Jesse powered on his computer, and when he looked back at Luke, he frowned. There were dark circles under his friend’s eyes. “Remember, if you need to take some time off—”
“No.” Luke shook his head. “I want to be here. Ineedto be here. At least until we find the asshole who killed Margot.”
Jesse nodded. He understood that. He’d feel the same way.
He opened his emails and frowned at the most recent one.
The Sheriff’s Professional Standards Bureau.
What the hell did they want?
He clicked into it and skimmed the email before cursing.
Luke inched closer. “What?”
“Someone put in a complaint about me.”
“A complaint? Who? And saying what?”
He skimmed the screen. “It was an anonymous complaint. But they’re claiming I’m not doing my job properly. That I’m distracted. Working on personal matters. And a deputy died under my watch.”
Who the hell had done this?
“So this isThe Tea House I’ve heard so much about,” Holden said, stepping inside.
Aspen nodded. “It is. Does it live up to the hype?”
“I kind of expected more curtains and carpet and high tea towers.”
“Nope.” Aspen slid into a booth. “This is more of a modern café tea house. It even has a mezzanine area, not that I ever sit there. I’ve become quite accustomed to my window booth. And the pie. I’ve become super-accustomed to that.”
Holden cocked his head. “Why have you gotten so invested in this place?”
It was a fair question. They’d just spent the morning spreading fliers around town about the reopening.
She lifted a shoulder. “I like Mrs. Gerald. She kind of reminds me of the grandmother I never had. I also like this café. And when she told me that she was close to shutting down, I felt sad. I needed a project to throw myself into, to distract myself from all the other stuff. And did I mention the pie?”
He laughed. “You did. You may remember I tried the pie at Pam’s place. It was good.”
“It’s not good. It’s blow-your-mind amazing.”
Holden laughed again.
She nibbled her bottom lip as she cast her gaze to Mrs. Gerald, who was behind the counter talking to a customer. “I hate that I have to tell her I can’t attend the reopening.”
She and Jesse had argued about it, and of course he was right. It was safest for her not to be in a roomful of people. Still, she felt like she was letting Mrs. Gerald down.
“She’ll understand,” Holden said quietly.
She would, but it would be disappointing for both of them, especially when Aspen had offered to help. “I told her I’d help hand out cake and coffee.”
“I could always do it. People often tell me I have a certain charm. Add pie to the mix and I’ll be fighting the customers off.”
Aspen laughed as Mrs. Gerald stopped at their table. “Aspen. Hi. I’m glad you came in today.”
“You are?”
“Yes, I got the new coffee beans,andthe coffee machine was delivered earlier this week.”
