told me. That’s all.”
The lift touched down. We got out and I gestured to the bikes. “Are we riding or walking?”
“I’d prefer to walk.”
“Me too.”
As we pushed through the vestibule door, Juniper stopped.
“Hang on.” She opened her purse and started digging through it. “I think I forgot my credit card. I had it out to buy something online.”
“You need to run back up?”
“Maybe…”
“What are you doing by that elevator?” a voice barked.
We both turned to look. Toly stood in the doorway to his office, his gaze pinning us.
Juniper sighed. “I’m just looking for something in my purse. I’m not touching the stupid elevator.” She pulled her credit card out. “Got it. Let’s go before he has a meltdown.”
We pushed through the door and onto the street.
It was a beautiful night, but any warmer and I’d have to change out my boots for sandals. If I owned sandals. Which I did not. “He sure is touchy about that elevator.”
“Yeah, I guess if there’s an issue, the town will blame him, and then he’ll get in trouble with corporate. I sort of get it, but we all know to leave it alone, and we’re not kids. No one has any burning desire to take a ride in that thing.”
I did. A little anyway. “Any idea where it goes?”
“Down?” She laughed. “Don’t know, don’t care.”
I changed the subject since that one seemed dead. “So, we’re having dinner at a place run by a werewolf. That’s not something you get to say every day.”
Juniper nodded. “That’s for sure. And the food there is good and not too expensive. Which I’m sure you saw. Plus, it’s served in mass quantities. Which I’m sure you also saw.”
I laughed. “I did, and I’m not ashamed to say I cleaned my plate.”
Howler’s wasn’t a far walk so we got there a few minutes later. Thankfully, the dinner crowd hadn’t really descended yet, and we snagged a booth. Those always felt more private to me, which was good, because Juniper and I needed to talk.
We settled in, got drinks, and placed our orders (the prime rib special for both of us and an appetizer of loaded potato skins to share). Juniper was really easy to hang out with. That was a little different than being with Lark. Truth be told, Lark was a touch high maintenance. But you overlooked that stuff in friends, right?
With the food on its way, I started the conversation. “How long have you worked at the shop?”
“Just shy of two years.”
“You like it then?”
She nodded and sipped her Coke. “I do. It’s a good job. I like working with people and this town is great.”
That was for sure. “But?”
“But Toly can be—” She smirked. “I shouldn’t be telling you this stuff. You just started. You’re supposed to be in the honeymoon phase when everything is peachy.”
I used the backstory I’d been given. “Hey, it took me a year on the waitlist to get here, but I’m not some Pollyanna who thinks everything is perfect. I want to know what I’m dealing with.”
She sighed. “Toly can be a little odd. Lately more often than not. You saw how he was tonight.” She shook her head. “I think it’s his granddaughter, but he doesn’t talk about it much. It’s just what I’ve picked up from bits and pieces I’ve overheard.”
This was getting interesting, but I wasn’t sure it had anything to do with elves leaving the shop. “Like what?”
She leaned forward, her glass between her hands. “First of all, you have to know that he requested the manager’s job when he retired, specifically so he could live in Nocturne Falls and be near his granddaughter. She runs a B&B here in town. She’s the only family he’s got, as far as I know. Or at least the only family he’s still in contact with.”
“Makes sense that he’d want to be near her, then.” I drank some of my Dr Pepper. Elixir of life, that stuff.
“Sure. But about six months before I got here, her husband filed for divorce.”
“So two and a
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