“He is,” I confirmed,realizing I’d been thrust into the role of wingman, though I wasn’t sure whofor. “I mean, he is a bodyguard. Not my boyfriend. Alas.”
I could almostfeelLogan’sgaze against my back.
“Could give him your number,though,” I offered. “If you can tell me about someone you might’ve seenWednesday morning. They would’ve been on a laptop.”
I paused, glancing behindher to see a board that saidask for the wi-fi password. “And they would’veasked for the password. Does, umm… does your system track logins, do you know?”
I was out of my depth. Icould almostfeelLogan laughing at me over this clumsy line ofquestioning. I didn’t even know if theycouldtrack logins,though it did seem to stand to reason.
“I’m not sure,” the baristasaid. She was closing off. Afraid of getting herself in trouble, probably. “You’dhave to speak to my boss. She’s not in today. And as for Wednesday morning… weget a lot of people with laptops in here. Got any idea what they looked like?”
I sighed. “I’m afraid I washoping you could tell me. They…”
How could I get her to help?How could I get her to help if she didn’tknow? She was right,dozens of people must’ve come in here every day and worked over coffee.This was Los Angeles. That was what peopledid.
There were few places in theworld where the question could have been more stupid.
“It’s for my boyfriend,” Isaid in a rush.
Quinn wasnotmyboyfriend.
I was saying this becauseshe’dbeen excited by the idea that Logan might’ve been romantically attached to me.
I could see the appeal. Wewould’velooked great together.
It was a shame Logan was sosure he was straight, especially since he wasn’t. He just hadn’t quiteclued in yet.
If he didn’t clue insoon, I’d owe Graymoney.
I wanted Quinn to be myboyfriend. What point was there in lying to myself?
“That’s sweet,” she said. “Wednesday…gosh, I don’t know. We get so many people in here. You got any idea what theywould have looked like?”
“Not the faintest.”
I didn’t even havepictures of my suspects. When could I have taken them? I was on shaky enoughground as it was.
Harmony Records had given menothing to go on because I was supposed to be finding evidence that Quinn hadleaked his own album. They still hadn’t told me as much, but why else hire meandthreaten himwith having his contract torn up?
I had nothing to go on and Iwas clutching at straws.
“Sorry,” the barista said,genuine sympathy in her voice. “You could talk to my boss, but she won’t be inagain until Tuesday.”
“Thanks.” I sighed.
“Sorry I wasn’t more help.”The barista slid the coffee over to me with a wry smile.
She reallywaspretty.
“And give this to yourfriend,” she added, scribbling something on a napkin.
Her phone number, as itturned out. I laughed, putting the napkin in my pocket. “I’ll pass it on,”I promised, turning back to Logan and nodding to the door.
Once we were outside, Ipassed the second coffee and the napkin over to him.
Logan laughed delightedly. “World’s bestwingman,” he said, running his thumb over the number and then putting it in hisown pocket. “Find out anything useful?”
“There’s a password for thewi-fi,” I said, which Iknewwas useful information, but I couldn’tdoanything with ituntil Tuesday at the earliest. That seemed like a lifetime away.
