“Only my special customers. I try my best to forget the ones that give me trouble.” That was strictly the truth. She did try her best. It was impossible, but she gave it her best shot.
“I’m Charlie Gainer.” Charlie held out his hand to her. “I lived in New Orleans most of my life.” He had an accent. Southern? Cajun? French was spoken in New Orleans.
She shook his hand without hesitation. She’d learned that was one of the many things one did when owning a business. Even so, she found herself leery of him. She had to acknowledge she was becoming more paranoid by the moment when simply meeting new men made her nervous.
“How did you end up here?”
“Got the wander bug and set out to see the United States. Worked my way from park to park and landed here. I went backpacking in Shasta and ran into some people who couldn’t say enough about the Sierra. Saw the advertisement for work and hopped on it.”
Shabina liked all of them. They were heading up to Yosemite that morning and eager to start work. She liked their enthusiasm. She’d found quite a few of the newer hires for trail rehabilitation were genuinely nice people who cared about the parks and keeping them preserved for future generations.
“Have you checked out the trails in Yosemite yet?”
“Pete and I camped there last week,” Billy said.
Mandy laughed. “Georgia and I rented camp space up at Sunrise Lake and drove up to Yosemite to hike the trails daily. We did camp there, but just for the one night. Sunrise Lake spoilsyou, and I knew we were going to be working hard for the next few weeks, so I wanted to hit the spa.”
“Spa?” Charlie nearly spewed his coffee over the table. “There’s a spa at Sunrise Lake? I can’t believe the two of you were camping in the lap of luxury. I hit the hot springs just outside of Knightly. That’s my one luxury.”
Mandy lifted one eyebrow. “We can’t help it if we already know all the great places to hang out.”
Billy nudged Pete. “We used to go to those hot springs after we went bouldering. Now, too many people are there. It isn’t quite as nice as it used to be.”
“Don’t tell me you go up to the Sunrise Lake spa too,” Charlie said, disgust in his voice. “I won’t believe it.”
“No dirt under my fingernails.” Billy held out his hand.
Shabina couldn’t help laughing. She noticed Billy hadn’t claimed he went to the spa. He just couldn’t help taunting Charlie.
“I hope you enjoy your food. Patsy is your waitress. Please let her know if you need anything at all, and thank you for coming in.”
Shabina moved on to the next table. The four men from the university were still at their table. She noted the two men from Algeria were drinking mint tea. The one from Turkey had ordered an Arabic coffee. The man, Jules Beaumont, from Belgium had ordered herqahwa, a roasted coffee ground with cardamom and flavored with saffron. He’d also ordered her specialtyma’amoul, cookies stuffed with nuts and dates, and seemed to be enjoying them.
The cookies and coffee were nostalgic to her. She didn’t make them often, and when she did have them, they sold out fast, but they were always a bridge between her lost, massacred family in Saudi Arabia and the present. It had been Mama Ahmad who had taught her how to bake and cook.
She quickly looked away before she drew Beaumont’s attention and engaged the people at the table she’d stopped beside in conversation. It took another hour to make her way to Raine’s table.
“Mind if I sit down for a minute?” Shabina asked. “It looks as if you’re working, so feel free to say no.” A part of her hoped Raine would say she was too busy. The more upset she got, the more likely someone would tell Sam. He was such a part of their group, he was almost considered one of the girls. Raine was extremely perceptive. She didn’t miss details, not even small ones. Shabina knew she wasn’t going to get much past Raine.
“Shabina, I always want to visit with you. Why do you think I stayed so long?” Raine flashed a little smile. “That and your apricot scones. They’re so good. I could eat a dozen of them. I might have already.” She closed her laptop. “Why aren’t you sleeping? I thought we put your fears to rest for a little while, long enough for me to work on facial recognition.”
“I felt better after all of us talked,” Shabina confirmed. “I really did. A couple of things have happened since then.” She hesitated, dropping her hand below the table to rub at her left thigh. She would have to learn to break that particular very bad habit. It seemed the moment she got rid of one, a new, much worse behavior took its place.
Raine leaned toward her. “Tell me.”
“There was a small package on the bench beside my gate, where packages sometimes are left. I exited my car. The dogs always come with me and they alerted instantly. Bale confronted me. The cameras were recording; we were right in front of them. I haven’t checked to see if audio was on. I thought it better if I had you do that. I’m okay at handling them but not the best. I want to make sure that we have the best recordings. He threatened toburn down the café with the dogs and me inside. He told me he intended to make my life a living hell, and this time I believed him. He really hates me, Raine.”
“Were you afraid for your life?”
“I think if the dogs hadn’t been there, he would have attacked me. I had my gun and would have shot him. He was armed. There was no doubt that he was. Had he pulled his weapon, I would have shot him. He left, but I know he’s planning something big to exact his revenge for what he considers me humiliating him.”
“I can get the security video and audio, no problem. I’ve been collecting proof of his harassment from the feed here at the café. I have permission from Alek Donovan at the Grill to collect the feed there as well.”
“Does Lawyer know you’re doing it?” Lawyer Collins had been the person to install Shabina’s security cameras in the café. Not at her home, but he’d installed most of the security networks in town. He’d been born and raised in Knightly, which meant he’d known Bale Landry since they were boys. Lawyer sold laptops, cell phones and computers out of his store as well as repaired them. He was brilliant when it came to technology. He was always open and friendly. He often came into the café to eat and recommended it to everyone. Shabina liked him, but she didn’t altogether trust him. But then she didn’t trust many people. Lately, that trait in her had worsened, she feared, growing straight into paranoia.
“You aren’t telling me everything.” Raine made it a statement.
“I know. I’m thinking what to say about the package. I just left it sitting outside my gate there on the bench. I really did think Bale put it there to get me to stop when the gates were open, but now I don’t.”
