For a moment, the rest of us sat in awkward silence.
Marty eventually cleared his throat, cutting the tension. “He came to the diner,” he said softly.
He was a quiet guy, though once he warmed up to a person, his wicked sense of humor came out. He ran the diner with his mom, Clem, and mostly kept to himself. But Tony had talked him into coming to book club a while back, so he’d show up once in a while, drink a single beer, and go home.
Every eye was on him now, and in response to the attention, his cheeks went pink. “The day he died,” he continued, “he came to the diner. Sat at the counter and drank coffee. Said something about how ‘it would all blow up soon.’ I had no idea what he was talking about, and we were slammed, so I nodded and kept working.”
Ruby slapped a hand to the table and sat up straight. “Oh my God, Marty. You can’t just sit on that kind of info.”
“I told Nolan after Will’s body was found,” he said, frowning. “Who would’ve expected a syrup vat tragedy?”
Behind the bar, Frankie growled. She hated Police Chief Nolan Graham passionately. I’d never gotten the full story, butshe never missed an opportunity to question his ability to keep this town safe.
“Course he can’t solve the one murder this town’s ever seen.” Her words were muttered, but they traveled to us clearly in the empty space.
“It may be out of his hands,” Callie said. “Rumor is the FBI visited the Lawrence farm.”
My stomach lurched. Jasper’s farm? The FBI? He hadn’t mentioned it, but God, he must be stressed.
Nora crossed her arms. “Something’s been up with Sugar Moon lately. They keep expanding that north lot and applying for zoning variances.”
“And our deliveries have been delayed on and off for months.” Marty added.
My instinct was to jump in and defend. We were the largest employer in town and gave back to this town and its people. In fact, I oversaw many of the charitable initiatives, including the science scholarships for kids from the local high school.
There was no way the organization could be involved, and this kind of speculation could be harmful to their reputation and business.
When I went back to work next week, I’d nip it all in the bud. Clearly there were topics that needed better messaging.
As the conversation flowed to the book I hadn’t bothered to read and the need to bring tourists back for the summer, my thoughts drifted to Vincent.
Without a second thought, I checked my phone again. The screen was free of notifications.
Evie:
Update?
Jasper:
He just smiled in his sleep. Cutest fucking thing ever.
My heart warmedas I pictured Jasper at home, one of his big hands steady on Vincent’s back, relishing the steady rise and fall of his baby breathing.
“You’re glowing,” Callie said, shaking a wing in my direction.
“And it’s not the alcohol,” Nora added. “She’s drinking water.”
“Hormones and exhaustion,” I said, tucking my phone away.
“Or her baby daddy,” Ruby teased, raising her eyebrows.
Every head snapped in my direction, the scrutiny causing heat to creep up my chest and neck and into my face.
Thankfully Callie got distracted quickly and hollered for Dottie, taking the spotlight off me. “Can I get another beer? If I don’t relax, I may ship the twins off to military school.”
The group broke into a round of laughter.
Tony was the loudest, his voice bouncing off the paneled walls. “You say that every week.”
