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“Why?” Lauren sprinkled hot chocolate powder on top of the cappuccino, giving the swan design a speckled look.
“Because he wouldn’t marry her!”
“Mitch checked her alibi. She was watching TV and then called her daughter in Los Angeles.”
“She could have done it while she was supposedly watching her show,” Zoe protested.
“True.” Lauren paused. “But I’m sure Mitch is looking into everything. He told me Brooke reported her jewelry missing yesterday.”
“Good.” Zoe nodded. “I hope we – she – finds it.”
They took Doris’s order over to her.
“This looks quite nice.” She peered at the swan design on the cappuccino. “Fancy, in fact. And I must admit, your cupcake does look delicious. Francis told me about this place on Sunday, and I thought I’d give it a try.”
“Thank you.” Lauren nodded.
“Not many customers.” Doris glanced around the room. “In fact, I’m the only one!”
“It can be quiet when there’s a class on at the senior center,” Zoe admitted. “Do you go there?”
“Not really.” Doris struck her fork into the cake. “Sometimes Francis would take me if he could get away at lunch time or if there was something on in the evening. It’s too far for me to walk, I’m afraid.” She placed a morsel in her mouth, then chewed and swallowed. “That is very nice. It’s a credit to you, dear.” She looked at Lauren.
“Thank you.” This time Lauren smiled.
They left Doris to enjoy her order, and time with Annie.
“What do you think?” Zoe asked when they were behind the counter once more.
“About what?”
“About – you know.” Zoe sounded exasperated.
Lauren dropped her voice. “I don’t see Doris as a killer, if that’s what you mean, but I’ve been wrong before.”
“So have I.” Zoe wrinkled her nose. “Huh.”
Lauren felt like echoing her cousin’s sentiments.
A short while later, one of their favorite customers entered.
“Hi, Hans,” Lauren greeted him.
“Brrt!” Annie trotted over to him. Doris had departed, after complimenting them again on her order.
“Hello, Lauren, and Zoe. Hello, Liebchen,” he said to Annie. His faded blue eyes twinkled at the trio.
“Brrt!” Annie slowly led the dapper sixty-something man to a four-seater near the counter.
“What can we get you?” Lauren had her order pad ready.
“You have got to try Lauren’s new blueberry!”
“If Zoe says I must, then I must,” Hans replied gravely, a hint of humor in his eyes. “And I will have my usual cappuccino, please.”
“Is something happening at the senior center?” Zoe asked.
“Yes, they are having an oil painting class this morning.”
“I was nearly right.” Zoe grinned.
“She thought it might be a water color class,” Lauren explained.
“Brrt!”
“That was last week.” Hans smiled.
They returned to the counter, Annie keeping Hans company.
“I wonder if Hans knows Doris – or knew Uncle Francis,” Zoe pondered, plating the cupcake.
“I guess you’re going to ask him,” Lauren said good-naturedly.
“Yep!”
After Lauren created a peacock design on the cappuccino, they took the order over to Hans. Annie was chattering away to him in a series of brrts and brrps.
“Maybe she’s already telling him about Uncle Francis,” Zoe said.
“Maybe.” Lauren looked fondly at her fur baby.
“This looks delicious, Lauren.” Hans admired the design on the micro foam. “It seems a shame to drink it. But I have been looking forward to your coffee this morning.”
“Thanks.” Lauren smiled at one of her favorite customers.
“Did you hear about Uncle Francis – the bank manager?” Zoe said.
“I heard of a Francis who was the local bank manager, but I did not know he was your uncle.” Hans sipped his cappuccino.
“He’s Brooke’s uncle – well not really. A family friend.” Zoe turned to Lauren. “Huh. I don’t think we know his last name.”
Lauren cast her mind back. “No, I don’t think we do.”
“Brrt,” Annie agreed.
“Well, anyway,” Zoe returned to imparting her news, “we found him ... dead ... on Monday morning.”
“Ach. That is terrible.” Hans looked distressed. “I am sorry.”
“Thanks.” Zoe nodded. “We wanted to know if you were acquainted with him.”
“I have my money in his bank, but only knew him to say hello to,” Hans replied. “He seemed a nice man.”
“That’s what everyone’s been saying,” Lauren remarked.
“What about his neighbor, Doris?” Zoe asked. “What was her last name?” She tapped her cheek. “Wotherspoon, I think.”
“Ah, I know who you mean.” Hans nodded. “I do not like to gossip, but I think ...” he looked around the café but they were the only ones there “... she was fond of him.”
“Yeah, I got that impression this morning.” Zoe looked delighted that someone else agreed with her.
“It did seem like that.” Lauren nodded.
“Brrt!”
“Is Mitch making any progress with the case?” Hans neatly forked up plump blueberries and cake crumb.
“He’s received the ME’s report,” Lauren replied. “But he doesn’t like talking about his work at times.”
“But I bet Lauren can get the information out of him.” Zoe winked at her. “Right?”
“Zoe!” Heat hit her cheeks.
More customers filled the café, including Ms. Tobin.
The trio excused themselves, Annie greeting the middle-aged woman, who wore a cream blouse teamed with a fawn skirt, and matching coat.
“Hi, Ms. Tobin.” Lauren smiled.
“Were you at the oil painting class just now?” Zoe asked.
“Why, yes, how did you know?” Ms. Tobin’s brow furrowed.
“We’re being detectives.” Zoe giggled.
“Hans told us there was a class on this morning,” Lauren explained.
“I don’t know if painting is for me,” Ms. Tobin admitted, “but I thought it might be fun to try.”
“How is your cat, Miranda?” Lauren asked. A while ago, the café had hosted a kitten adoption day for the local animal shelter, and Annie had chosen an orange, brown, and white kitten for Ms. Tobin. It was on the same day that Brooke and Jeff had picked out a male tuxedo kitten for themselves, and little Molly, one of Zoe’s maids of honor, had fallen in love with a gray scrap that looked very similar to Annie.
“She is just wonderful.” Ms. Tobin’s smile lit up her face. “I was watching television last night, and she curled up on my lap and wouldn’t move. I wanted to get a glass of water, but I decided not to disturb her, and we stayed glued to the screen until the show finished.”
“Ohh. Annie does that too, sometimes,” Lauren admitted.
“But Lauren usually gets her drink ready first, so she doesn’t have to get up,” Zoe added.
“I think I’ll have to try that.” Ms. Tobin nodded.
“How was your friend Miranda’s visit?” Zoe inquired. “She came to visit you after Lauren’s – our – wedding, didn’t she?”
“It was marvelous.” Ms. Tobin sighed in remembrance. “My little Miranda liked her, and it was good to have some human company in the house for a few days. She’s going to visit me again in a few months.”
“That’s great.” Lauren smiled.
“Definitely,” Zoe agreed.
“Where would you like to sit today?” Lauren asked diplomatically. She’d noticed Annie glancing back at Hans, but she knew her fur baby liked Ms. Tobin too.
“I’m sure Annie will lead me to just the right table.” She looked fondly at the feline.
“Brrt!” Yes!
Annie escorted Ms. Tobin to Hans’s table.
“Now she won’t have to choose between them,” Zoe observed.
Lauren watched Ms. Tobin greet Hans, who gestured for her to join him. Annie sat opposite them.
“She’s got it all worked out.” Lauren’s heart filled with love for her fur baby.
Most of the new customers only wanted take-out, so Annie could remain with Hans and Ms. Tobin.
“I’ll take Ms. Tobin’s order,” Zoe said.
“Okay.”
Zoe zoomed over to the table. Lauren steamed the milk for a latte as she watched her speak to Hans and Ms. Tobin.
“She’ll have a blueberry and a large latte.” Zoe returned. “And Hans would like another cappuccino.”
“Thanks.” Lauren finished the to-go beverage, then started on the new order.
When the coffees were ready, they took them over.
“I think Doris will be very upset,” Ms. Tobin said when they reached the table. “The poor woman was very fond of Francis.”
“Do you know Uncle Francis and Doris?” Zoe asked eagerly.
“Not that well,” Ms. Tobin admitted. “Enough to say hello to and exchange pleasantries. But she was always in Francis’s company.”
“She said he gave her a ride when she needed one,” Lauren said.
“True.” Ms. Tobin inclined her head. “I don’t know what she’ll do now – get a taxi I suppose, unless the senior center bus can pick her up.”
“That is a good idea,” Hans said.
“When I see her again, I’ll mention it.” Ms. Tobin smiled at him.
Another customer came in. Annie seated them, then returned to Hans and Ms. Tobin.
While Lauren made a mocha for the newcomer, Zoe said, “I wonder how Brooke is doing today? I think we should visit her.”
“Good idea.” Lauren nodded.
“What about lunch time?” Zoe gestured to the sparsely filled room.
“You want to close at lunch?” Lauren raised her eyebrows. “We never do that – well, hardly ever.”
“I know, but it’s not busy today. I’m sure everyone would understand if we did close for thirty minutes.”
“Maybe,” Lauren replied doubtfully.
“Ed could cover the counter if he needed to.”
“He could,” she agreed, “but I don’t like to ask him to do it unless it’s an emergency.”
“I get you.” Zoe nodded. “Ed’s a good guy. Okay, how about we close the café and tell Ed, so he can have a break as well without worrying about any customers?”
“It might be better if we wait until after lunch – sometimes it’s slow like yesterday afternoon, and then we can close for a short while.”
“Good point. And I can text Brooke and see what time suits her. What if she’s in the middle of doing a perm and can’t talk to us right away because otherwise she’d fry her customer’s hair?”
“I sincerely hope not.” Lauren sounded alarmed.
Zoe dug her phone out of her jeans’ pocket, her thumbs busy. A few seconds later, the device buzzed.
“She says any time between two and three works for her.”
“Okay.” Lauren nodded. “We’ll see her this afternoon.”
It was lucky they decided to wait until then, because the lunch period was busier than expected. Lauren hoped Mitch would drop by, but there was no sign of him. Was he working nonstop on the case?
When two o’clock arrived, they closed the café, informed Ed, quickly ate their paninis in the cottage kitchen while Annie enjoyed chicken in gravy, and then the three of them set out for the hair salon.
A light mist of rain drifted down, petering out after a few seconds.
“Right on two-thirty.” Zoe peered at Lauren’s watch as they approached the small salon. She pushed open the door.
“Hi,” Lauren called out.
“Brrt,” Annie added.
“Hi, guys.” Brooke emerged from the back room. The place was quiet, and there weren’t any customers.
“How are you?” Lauren asked.
Brooke looked a little better than she had on Monday morning, and wore a cheerful red and white snowflake sweater, with neatly pressed blue jeans.
“I’m okay.” She smiled at them. “Did Mitch tell you I filed a police report yesterday about Grandmother’s jewelry?”
“Yes,” Lauren replied.
“He’s going to let me know if they turn up at any pawnshops. I hope he can find them. They’re insured but I don’t want the money – I just want them back.”
“I understand,” Lauren said sympathetically.
“Totally.” Zoe nodded.
The salon door opened, and a man entered.
“Keith?” Brooke glanced at him quizzically. “What are you doing here?”
Zoe turned to face the newcomer, and nudged Lauren in the ribs.
Her eyes widened. It was Christina’s ex-husband – the man who’d visited the café with her last Saturday!