“You know. Gossip at the Crow’s Nest.” He let out a rich chuckle.
That was the local coffee shop. Every cell in my body cried out for a cup of their strong brew. I hadn’t had time to make my morning coffee because I’d stayed in bed a little later than anticipated. Sleep had eluded me for most of the night because I couldn’t stop thinking about finding Gene’s body, and I loathed being late or behind schedule.
“Maggie, what are your plans, anyway? Are you staying in town for long?”
“I’m home for good. Taking over Dad’s business, going to help with the store.”
“That’s what your dad always wanted.”
I swallowed a lump in my throat and nodded. “Listen, I need to get back inside, I’m supposed to answer a call from a book distributor this morning for Vera. Let’s catch up later, OK?”
He squeezed my shoulder. “Will do, Maggie. Welcome home.”
I sauntered back in, feeling a weird mix of emotions. On one hand, it felt good to be back where people knew me and cared about my well-being. But Gene’s death had cast a pall over my homecoming. Something about it didn’t sit right with me, and as I made notes for my upcoming call, I couldn’t shake the image of his ugly dead body from my mind.
I’d read a lot of suspense novels, some pretty gritty. I had a strong stomach for fictional crime, but now that I’d seen the real deal, I was shaken to my core. One thing was sure: I wouldn’t be reading any mysteries anytime soon. Probably I’d stick to something more uplifting, like rom-coms.
Also, the situation with my sister’s stolen gun made me uneasy.
I tried to forget about everything and concentrate on the book order. I was looking at some of the bestselling historical romances when the bells attached to the front door jingled. I automatically called out, “We’re not open yet, I’m so sorry!”
I peeked around the computer, expecting to see someone I knew, or a curious tourist.
Instead, it was Detective Alex Holt in a dark blue police uniform, looking far more official than he had the previous night. His beard was gone this morning, making him look younger and more square-jawed. He removed his hat and looked around with a slightly dazed expression.
“Why, hello, detective.” I put on my cheeriest voice.
His blue-eyed gaze landed on me and I set my pen on the counter. He seemed far larger in broad daylight, and something about his wide shoulders, along with the crisp uniform, made him stand out in the messy store.
“Ms. Maggie Andrews, good morning.” Why did his tone have to be so stern? I wasn’t a general fan of cops and he wasn’t helping matters.
“Can I help you? Did you decide to come in to ask for a romance novel recommendation?” I waved my hand at the boxes. “Unfortunately, we don’t have any books on display yet. I’d advise you to return in a couple of weeks when we’re officially open.”
That earned me an upward twitch of his mouth, which I took as a victory. “I’ll admit that I’ve never read a romance. Walking in here is like coming to a foreign country.”
“Allow me to be your ambassador.” Today I’d worn my cutest dress, a fit-and-flare red number printed with pink conversation hearts that said HUGS, SWEET, and XOXO, along with a pair of white sandals. I curtseyed. “More men should study romance novels. It would help them understand women. What is your choice of reading material?”
“I like military history, cyber-thrillers, that sort of thing.” A slight frown pulled on his brow. “You seem a lot shorter today.”
“Maybe it’s because I’m not in my T-shirt, cargo pants, and boots. I clean up good when I’m not hunting gators.”
“Gotcha. I’m glad you’re here, because I wanted to ask you something. And I’m here to talk with your sister. Is she in?”
My muscles stiffened. “She’s running some errands. Should be here soon, if you’d like to grab a coffee down the street and come back.”
He studied my face for a beat, which made me uncomfortable. “I think I’ll wait, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course. Uh, there’s a seat over there.”
I pointed to the floral loveseat in the corner. He wove his way around some boxes on those long, muscular legs and plopped down. It was kind of comical, this giant lawman on a frilly-looking piece of furniture, and I snickered.
Of course, there was nothing funny about this situation. I picked up a box cutter and wondered whether I should call a lawyer.
“So, any news in Gene’s case?” I asked nonchalantly.
“We’re following up on several leads.” He fidgeted with his hat. “Have you heard anything around town?”
“Well...” I ran the cutter across the top of a box and it made a satisfying ripping sound against the tape. “I did hear that Gene’s wife stands to inherit a large life insurance payout.”