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“WHAT ...?” MADDIE’S eyes widened. She stared across the square to the stall the judge had just departed. Claudine’s hands were on her hips and she glared at a short burly man with curly black hair.
“What are you talking about?” the man demanded.
“You have the same beans as me!”
“So?” He looked confused.
“My beans are one of a kind. Everybody says so!” Claudine looked like she was going to shriek with rage.
“Yeah, one of a kind awful,” Suzanne muttered to Maddie.
Even Trixie seemed transfixed by the angry tableaux.
Dave Dantzler shoved his microphone in between the man and Claudine. “What’s going on, guys? Talk to me.”
“He stole my beans.” Claudine’s voice was loud enough for everyone at the festival to hear.
“I have no idea what this person is talking about.” The coffee vendor seemed genuinely confused. His voice was also loud enough for Maddie to hear.
Claudine drew herself up and stuck out her chest. “I just happened to be passing after the judging, and I noticed that this – this person had the same beans as I did, and that the judge had just left. Naturally, I was concerned that this – this person stole my beans. I believe I have an extremely good chance of winning the competition and my beans are part of my success. And now – and now—” Claudine’s face puckered.
“She really is delusional,” Suzanne whispered to Maddie. “Her coffee is awful – not even adding chocolate powder and calling it a mocha can save it – I tested one at her café a few months ago, remember?”
“Yes.” Maddie nodded. Suzanne hadn’t been able to stop talking about how bad it had been.
“It’s not against the rules for competitors to use the same kind of beans,” Dave Dantzler put in.
“That’s right.” The newspaper reporter nodded.
“But ... but ...” Claudine seemed to deflate a little.
“I did not steal your beans,” the coffee vendor defended himself. “Here, take a look for yourself.” He gestured at his stall. “I doubt they’re the same as yours – I get mine roasted from a small company just outside Seattle.” He pulled out a bag from underneath his stall and thrust it at Claudine.
Claudine scanned the writing, first holding the bag close to her face and then further away, squinting at the writing.
“Do you think she needs glasses?” Maddie murmured to Suzanne.
“I think you’re right.” Suzanne looked at Maddie. “That’s what Mom was doing before she got reading glasses.”
“Well?” The radio personality waved his microphone in front of Claudine.
“Well ...” Claudine hesitated, then took a deep breath. “I guess they’re not the same after all. But the bag looks very similar to mine.”
“How do you feel about being falsely accused of stealing?” Dave shoved his microphone toward the coffee vendor’s face.
The man shrugged. “We all make mistakes. And I think everyone is anxiously waiting to find out who won.”
Claudine grudgingly handed back the bag of beans.
“That’s very decent of you,” Walt, the newspaper reporter, commented.
“Everyone likes having an edge in a competition,” the coffee vendor said. “I’m just glad she accused me after the judging.”
The three men laughed, but Claudine looked ready to explode. She’d already seemed to have overcome her embarrassment at falsely accusing the coffee vendor.
She turned on her heel and strode back to her stall, luckily far away from Maddie’s truck.
Maddie watched the two reporters talk to the coffee vendor for a few minutes, then they departed.
“I definitely need a health ball.” Maddie popped one into her mouth.
“Me too.” Suzanne followed her example. “Hey, this would be the perfect time to do the Coffee Vision spell, don’t you think?”
“Now?”
“Mrrow!” Trixie seemed to agree with Suzanne.
“Well, I think I do need a coffee after all that.” Maddie poured some milk into the jug. “Suzanne?”
Her friend shook her head. “I’m good for now. I had one earlier this morning.”
“That’s right.” Maddie worked the machine, the hissing and burring a comforting sound.
When her latte was ready, she stared at the surface. Clearing her mind, she whispered, “Show me.”
The foam swirled, then cleared. Dave Dantzler, the radio personality who had interviewed them earlier, stood in front of the coffee truck.
“That’s all?” Maddie whispered in disappointment.
The vision vanished, the latte returning to its normal foamy surface.
“Well?” Suzanne asked impatiently. “Did it show you winning the competition?”
“No.” Maddie shook her head. “It only showed Dave Dantzler at the truck.”
“Pooh.” Suzanne wrinkled her nose.
“Exactly.”
A flurry of customers arrived, and Maddie had no time to drink her coffee. After she made the last latte, Suzanne picked up her purse.
“I thought I’d go and get us some food. Do you want to come?”
Tempting as the thought was to explore the rival stalls, Maddie preferred to flop down on the stool next to Trixie and have a break.
“No, I’ll stay here.”
“Okay. I’ll get us something yummy.”
“Mrrow!”
“I’ll see what I can do, Trix,” Suzanne promised.
“Oh, Trixie, you know food for humans isn’t good for you – most of it anyway,” Maddie reminded the cat. “I brought your dry food with me in case you got hungry.”
“Broomf!” Trixie scrunched her face up into what could only be a pout.
“All right,” Maddie caved in as she usually did when it came to the feline. “We’ll see what Suzanne brings back and if it’s suitable for you.”
“Mrrow,” Trixie purred, her pouting suddenly forgotten. She nudged Maddie’s hand, demanding to be petted.
As Maddie stroked the Persian, her stomach started to growl. Now that some of the stress of the competition was behind her – apart from waiting to see if she’d won – she realized she hadn’t eaten much all day. She’d been too anxious to eat breakfast, and she’d only nibbled on one health ball so far this morning. She hoped Suzanne found something delicious for lunch.
“How about making me a cappuccino?” Dave Dantzler suddenly appeared at the truck window, startling Maddie.
“Oh – sure.” Maddie got to her feet.
Trixie stared at the man, no longer looking happy and contented.
“On the house, of course.” The man smirked.
“Excuse me?” Maddie frowned.
“It’s the way we do things here.” He wiggled his bushy eyebrows suggestively.
She hesitated. It was only one coffee, and wouldn’t cost her much to give it to him for free, but something about his demand stuck in her throat.
“It’s not the way I do things,” she told him.
“Really?” He affected surprise. “Well, unless you want me to totally disrespect you on air, you’ll be giving me complimentary cappuccinos all day.” His expression suddenly turned sinister. “You don’t want me telling my listeners your coffee is the worst I’ve ever tasted, do you? I can put you out of business like that!”
“My customers know my coffee is good.” Maddie straightened her spine. Of all the times Suzanne had to leave the truck!
“Mrrow!” Trixie agreed indignantly, standing on the stool and arching her back, her turquoise eyes fiercely glaring at him.
“And what about having your cat in the truck? Don’t you think that’s a health code violation?”
“No one has ever said that to me,” Maddie said truthfully. “Not even the health inspector.”
“Hmm.” He rubbed his chin. “Maybe I should put in a call to the inspector I know. I bet he’d think differently.”
Maddie looked at Trixie. She truly didn’t know if the cat had somehow magically enchanted the health inspector who had signed off on their truck, but they’d never had a problem having Trixie with them. Until now.
She’d miss having Trixie at work, and she knew the Persian would feel the same.
“Fine.” Maddie slammed the stainless-steel milk jug onto the counter.
“And make it a good one – just like you made in the competition.” He had the nerve to wink.
She made the cappuccino as quickly as possible, while still ensuring it was “a good one.”
“Here.” She slid the paper cup over to him on the counter.
“Thanks.” He took a sip, seeming not to realize that she hadn’t added her signature art to the cappuccino. There was no way she was going to give him an image of Trixie on the cappuccino – he didn’t deserve it.
“I’ll be back for another one. Keep them coming like this, and I’ll make you sound good on my radio show.”
Maddie felt like saying a snarky “Don’t bother,” but instead just nodded her head, amazed that steam wasn’t coming out of her ears. Maybe it was just as well Suzanne wasn’t here – she might have had to restrain her friend from jumping over the counter and confronting the guy.
“Brrrr.” A low growling sound came behind her. Maddie turned, surprised to see Trixie with an angry look on her face as she glared at the radio personality.
“See you later.” He mock-saluted her with his coffee cup before being swallowed up in the crowd.
“It’s okay, Trix, he’s gone,” Maddie soothed the cat. She tentatively stroked the Persian’s shoulder, and when Trixie relaxed under the gentle touch, Maddie continued petting her.
“Thank you for being here for me,” Maddie murmured. Although Trixie had only been in her life for just over a year, she didn’t know what she’d do without her.
“Mrrow,” the cat replied softly, nudging her hand.
“As soon as we find out who won the competition, we can go home,” she promised her. It was only lunch time but Maddie felt tired already, probably from the excitement of the competition.
“Food!” Suzanne waved a paper bag in the air as she climbed into the van.
The enticing savory smell wafted through the truck.
“What did you get?” Maddie asked, momentarily distracted from her encounter with Dave Dantzler.
“Sliders!” Suzanne pulled out five paper wrapped packages. “Two each for us and one for Trixie.”
“Mrrow!” Trixie sniffed the parcels in Maddie’s hand.
“Beef, lettuce and tomato. But Trixie’s is just beef.”
“Thanks.” Maddie smiled at her friend. She unwrapped Trixie’s treat, crumbling the hot patty into her bowl. “Here you go, Trix. It’s hot, though.”
Trixie sniffed the pieces of beef, licking at one morsel with her pink tongue, then gobbling it up. Obviously not too hot after all!
Maddie took a bite of the mini-burger, surprised at how hungry she was. After her encounter with the radio personality, she’d thought she’d lost her appetite.
“Good?” Suzanne mumbled, around the burger in her mouth.
“Mm hm.” Maddie nodded.
“Mrrow!” Trixie finished the last scrap in her bowl and looked at Maddie expectantly.
“We can share.” Maddie gave the cat half of her remaining beef patty.
“I should have bought more.” Suzanne sighed as she ate her second slider.
“I’ll go.” Maybe it would do her good to step outside the truck for a few minutes, and forget all about the horrible radio personality and the way he’d blackmailed her into giving him a free cappuccino.
“Hi!” The short, burly coffee vendor who’d had the altercation with Claudine stepped up to the counter. “I’m Bob. How’s it going?”
“Good,” Suzanne said with a grin. “I’m Suzanne and this is Maddie.”
“And this is Trixie.” Maddie introduced the cat.
“Mrrow.”
“I meant to introduce myself before the competition but I ran out of time,” he said ruefully. His gaze flickered to Trixie and he smiled. “Cute cat.”
Trixie seemed to preen at the attention.
“How do you think you went?” Maddie asked, curious.
“Well, the judge seemed to like my cappuccino, but who knows?” He shrugged. “He might be polite to all the contestants, so he doesn’t give anything away.”
“You could be right.” Perhaps he told all the competitors their cappuccino was “charming”, Maddie thought.
“Did you add art to the top of the foam?” Suzanne asked.
“Yep. I added a heart,” Bob replied.
“That sounds cute,” Suzanne replied.
“My customers seem to like it,” he said. “I have a café in Redbud Glen, near Aunt Winifred, but I’m thinking of expanding. How’s the scene here?”
Suzanne and Maddie looked at each other, their eyes widening.
“I don’t think there’s room for another coffee shop in Estherville here,” Suzanne said. “Maddie and I run our truck here, and there’s a café on the other side of the square.” She gestured to Claudine’s shop. “In fact, the owner, Claudine, entered the competition as well as Maddie.”
“Was that the woman who accused me of stealing?” Bob frowned.
“Yep,” Suzanne said cheerfully.
He shook his head. “I have no idea what happened. The judging had just finished and she marched up to me and accusing me of stealing her beans. I went over to her stall afterward, and bought a vanilla cappuccino, trying to smooth things over.” He shuddered. “She definitely isn’t using the same beans I am.”
“Yet somehow she still has customers,” Maddie pointed out. And it was true. She didn’t know why, but there were still people who frequented Claudine’s café and she remained in business.
The coffee vendor looked a little disheartened. “Maybe I should stay small a while longer.” His eyes gleamed with curiosity. “I’d love to try your coffee, Maddie.”
“Sure. Vanilla cappuccino?”
“Why not?”
As the machine burred and hissed, Suzanne held out the sample plate of health balls. “Try one,” she insisted.
He chewed and swallowed, his eyes widening in appreciation. “These are good.”
Maddie finished making the beverage, adding her signature art to the microfoam. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” He pulled out his wallet. “What do I owe you?”
“On the house.” Maddie smiled. She didn’t mind making this fellow vendor a free coffee.
“Thanks.” He looked down appreciatively at the image on the foam, and then at Trixie. “That’s a great idea, turning your cat into a work of art.”
“Mrrow!” Trixie agreed.
He took a cautious sip, pleasure creasing his face. And then another.
“Mmm.” He shook his head ruefully. “I think you’re going to win.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. My coffee’s good, but it’s not quite as good as this. You definitely have talent.”
“Thanks.” A thrill of satisfaction ran down her spine. Sometimes she thought the only things she was confident about were her coffee making abilities, as well as being able to cast the Coffee Vision spell since she was seven years old. And her friendship with Suzanne – she knew that was totally solid.
“It’s a shame there’s only one prize,” Suzanne said. “Otherwise you might be going to Seattle, too.”
“There’s always next year – if they decide to run this festival again.” He looked around at the buzzing town square. “And by the size of this crowd, it looks like it’s already successful.”
“Business has been pretty good so far,” Maddie said. There had been several lulls in between the wave of customers, but she knew they’d done more business today than they usually did on a Saturday morning.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “It was worth closing the shop and coming here – and I couldn’t resist entering the competition. Do you know who else entered?”
“Jill, the vendor over there.” Maddie gestured to the jolly plump woman’s stall. “She’s from Aunt Winifred.”
“Oh yeah, I’ve met her. Her coffee is pretty good, too.”
“And Claudine. I haven’t met the others,” Maddie said.
“I think there are a couple of other competitors.” He savored the last of his cappuccino. “Well, good luck, Maddie. It was nice meeting you.”
“Same here,” Maddie said. “And good luck to you, too, Bob.”
“Thanks.” He smiled, then headed back to his stall, where a couple of customers waited.
“He was nice,” Suzanne said. “And so was Jill.”
“Yes,” Maddie agreed. “If I don’t win, I hope either he or Jill does.”
“Of course you’re going to win,” Suzanne declared. “I have total faith in you.”
