That ten minutes passed at a snail’s pace as I sat at the end of the counter and sipped the latte Mina made for me.
Then another five minutes slid by.
Then another.
I picked up my phone and opened my recent calls, tapping his name.
It rang five times, then rolled to voicemail.
“Oh, come on,” I muttered. Sighing, I ended the call. He was probably driving. I’d give him another few minutes.
But when those minutes ticked by, and he still hadn’t walked through the door, my worry ratcheted up a notch, and I dialed again.
Mina wandered over as the third ring trilled in my ear. Two more sounded and it rolled to voicemail again.
Growling, I ended the call.
“Maybe he’s in a dead zone,” Mina offered. “The service out there is terrible, especially for phone calls.”
“Yeah. But it’s been forty-five minutes since we talked. He said he’d be here in thirty. He should at least be on his way, and I know his phone connects to his truck.” The vehicle was too new not to have that feature.
“I’m going to drive up there. Maybe he needs help with Eloise.” I hoped that’s all it was, and that I’d pass him on the road on the way to his house, then feel like an idiot for overreacting.
“Who?” Mina frowned.
“One of his chickens.”
“A chicken? Named Eloise?”
I nodded, stepping away from the counter. “She’s a menace.”
She chuckled. “Sounds… interesting.”
“Oh, she is.” I raised my coffee cup in farewell. “I’ll be back.”
“Be careful,” she called. “And keep your phone on. Call me when you find him, so I know you’re all right.”
Waving, I acknowledged her request and walked out the door.
Back in my car, I quickly pointed my little crossover SUV in the direction of Toren’s house. On the way, I called Ozzie, something urging me to have a backup plan.
“Quartermaine.”
“Hey, Ozzie. It’s Lana. Do you have a minute?”
“Sure. What’s up?”
“So, Toren was supposed to meet me at The Cozy Cup almost twenty minutes ago. I’m driving up there now, but if you don’t hear from me in like half an hour, can you come up there?”
There was beat of silence on the line. “Do you know something I need to know?”
“No. I just—it’s a feeling. Luke told me about Vic. I can’t shake the feeling Deke has revenge on his mind.”
“Lana, I agree Vic’s death is disturbing and suspicious, but there’s no guarantee it was Deke. There’s also nothing that says he’s out to kill you or Toren.”
“I know. But you didn’t look into that man’s eyes and see his lack of a soul.” I shuddered. “He’s creepy and just… dead inside. I don’t know how else to explain it.”
Ozzie blew out a long breath. “Um…”
