Scout:“It’s like looking for a needle ina haystack,Chief. Slow going.”
Tim:(exhales sharply) “We don’t have time for slow. I need something soon.”
Scout:(blowing out a puff of air) “Understood. Johnson out.”
Six
It is not from ourselves that we learn to be better than we are.
—Wendell Berry, poet
Frankie and Maisie stood just inside the coffee shop. The scent of freshly roasted coffee filled the air. Maisie’s eyes swept over the counter, but the barista wasn’t in sight. She slipped around the customers standing in line to ask the cashier, “Is the blue-haired barista here?”
The cashier glanced at her in a half-distracted way. “Oh, you mean Sophie? She’s out back taking a break with her boyfriend.”
“Thanks,” Maisie said, exchanging a quick glance with Frankie.
They headed out the back door and spotted Sophie leaning against the brick wall, chatting animatedly with a guy who was intently focused on his phone. Sophie looked up as they approached, her expression making it clear that she really didn’t want to be interrupted.
Maisie put on her best friendly, braces-free smile. “Pardon me. I was in earlier today. Do you remember me?”
Sophie looked her up and down. “Nope. If you’ve got a complaint, go see the manager.”
Maisie lifted her palms in the air. “No complaints. I just had a question. When I came in—and this was while you were working—I sat next to a guy at the window counter. He said he was a local.”
Sophie sized up Frankie once, then twice. “Shouldn’t you stick with one boyfriend at a time?”
“Oh no,” Frankie said, wagging a finger between him and Maisie. “We arenota thing.”
Not yet, but someday. Maisie just knew it in her bones. Frankie was her meant-to-be guy. But she turned her attention to Sophie. “I wondered if you might know who this guy was.”
Sophie sighed dramatically. “Look, kid—”
“I’mnota kid.”
Frankie snorted. Maisie shot him a look.
Sophie didn’t miss a beat. “I make hundreds of coffees every day. The cruise ship was in today, so, you know, the place was packed. Tons of rich tourists. And they don’t tip well. You’d think they’d be generous, right? But no. They’re the worst.”
“This guy said he was a local. That’s why I thought you might know him.”
Sophie narrowed her eyes. “Why do you want to know?”
“He has my envelope. Areallyimportant envelope.”
Frankie jutted his chin. “He stole it from her.”
“Oh yeah?” Sophie’s boyfriend looked up from his phone. He saw Maisie and did a double take, then smiled.
Maisie smiled back. It felt nice to be appreciated.
Sophie’s boyfriend put his phone away. “So what was in it? Money?”
“So much better than money! It had—”
Frankie jabbed Maisie in the ribs, hard. “Nothing important.”
Maisie’s eyes went round. This was how she’d gotten into trouble with the L.L.Bean model. She said too much!
