Red Red Rose (11 page)

“I
can’t believe it. Do you really think it was her hair?” Cassie’s face showed
that she was just as disturbed by yesterday’s events as I was.

I
nodded. “I think so. Hopefully the FBI will be able to tell for sure after they
send it to their labs.”

“Did
they tell you how long that could take?” Mitch asked. He’d come into work today
immediately asking questions. He said he was at the station yesterday for an
interview when Detective Parker got my call, and was still there when he
returned later. Said the whole station was buzzing about whatever was found. Of
course he wanted to know what it was and hadn’t stopped prying since.

“No,
but hopefully not long. James is waiting to tell his parents until we know for
sure.”

“God,
it’s so messed up. He could have been in your house,” Will muttered angrily. “Shouldn’t
the cops have thought to warn you to change your locks before now?”

 “I
think until all this started happening they believed Emily had split willingly
with some guy.”

 “Do
you think the he was in your house? Did you find any signs that he’d been
anywhere besides the garage?” Mitch’s curiosity was beginning to push my
buttons. I didn’t want to keep going over everything, especially when I
probably never would have discussed any of this with him had he not found out
about it. I understood his fascination with the case, given he was trying to
become a cop, but he needed to learn some tact.

I
looked at him and shrugged uneasily. “I don’t know. If he was, he didn’t leave
any signs behind.”

“That
makes sense. So far, the guy seems too smart and careful for that,” Mitch
noted. Yes let’s praise the bad guy for being a freaking evil genius.

“There
was the night that I found the back door unlocked though, when I was sure I
locked it before I went to bed. It could have been him that my neighbor’s German
Shepherd scared off.”

“You
shouldn’t be there,” Will spoke up again.

“It’s
okay,” I reassured him. “James is still staying with me and he changed all the
locks. The neighbors also know to be on the lookout, and I’m going to call my
landlord and see about having a security system installed.”

“More
trouble with raccoons?” The familiar voice instantly grabbed my attention from
behind. Shaw stood just feet from my chair when I turned.

I
snuck a quick perusal before I filled him in.
Damn, still a ten.
The guy
was flawless. “I had a visitor in my garage leave something behind. Turns out
whoever took Emily probably had her keys all this time, and access to my
house.”

His
eyebrows knotted and his mouth compressed in a tight light. “Tell me you were
smart and changed the locks?”

“Last
night.”

“Good.
Still, you should definitely look into getting a security system.”

“I
will.”

“And
you should have dinner with me tomorrow night?” He transitioned smoothly, the
severity of his tone and features unwavering.

“Huh,”
I was taken aback.

He
tilted his head and his eyes smoldered with intensity. “I said, you should have
dinner with me. Tomorrow night.”

“Say
yes,” Cassie whispered behind me.

“How
about you get back to work.” I prodded and then gave Mitch a look that said he
could get lost as well.

“I
guess that’s also my cue to take off. Be safe, let me know if you need anything”
Will rose from the table and draped an around my shoulder, squeezing me briefly
in a side hug before he left me to Shaw, who was waiting patiently, one side of
his mouth turned up slightly in a confident smile.

“You’re
asking me out on a date?”

“That’s
exactly what I’m doing.”

“Oh.”
That was the only word my lips could form while in my head I’d reverted back to
a teenage girl being asked out on her first date, but my internal celebration
was short lived. Damn. Tomorrow night.

“So
what’ll it be?”

“I’m
sorry, but this weekend isn’t good for me,” I was unable to keep the
disappointment in my belly from seeping into my voice. “My parents are coming
for a visit. They’ll be here today, and they’re staying through the weekend. I
don’t get to see them much,” I explained.

“No
worries. Another time.” He still wore an easy smile, but he’d taken it down a
notch with the smolder.

“I’d
like that.”

“Excuse
me, Nora,” I’d been so fixed on Shaw that I hadn’t noticed Danny ninja his way
up to us.

“Yeah
Danny, what do you need?”

“I
just wanted to let you know that the men’s bathroom is out of paper towels.”

“Oh,
thanks. I’ll take care of it.”

He
jerked his head in a nod, and lingered for an awkward moment before returning
to his seat. Mitch hadn’t gone far and was behind the counter wiping up
espresso grounds. “Hey, Mitch,” I grabbed his attention. “The guys’ bathroom is
out of toilet paper.”

“You
want me to restock it?”

That
would be a yes.
“Please.”

He
disappeared into the back where the stockroom was and I flicked my gaze up at
Shaw again, but before I could figure out what to say to keep the conversation
from ending, the door to the shop opened and in shuffled my mother and father,
followed by John, Elise and James.

“Nora!”
my mother chimed and headed straight for me like a heat seeking missile intent
on smothering with hugs and affection.

“My
mother,” I warned Shaw quietly before she reached us. She threw her arms around
me and squeezed tightly. I hugged her back and then my father was there to take
her place the second she released me.

“Sweetheart.”
He kissed the top of my head.

“Hey,
Daddy.”

His
eyes shifted to Shaw in that
who are you and why are you talking to my daughter
way that only fathers can manage.

“This
is Shaw. He’s a customer and, uh, friend.” I hoped I wasn’t being presumptuous,
but he
had
just asked me out. “Shaw these are my parents, Karen and
Jim.” He shook their hands. “You sort of met James the other day, but these are
his parents Elise and John.” He shook their hands too, but seemed almost
uncomfortable doing it.

“Well,
I’ll just go order my coffee and let you visit,” he attempted to excuse
himself, but my mother wouldn’t hear of it. She was eying him like she could
already see the grandbabies.

“Oh,
nonsense. Come sit with us.”

“Really,
I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

“I
insist.” There was no point in trying to fight her on it. I told him as much
with the look I gave him, and watched as his expression became resigned.

“Alright,
it’d be my pleasure,” he relented.

“Why
don’t you guys go grab a seat,” I suggested. “I know what ya’ll want to drink.
Shaw and I will be over to join you in a minute.”

Once
they were out of earshot, I led Shaw to the counter. “Now’s your chance. You
can pretend to take a phone call or something, and I can tell them you had to
rush out for an emergency.” I rounded the counter and started on everyone’s
drinks.

“That’s
alright. I think I can handle your parents.” He leaned over, resting his elbows
on the counter.

“If
you’re sure.” I lined up six cups, pumping chocolate and peppermint syrup into
two of them, Mom and Elise’s, and the other four I filled with drip coffee for
the guys. Black. Like I said, it had to be a tough guy thing.

“So,”
I could hear the question on the tip of his tongue, and looked up from pouring
the milk into the frothing pitcher. “You don’t really look like your parents.”

He
shot a quick glance at their table and I laughed at his observation. “You don’t
see the resemblance?”

My
dad was a big sturdy guy with skin as dark as the coffee I was brewing. My
mother, on the other hand, had just enough Pacific Islander genes to give her a
nice year long tan and eyes that looked a little exotic. Neither one exactly
matched my pale, almost porcelain skin tone. My only source of color came from
the freckles spattered across most of my body.

“I
was adopted,” I clarified.

“I
thought that might be the case when they walked in here. Either that or I was
going to suggest you start checking those missing persons reports online,
because the only other option was that your parents are kidnappers.”

I
laughed again. “Not kidnappers. Just amazing people who gave me a home and a
family when no one else ever had.” I looked away, embarrassed after that
admission. I didn’t usually like to talk about it.

I
could feel his eyes on me while I finished the drinks, but he didn’t make any
further comment about it. He helped me carry them over to the table and then we
both slid into the empty seats they’d left for us. Shaw remained as enigmatic
as ever, even under the pressure of my parents’ grilling, revealing very little
about himself, always managing to turn the conversation away from him.

When
my father inquired what he did for work, something I had wondered about myself,
he responded coolly that he worked as a private consultant. I asked what he
consulted on, and to that he answered, “various things” and then got my father
and John talking about the Seahawks. Conversation rarely strayed from football
and sports after that. My mother’s eyes sparkled the whole time. I doubted she
was even following the conversation. In her head it was probably all rings,
dresses, flowers and a summer wedding.

Eventually,
Shaw finished off his second cup and made his goodbyes to my parents. Despite
his reticence, my dad seemed to like him, although it was hard for him to be
unbiased with Seahawks fans. My mother watched him leave with a twinkle in her
eye that said not only had he won her over, but if she was twenty years
younger, my dad would have some competition. And so would I.

When
three o’clock rolled around, I left them at the table to go take care of things
in the office and make sure that Mitch and Cassie had everything covered before
I left. I passed Cassie at the counter rushing to make drinks for the small
line-up of customers. I looked around to see why Mitch wasn’t helping her.

“Where’s
Mitch?”

She
shook her head, her face pinched. “I don’t know. Probably taking another smoke
break since he thought you were too occupied to notice.”

I
let out an irritated sigh and jumped in to help her get through the short line.
It was starting to drive me crazy that he did this. If Reggie or I wasn’t
watching, he’d take twenty breaks during his shift. He was already on my nerves
today. Once we got through the line and everyone had their drinks, I went to
retrieve him. I found him outside the back door and called him in so that I
could leave, warning him not to take anymore unscheduled breaks when it was
just him and Cassie covering the shop. I also reminded him for probably the
fiftieth time that if he was going to smoke during his shift that he needed to
wear a coat so he wouldn’t bring as much of the smell into the shop with him.

When
I returned to the front, my mom was the only one of the group who hadn’t
cleared out. She was chatting at the counter with Cassie and waiting on me.
From the up-to-no-good grins on their faces, I guessed they were dishing about
me.

“I
like that Shaw,” was the first thing out of my mother’s mouth. “He’s very big,
and strong. He could take care of you. And he’s quite the looker. I wouldn’t
kick him out of bed for eating crackers”

“Mom,”
I sighed. “You’ve known him less than an hour. How about you hold off on the
wedding preparations for now.”

She
hmphed. “I’d just like to see you settled down with a nice man. Not like that
last one. I never liked him. I could tell he was no good.” So she’d told me
several times since the break-up. Suffice to say, she was not all that torn up
about it. I think
“Good riddance,”
had been her exact words. Cassie
snorted her agreement and I ignored the both of them.

“Where
did everyone else go?”

“They
headed back to John and Elise’s so they can get ready before dinner. I sent
your father so he could take a nap and rest his back. You’re stuck with me.”

“Okay,
well I think I’m just about ready to go. Call if you guys need anything,” I
told Cassie. “And make sure Mitch walks you to your car, and if he leaves you
out here by yourself when you’re busy, I want to know about it.”

She
gave me a thumbs up before reloading the grinder with beans and flipping on the
switch.

Mom
and I turned to go and almost smacked into Danny.

“Sorry,”
he apologized. “Just getting another refill.” He held up his cup.

“This
is Danny, our most loyal customer,” I introduced him.

He
smiled widely. “I’m here every day. Well not every day. You’re not open on
holidays, and of course some days I have to go into the office to work, but
almost every day I’m here.”