“Did you hear the news?” Vina almost jumped across the counter at Motts when she walked into Griffin Brews. “Did you?”
“Have you overcaffeinated yourself again?” Motts blinked at her hyper ex-girlfriend. She knew Vina often taste-tested new coffee drinks before adding them to the menu. “Or tried too many sweet pastries?”
“I’m not sugared up.”
“Okay.” Motts didn’t know if she agreed. “What news am I supposed to have heard?”
“Rose Walters was taken to the police station for questioning.” Vina waved Motts closer, lowering her voice to avoid the customers seated at one of the round tables. “She was the hooded figure who tossed a rock through your window.”
“Rose?”
“Rose.”
“Rose Walters? The sweet lady who’s married to the grumpiest man I’ve ever met?” Motts wondered how much caffeine Vina had ingested. “Are you sure?”
Rolling her eyes, Vina searched her pockets and pulled out her phone with a triumphant shout. She queued up a video she’d obviously taken. Motts watched as Inspector Ash and Constable Stone led Rose out of the Salty Seaman.
“I….” Motts trailed off, too stunned to complete her thought.
“Right? Hughie stopped by for a latte. He told me why they’d taken her in for questioning.” Vina slipped her phone into her pocket. “Here. I’ll make you a coffee.”
“How is that going to help?”
“When doesn’t coffee help?” Vina pointed out.
Taking a seat in the corner of the café, Motts fidgeted with her phone. She wondered how the police had identified Rose. Despite Vina’s thoughts, she knew taking someone in for questioning wasn’t the same as them actually being arrested.
Still, Motts couldn’t help wondering why. What in the world would lead Rose to throw a stone through her cottage window? She’d welcomed Motts so kindly.
Was it all the questions about Rhona?
Vina brought over two mugs of coffee and a plate of breakfast pasties. She sat across from Motts. “Have you heard from Detective Inspector Tall, Dark, and Brooding?”
“We need an acronym for him.” Motts picked at the flaky layers of the pasty. “He hasn’t texted. I saw him yesterday.”
“I heard all about it. River messaged Nish and me.”
“Of course he did.” She shook her head. “Marnie never mentioned the arrest when I dropped by to see her.”
“Maybe she doesn’t know.” Vina shrugged.
“Possible.” Motts dug into her pasty. She’d need the energy for her cycling adventure. “Can I fill my water bottle here? I’m cycling to Polruan. I’m going to make a circuit of it.”
“Polruan? That’s a good two hours or more of cycling, depending on how you go. Have you lost your mind?” Vina leaned forward to rest her palm against Motts’s forehead. “You don’t feel feverish.”
“I’m fine. But I need to get going. I don’t fancy cycling late in the afternoon. If I leave now, I’ll have time to explore and get back to the cottage before it gets dark.” Motts intended to go a little out of her way to Lantic Bay, or at least hike up to the top of the cliffs to enjoy the view. “Want to go?”
“Not even if we were still dating.” She shook her head. “You’re going to need snacks. Good snacks. Don’t go anywhere.”
“Vina,” Motts groaned. Her ex-girlfriend had already disappeared, racing into the café’s kitchen with Motts’s water bottle in hand. “Brilliant.”
Between Vina, Nish, and their parents, Motts wound up with overflowing saddlebags. She had the filled water bottle along with a range of travel-ready snacks. There was no way she could eat all the food they’d given to her.
Leena and Caden, in particular, had insisted on making sure her mobile phone had been charged. Caden turned very paternal. He gave her a local road map (in case her GPS stopped working), a tyre patch kit, and a fancy mini pump.
“I’m not cycling to the other side of the world.” Motts waved off the Griffin parents’ offer to pick her up in Polruan. “I’ll be perfectly fine.”
“Don’t hesitate to give us a ring if you change your mind.” Leena hugged her tightly.
I’m not leaving forever.
Motts had learned over the years from painfully embarrassing moments not to blurt out all of her thoughts. “Thanks.”
When in doubt, a one-word response tended to keep her safe from making a mistake. Motts endured the well-meaning advice and hugs. She cycled out of sight as soon as possible.
Heading west out of the village, she took mostly smaller roads, going left by a farm and stopping for a flock of sheep. The wee lambs made her smile.
About three-quarters of the way to Polruan, Motts eased off the road onto a dirt path. She made her way on foot, pushing her bike up the hill. The view at the top of the cliff had definitely been worth the effort.
Dodging one of the cows munching on the grass, Motts wandered over to one of the trees along the clifftop. She rested her bike against the trunk, grabbed her bottle of water, and sat on the grass to stare out across the bay and sea. The wind whipped her hair around her face and cooled her off.
I needed this.
A peaceful calm settled over Motts. She didn’t always enjoy being out in nature with her allergies. But every so often, cycling less crowded routes offered a rare opportunity to relax without having to engage in conversation.
Nothing stressed Motts as much as small talk. The dinner at her auntie and uncle’s had been a total nightmare even with Teo coming to the rescue. People always expected a conversation to flow smoothly.
And she frequently wanted to not have to talk.
At all.
Cows definitely didn’t require a chat. Motts sat for almost an hour up on the hill. She’d set a timer for herself to keep from staying too long.
Snacks.
I have snacks.
Motts dug into her saddlebag and grabbed half a sandwich. She peeled apart the bread, eating the cheddar and thinly sliced beef separately. “The bicycle isn’t going to take itself home.”
Walking back down the path to the road, Motts had time to let her snack settle before climbing onto the bike. She’d spent a little longer than intended by the sea but not by much. There was plenty of time to explore Polruan before heading home.
After a warm mug of tea at Crumpets, Motts meandered around the village for an hour. She’d planned to start the journey home no later than two in the afternoon. The grey clouds beginning to fill the sky changed her mind.
I can’t believe I forget to check the weather. What a silly mistake to make. I’m going to get soaked through to the bone.
Pulling out her phone, Motts entered her cottage into the map and picked the most direct route home. She had a feeling the rain would arrive before she got there. Her legs weren’t prepared for a full-on sprint for an hour.
Halfway down the road to Polperro, the skies opened above her. Motts wound up drenched within ten minutes. She cursed herself for not checking the weather more closely in the morning.
Several cars beeped when they passed her on the road. Motts didn’t understand the point. She was fully aware her life decisions had let her down.
She hadn’t missed the fact it was raining. It streaked down her face and made keeping her cycling straight more complicated. She briefly considered making a rude gesture at the next driver who thought it was funny to drive through a puddle next to her.
Why are people such jerks?
A vehicle pulled up beside her about twenty minutes from home. Nish hopped out and helped her get her bicycle into the back of the delivery van. She climbed into the front, shivering in her damp clothes.
Nish slipped into the driver seat. He reached over to turn up the heat. “Let’s get you home so you can get into dry clothes.”
“Thanks, Nish.” Motts took the towel he tossed to her and dried her face. She’d been looking forward to cycling along the coast. “It didn’t seem stormy earlier in the day.”
“Did you enjoy your day, aside from the sudden onslaught of rain?” Nish pointed to a thermos on the console between them. “Amma sent some tea. She thought you might appreciate the warmth.”
Motts poured herself a cup, managing to keep from spilling it when Nish went over a bump in the road. “I spent some time on the cliffs about Lantic Bay. It was lovely. The rain, not so much.”
Sipping the tea, Motts tried not to shatter her teeth shivering. The cold had definitely begun to sink into her bones. She’d be heading straight for a hot bath the minute she got home.
Nish guided the van up the road to park outside her cottage. He took the finished thermos cup from her. “Here. I’ll get your bike secured. You get inside and warm yourself. I’m sure one of us will check in on you later. Maybe bring up some stew or soup for supper.”
Cactus was sitting by the front door when Motts finally got her fingers to work enough to turn the key in the lock. She waved at Nish before shutting the door. Her clothes dripped a trail of water down the hall into the bathroom.
Meow.
“Yes, I’m aware I’ve left a mess in my wake.” Motts got the water in the tub going. She stripped out of her wet clothes, tossing them into the laundry basket in the corner. They could wait until later. “Just one of my many mistakes today.”
Grabbing a spare towel, Motts dropped it and shuffled around on her feet to dry the floor. Cactus didn’t need to catch a cold as well. She finished up just as the bath had filled.
Motts climbed into the tub and sank into the blissfully hot water. She rested her head against the edge. The warmth felt like the best hug in the world.
Meow.
“I’ll feed you as soon as I stop shivering like it’s forty below outside.” Motts reached out to rub Cactus on the head. He leapt up to sit on the shelf at the foot of the tub to watch her. “Do not jump into the water.”
Cactus had made the mistake more than once. He wanted to join her and always managed to look as if she’d betrayed him when his little paws hit the water. Motts sat forward to dislodge him to a safer spot.
Turning his tail up, Cactus strolled out of the bathroom. She had a feeling she’d need a few extra treats to get on his good side again. That was a problem for later, when her body had stopped acting like she’d gone for a dive in the sea on a winter morning.
She reclined back in the tub and let out a heavy sigh. “Well, who says going outdoors is good for you?”