Read Online Thrown Off: A Cozy Mystery (Brenna Battle Book 3) by Laney Monday - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Laney Monday
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Definitely human, but a total blur.”
“How big was the blur?”
“I can’t really say. I couldn’t make out the ladder or anything else to give me a size reference.”
“Okay, what was the person wearing?”
“It looked like a red hat and a black shirt and dark pants. I got the impression the person wasn’t very dark, but not very pale either, but that could be wrong.” Great. That was helpful for sure.
“Male? Female?”
I thought carefully, trying to focus on my own memories, to forget anything I’d heard at the store. “I thought male, but I couldn’t really say why. You know, there was another color. Bright green.”
Will nodded. “Glenda described a person wearing a lime green apron and a bright red baseball cap.”
“A Cherry Bowl employee?”
“It fits the description.”
So, the employees were right. The police suspected one of them. How could it be one of them? How awful. How could one of them have shut me in the freezer last night, either? I shuddered. I knew many of the employees. Blythe and I talked to them all the time while we were shopping. Sure, we were really busy with the business, but even though I was an introvert, I started to feel a little starved for adult conversation sometimes. Besides, we were trying hard to be friendly and get to know our neighbors in Bonney Bay.
“Brenna?” Are you okay? his look said. “Creepy, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it is.” Not to mention really, really horrible sitting here looking right at this guy I adored, this guy who I knew would want to know, and not telling him one of those employees had tried to turn me into an ice cube last night. Maybe just to scare me…or maybe they’d left me for dead. He wouldn’t believe me anyway , I told myself. Roberta hadn’t. But I wasn’t so sure. Will believed in me more than was sensible. Like Blythe.
“Can you do me a favor?”
“Brenna, I can’t tell you—”
“It’s not about the investigation. It’s not about Millie. It’s about Sammi.”
“What about Sammi?”
“Just keep an eye out for her. And let me know if you see her just…hanging around. By herself or with the wrong people.”
“Sammi hates me, remember?”
I waved my hand dismissively. “It’s all an act.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Well, she hated me, and she got over it. But anyway, she doesn’t have to like you. Just, send me a text and tell me if you see her around, up to no good. Especially at night.”
Will frowned. “Sure. What’s this about?”
I told him about Sammi and Tyler, the smoke blower.
“I know who that kid is.” Will’s expression darkened. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on him, too.”
12
“It’s your turn to make dinner,” Blythe said. “I think we have some pasta in the cupboard.”
“Okay. Just give me a minute.”
The camp kids were gone, and our evening classes didn’t start for another two hours. I put my bare feet up on my desk and sat back. My quick-dry shorts and rash guard were still damp with sweat. “Do we have any more of that spicy marinara?”
A shiny new Volkswagen rolled by the dojo slowly, then turned to enter the parking lot behind the dojo. I sat up straight and exchanged glances with Blythe. New customers?
A moment later, a lady with a stroller approached the door. I hurried to hold it open for her. “Hi, there. Welcome to Bonney Bay Battlers!”
Her dark hair was close-cropped and spiky. She pushed a very big baby in a six-hundred-dollar jogging stroller. How do I know how much that stroller cost? One of my best friends in Arizona had been a high-end nanny. She loved venting to me because I got so fired up on her behalf—and on behalf of decent, normal people in general. I think it was very cathartic for her, watching me blow my top as she shared the latest outrages of the nannying world. What can I say? I performed a valuable service. And got paid dessert for doing it, too. Lisa had always treated me, the starving Olympian.
A closer
“How big was the blur?”
“I can’t really say. I couldn’t make out the ladder or anything else to give me a size reference.”
“Okay, what was the person wearing?”
“It looked like a red hat and a black shirt and dark pants. I got the impression the person wasn’t very dark, but not very pale either, but that could be wrong.” Great. That was helpful for sure.
“Male? Female?”
I thought carefully, trying to focus on my own memories, to forget anything I’d heard at the store. “I thought male, but I couldn’t really say why. You know, there was another color. Bright green.”
Will nodded. “Glenda described a person wearing a lime green apron and a bright red baseball cap.”
“A Cherry Bowl employee?”
“It fits the description.”
So, the employees were right. The police suspected one of them. How could it be one of them? How awful. How could one of them have shut me in the freezer last night, either? I shuddered. I knew many of the employees. Blythe and I talked to them all the time while we were shopping. Sure, we were really busy with the business, but even though I was an introvert, I started to feel a little starved for adult conversation sometimes. Besides, we were trying hard to be friendly and get to know our neighbors in Bonney Bay.
“Brenna?” Are you okay? his look said. “Creepy, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it is.” Not to mention really, really horrible sitting here looking right at this guy I adored, this guy who I knew would want to know, and not telling him one of those employees had tried to turn me into an ice cube last night. Maybe just to scare me…or maybe they’d left me for dead. He wouldn’t believe me anyway , I told myself. Roberta hadn’t. But I wasn’t so sure. Will believed in me more than was sensible. Like Blythe.
“Can you do me a favor?”
“Brenna, I can’t tell you—”
“It’s not about the investigation. It’s not about Millie. It’s about Sammi.”
“What about Sammi?”
“Just keep an eye out for her. And let me know if you see her just…hanging around. By herself or with the wrong people.”
“Sammi hates me, remember?”
I waved my hand dismissively. “It’s all an act.”
“I don’t think so.”
“Well, she hated me, and she got over it. But anyway, she doesn’t have to like you. Just, send me a text and tell me if you see her around, up to no good. Especially at night.”
Will frowned. “Sure. What’s this about?”
I told him about Sammi and Tyler, the smoke blower.
“I know who that kid is.” Will’s expression darkened. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on him, too.”
12
“It’s your turn to make dinner,” Blythe said. “I think we have some pasta in the cupboard.”
“Okay. Just give me a minute.”
The camp kids were gone, and our evening classes didn’t start for another two hours. I put my bare feet up on my desk and sat back. My quick-dry shorts and rash guard were still damp with sweat. “Do we have any more of that spicy marinara?”
A shiny new Volkswagen rolled by the dojo slowly, then turned to enter the parking lot behind the dojo. I sat up straight and exchanged glances with Blythe. New customers?
A moment later, a lady with a stroller approached the door. I hurried to hold it open for her. “Hi, there. Welcome to Bonney Bay Battlers!”
Her dark hair was close-cropped and spiky. She pushed a very big baby in a six-hundred-dollar jogging stroller. How do I know how much that stroller cost? One of my best friends in Arizona had been a high-end nanny. She loved venting to me because I got so fired up on her behalf—and on behalf of decent, normal people in general. I think it was very cathartic for her, watching me blow my top as she shared the latest outrages of the nannying world. What can I say? I performed a valuable service. And got paid dessert for doing it, too. Lisa had always treated me, the starving Olympian.
A closer
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