooned in her Texas twang.
“Officially, we don’t open for another ten minutes, but come on in.” I unlocked the door and held it open for her. “I have a feeling today’s going to be crazy, I might as well get a jump on it.”
“Your group is so creative with all the little festivals to bring in customers. Back home, we only had the fall homecoming party and the spring shindig. By the time we got done planning for those, we were D-O-N-E, done.”
“Did you manage a business before?” I turned on lights and the coffee machines as I walked by the different areas. “I thought Tea Hee was your first venture into the land of retail?”
“Oh no, I worked at my uncle’s general store for a few years and then summers during college. I learned a lot about people working the counter there.” She stared up at the menu, then looked around. Satisfied they were alone, she reached into her purse and brought out a pair of glasses. She pointed them at me. “You are sworn to secrecy. If you say anything, I’ll call you a jealous bitch.”
I held my hands up in surrender. “I won’t tell anyone, but seriously, why not wear contacts?”
“I’ve tried them. They make my eyes water. My last eye doctor suggested I use less mascara. And that’s not going to happen.” She put on the glasses and scanned the menu. She pointed to an item and put her glasses away. “I’ll have a skinny mocha double shot.”
“Add a piece of cheesecake with that?” I started making her coffee.
Kathi took a deep breath like she could actually smell the items in the sealed dessert case. “I haven’t had sugar in years. I can’t even think about eating a cookie without gaining a pound or two on my thighs. You have no idea how hard it is to keep a body in this kind of shape.”
“The women on the Titanic regretted skipping dessert.” I handed her the coffee. “Four-fifty, unless I can make you break your no sugar vow.”
“You’re evil, has anyone ever told you that?” Kathi looked around the shop. “This place is really nice. How long have you owned the shop?”
“Going on six years now. It was a coffee only place until I bought the store. I thought South Cove needed a bookstore. And luckily, so did South Cove.” I poured myself a hazelnut-flavored coffee that had just finished brewing. “I think you’ll love running a business here.”
“I hope so. I’ve sunk all my savings into the shop. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll be going on Cage Match with Miss America next, just to put food on my table.” Kathi handed me cash for her drink and waved away her change. “See you tomorrow.”
“Oh, hey, I forgot. Your sister came into the shop yesterday. I didn’t realize she moved here with you.” I dropped the change into the tip jar and shut the cash register.
Kathi turned back to me and the ashen look on her face didn’t match the news I’d just delivered. “My sister?” She shook her head. “You must be mistaken. I only have one sister and she is in Texas caring for Daddy.”
“I didn’t meet her, Aunt Jackie did. But she said her name was Ivy Corbin. That’s your sister, right?” Kathi’s face twisted as she processed the news. Apparently, the two women weren’t close, which supported Aunt Jackie’s argument that there must be bad blood between them.
Instead of responding, Kathi decided to ignore my question. “Look, I’ve got to get back to the contractors. If you don’t keep an eye on them, they tend to disappear for hours. I’m on a deadline here.”
And then she walked out of the store, leaving me to question everything I knew about South Cove’s newest resident.
Toby held the door open as Kathi walked out. I saw his nod and friendly grin,
