Iced over, p.17
Iced Over, page 17
part #2 of Barks & Beans Cafe Series
Bo's face was a mask of suppressed fury. "Hello, Anne Louise," he said. "You might've heard of me. I'm Macy's brother, Bo."
The drawl turned almost sultry. "Why, Boaz Hatfield, why're you calling little ol' me?"
"I'm calling because you nearly killed my sister. I'm calling because you'll never get your hands on those diamonds." He gave a slight pause. Like some kind of superhero, he seemed to be harnessing his energy before exploding with power. "I'm calling to tell you that if you contact my sister again, I'm going to blow your husband's operation sky-high."
Titan shook his head. Apparently this was not part of the script.
Her voice roughened. "Darlin', I hate to break it to you, but that isn't really a threat. In fact, I'll be contactin' you again so we can talk more about what you can do for me in that regard. But don't you fret. I'll leave your sister alone. You're the one I want." She hung up.
Titan slammed down his headphones and marched over to Bo. "What was that?"
Bo shrugged. "Just putting a little scare into her."
"You don't taunt someone like Anne Moreau," Titan said. I had to agree with him.
"Doesn't matter," Bo said, handing my phone back. "I guess you could say we ended things amicably."
"Whatever amicably means for Anne Louise," Titan said. "We'll talk more later. I have to pick up the diamonds and get back to headquarters." He started packing up his equipment.
"I understand." Bo didn't appear to be the least bit remorseful.
Things were obviously strained between the two men, so I stood. "I'll get back home now. But Titan, thank you again for creating a job for Ethan—and for giving his family hope." I strode over and gave him a quick hug that wouldn't raise Bo's eyebrows. "And thank you again for saving our lives," I added.
I was relieved when Titan gave me a warm response. "I was happy to, Macy. I don't want to think what could've happened if you'd gone to meet Ethan alone."
"There's no way we could've known Janssen was still around, following me," I said.
Titan shook his head. "I should've been more observant and guessed the flight to Belgium was a ruse."
Bo seemed to snap out of his funk. "You came through for my sister. Don't beat yourself up."
Sensing that Bo and Titan were about to make amends, I said goodbye and slipped outside. As snowflakes started dusting the sidewalk, I felt an immense sense of relief, like I could finally get in the holiday spirit. "Girl's Day Out shopping, here I come," I said, doing a little twirl.
Girl's Day Out came and went with a bang. Not only did we get several pet foster families lined up, but we also gained quite a few new customers who fell for Kylie's foam art coffee drinks. They swore to return, bringing all their friends with them.
Della invited Bo and me over to join their family for a meal. Clark sat at the table, looking hale and hearty as ever.
"It's good to see you with your color back," I said. "We visited you in the hospital quite a few times."
"I heard," Clark said. "So Les was trying to spy on me, was he? He thought I had the diamonds?"
"That was the thing," I said, sitting down next to him. "No one knew who had them. Les suspected you of somehow stealing them before the grenade launcher holdup. We're not sure what he told Janssen in the trailer—if he told him anything. But for some reason, Janssen killed him. Maybe just because, like my FBI friend said, his boss always makes sure to clean up loose ends."
"It's sad," Della said, placing a spiral ham on the table. "I mean, I didn't like Les much, but he didn't deserve to die that way."
"Well, he was the one who set up the entire thing," Ethan said. He seemed to have grown wiser over the past week.
"One thing I don't understand is that Christian Gill's name was on the safe deposit lockbox where the diamonds were stored," I mused.
"What?" Della looked up sharply.
"I'm sorry. I didn't tell you because I knew you cared for him," I said.
Bo coated his salad with dressing. "I'll tell you why," he said. "Les and John Wright decided to use that lockbox so Christian would be incriminated if anything went wrong. As a banker, Wright had access to it, so he just decided to hide them there. He flat out lied that he didn't see the person who deposited the diamonds in it."
"So Christian wasn't involved at all?" Della asked.
"Not a bit," Bo said, bringing a forkful to his mouth.
"But what about the money?" Bristol said. "I mean, I know the diamonds were worth a lot more, but half a million dollars is nothing to sneeze at."
"No, it's not," Clark said. "You know, I only remember bits and pieces of the day of the wreck. I remember seeing you in the cafe that morning, Bristol. Then I remember the man with the grenade launcher. I can't really remember hitting the ice, though."
"Someone used a payphone near Barks & Beans to tell emergency services about the wreck," I said. "I've wondered if it was the same person who took the money. Do you remember seeing anyone else that day?"
Clark got a dreamy look in his eyes. "I saw an angel," he said slowly.
Della sat up straighter. "What? You didn't tell me this."
"I think I was halfway between heaven and earth when this angel with a cloud of black hair and pure white skin came down. She was holding my arm, then she disappeared. I know it sounds kooky, but I swear I saw her."
Clark's story didn't seem so far-fetched to me. In fact, he seemed to be describing none other than Sheldia Powers, the librarian.
After floating my theory past Bo on the way home, he agreed I should let Detective Hatcher know what Clark had said. He could at least check into Sheldia's bank records and make sure there had been no huge monetary deposits after Black Friday.
The next day the detective called me back, assuring me Sheldia's accounts were normal. Clark must've imagined the angel, which wasn't uncommon for those hovering near death, he said.
But that weekend, when I was visiting Dylan in his art gallery, a white, rusty minivan pulled up and parked on the opposite side of the street. Sheldia got out of the driver's side, then opened the sliding door to help a young boy out of his brand-new carseat. She must've gotten the call for her first foster child. I watched them walk hand-in-hand down the sidewalk and turn into a toy shop. Sheldia Powers, the woman who'd had a terrible childhood, had finally gotten what she wanted—a new Bookmobile bus, backpacks for foster kids, and the opportunity to pour some of herself into foster children.
If she did take that money, I didn't ever want to know.
You can now preorder Heather Day Gilbert's
next Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery,
FAIR TRADE
Welcome to the Barks & Beans Cafe, a quaint place where folks pet shelter dogs while enjoying a cup of java...and where murder sometimes pays a visit.
With the one-year anniversary of the now-successful Barks & Beans Cafe approaching, siblings Macy and Bo Hatfield set up an iced coffee booth at the state fair. Taking a break from brewing, Macy bumps into Carolina, a long-lost childhood friend who's now sitting pretty as a country superstar. Macy tries not to fangirl too hard when her old friend extends an invitation to meet the rest of the Carolina Crush band before their opening show.
But when Carolina falls victim to not one, but two near-death experiences, Macy takes it upon herself to find out who has it in for her old friend. Fortified with plenty of roasted corn, cinnamon rolls, and her brother's signature iced maple latte, Macy takes to the Ferris wheel to get the lay of the land from the air. She discovers too late that this year's fair isn't all fun and games...but she's already locked in for the ride.
Join siblings Macy and Bo Hatfield as they sniff out crimes in their hometown...with plenty of dogs along for the ride! The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series features a small town, an amateur sleuth, and no swearing or graphic scenes. Find all the books at heatherdaygilbert.com!
Also by Heather Day Gilbert
The Barks & Beans Cafe cozy mystery series in order:
Book 1: No Filter
Book 2: Iced Over
Book 3: Fair Trade
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Heather Day Gilbert, Iced Over
