Drea agreed and ended the call.NoHow are you, Drea?Did you have a good day?I appreciate you working twelve hours.Just straight-up complaining.Oh.And cake.Don’t forget the fucking cake.
Slipping the phone back into her apron pocket, she walked past the kitchen and pushed the door into the café open as the lights suddenly went off.The woman from the front came flying past, heading toward the break room, a tall man wearing a leather jacket in pursuit.It was too dark to fully see who it was, and it happened so fast she couldn’t take in any details.
Drea felt something cold and hard press against her temple and she swallowed the scream of panic bubbling in her throat.
“Now, sugar, we just want to talk to your friend.You can make this easy or hard.”
The slow drawl of his accent placed him from somewhere in the South.The whisper of his breath across her ear placed him to her right shoulder, but she wasn’t stupid enough to risk looking over it to see him.
“Easymeans you forget you ever saw me and life goes on.”
Drea’s heart drummed violently against her ribs, her breath so fast the world was starting to spin.
“Hardmeans you don’t do that and—”Click.The gun.Drea jumped, and the person behind her laughed.“You get the idea.So for a little insurance, give me your driver’s license, please.”
Drea walked slowly toward the break room.The back entry was wide open, no sign of the woman or her assailant.Her hands shook as she reached to push the door to the break room open, kicking the laundry basket over in the darkness.A small light in the bathroom provided a minuscule amount of illumination.Opening her locker, she saw the binder and remembered the beautiful picture Cujo had drawn on it of her as Belle fromBeauty and the Beast.She grabbed her purse, withdrew her license, and passed it over her shoulder.
“Well, my humblest apologies for this intrusion on your evening, Ms.Andrea Caron.It’s been my pleasure.”
Drea’s skin crawled as he ran the muzzle of the gun along her jaw.
The door to the break room whispered shut.Drea dropped to her knees, the hard floor a painful yet meaningful connection to something solid.Compay Segundo played quietly through the speakers; otherwise the café was silent.She climbed to her feet, grabbed her phone, and stumbled to lock the rear door.Moving shadows created by passing cars outside the café made her heart leap, and she reached for the light switch, flicking it on and off furiously to no avail.
She sprinted through the store to lock up the front.Once the building was secured, she directed the flashlight on her phone toward the back corner of the café, half expecting the blonde woman to be sitting there, but all that remained was a solitary cup.
CHAPTER TWO
“Thank you for coming so quickly,” Drea said, shielding her eyes, the flashing blue and red lights of the two police cars blindingly bright.Threats be damned.She was safer with the police on her side than no one.
And if they were watching her.Well.Screw them!
The officers drew their weapons, talking hurriedly to her.
“I’m Officer Fletcher.Is the intruder still here, ma’am?”A young police officer walked toward her, his gun pointed toward the ground.The other officers held the same position.
She shook her head.“I locked the back door when they left.Ran.Whatever.”
Officer Fletcher sent the second unit around the building, presumably to check out the rear of the store.He led Drea away from the café.
“Please stay here with Officer Shelton.We need you to stay out here while we take a look inside.”
Of course,” she replied.
“No power?”
Drea shook her head.
Fletcher raised his gun and lined up a small flashlight with the sight.He and his partner entered the café.Drea stood shielded by a police car and watched through the window as they inspected the main area before they passed through the salon-style doors toward the bathrooms, kitchen, small office, and staff locker room.
Coffee.Wouldn’t the officers want coffee?And pastries.Or was that a stereotype?Wait.There was no power.No amount of wishing could make an espresso machine work without it, and the way her hands were shaking, she’d end up scalding herself, even if it could.And talking to herself like a crazy lady was not helping.
Minutes ticked by.Time dragged.The sickening flip of her stomach had evened out.She wondered if she was safe out on the street and inched nervously closer to the café.
“All clear.”Fletcher said as they returned from their search.“This is Officer Tyler.We can go back inside if you like.”
Cookies she could do.She followed the counter until she stood behind it, facing the outline of the two officers.José’s famous homemade chocolate chip cookies were calling to her.Actually, a double shot of Jack was calling to her, but there wasn’t any of that on the premises.
Another car pulled up outside the café.“It’s Detective Carter,” Tyler announced.
