A Cup of Murder Read Free

off the
events of the day. I finally accepted that and directed thoughts down
a more productive avenue. I knew a detailed plan to retrieve Roasted
Love’s business was imperative and had to be done sooner than
later. It would prove no easy task unless I could persuade Jacob to
curtail his temper and focus on our customers and their satisfaction.
He had to be made to realize he was driving customers away ever since
Sunrise opened a month earlier. Losing the rest of our clientele
would only prove Michael Simms right. That was not an option.
    I took my food out to the bricked patio with a
glass of fruit-infused sparkling water to complete the meal. I
savored my food and watched two birds at the cherub-shaped fountain a
few yards away. The fountain had been here since before I moved in. I
liked watching the birds tease each other when they splashed in the
water. Ground cover surrounded the cherubs and a large red maple
towered over the scene. The birds seemed to be arguing or was that my
imagination? I shook my head and breathed in the refreshingly cool
evening air. I had no intentions of watching anyone else get mad at
anyone and especially two birds that should have been, in my
estimation chirping happily and getting along.
    Thoughts of how to save Roasted Love flooded over
me but none in particular hit like I hoped. The idea of calling Jacob
and telling him I wanted to meet with him away from the coffee house
entered my mind. I rethought that inspiration. My day did not need to
be extended any further. Instead, I decided to face my boss directly
the first thing in the morning. I hoped he had managed to control his
mood by that time.
    The two birds now perched close together. I was
satisfied they had come to terms with whatever put them at odds
earlier. The sky turned to night and dozens of glittering stars
appeared that soothed my being. It'd be nice if you could actually
see the millions that were up there, but such is life in the city.
Once back inside, though, the events of the day seeped back in. The
restlessness I felt covered me again. It was going to be a long of
fitful sleep and tossing and turning.
    After the attack dog Thor had threatened me and
his master taunted me, it goes without saying that my sleep was
taunted with dreams of a huge black creature lunging at me and again
and again. In the middle of each nightmare, I awoke in time to escape
the large sharp teeth. In one such dream, a laughing man stood in the
background watching as if his choice lion was in the arena and sure
to win over the weak prey set before him.
    I finally got out of bed around four in the
morning and sat at my kitchen table. I decided I may as well start
getting my plan to save Roasted Love in action, or at least get a
plan down on paper. The coffee pot cycle ended and I stumbled to get
a cup from the cabinet. Settling at the table again I noted the paper
was still as blank as my mind. I laid my head on the shiny oak
surface and fell asleep.
    If I knew what caused my unrest the night before,
I’m not sure it would have made any difference.

Chapter Three

    Jerking awake when my head rolled to the edge of
the hard table top I noted six a.m. on the wall clock. Once showered
and renewed, I made up my mind that this day was a blank palate to
paint a new outlook for Roasted Love. The sunshine flowed through my
windows and I knew today was a good day to walk to work. The only
requirements for me this day was to take a positive look at my job
and do it to the best of my ability. All errands could wait to be
taken care of until later in the week.
    I decided that some early morning exercise would
lift my spirits, and despite yesterday's run-in, I was going to walk
to work. Neighbors on the tree-lined street were moving toward their
own day. A couple of them were outside retrieving newspapers or
getting into their cars. I knew at least two of them would be in
Roasted Love for their favorite lattes before heading on to work.
    “It’s going to be a