Page 40 of Kill Me Sweetly

He was referring to Darby. “The twins have been busy, but I did a small one and everything she said checked out. She’s quirky, yes, but why do you think she’s bad news?”

He tilted his head. “I think we have two new people who joined here right after Four arrived.”

“People I called to interview, JJ. Those applications were like a couple of weeks old.”

He sighed and nodded. “Yeah, I’m being paranoid.”

“Maybe a bit but with our lives how they are, I get it. Once the twins aren’t waist deep in what they’re doing, I’ll have them do a more extensive check. Until then, I really do think they’re fine.”

“You’re probably right.” He slapped my chest. “Okay, go roll that dough.”

Following lunch, I drove JJ to the house so he could sit with Four for his session. I had to return to the shop for a few more hours and get things ready for the next day.

JJ’s suspicions about Darby, of course, made me watch her more closely. She laughed at everything anyone said, was super nice to the customers, even helping Lydia, the little old lady who lived across the street, to her apartment when she complained about her hip hurting…Yeah, pure evil, that one.

“So, Saintly Sweets…great name.” Wes moved next to me. Lizzy was taking a break and Darby was wiping down the tables.

“Yeah. JJ thought of it.”

“Your last name.” Wes’s smile was genuine.

“Me and my brothers, actually.”

“I’ve met Gabe, and his boyfriend Mason, you, and JJ, but not the others. Do they come in a lot?”

I snorted. “Not if they can help it. They’re more like silent partners.”

Wes chuckled. “Yeah, I figured. You’re all close?”

“Oh, yeah. You have any siblings?”

“One, a sister. She’s fourteen.”

“Family’s good.”

The bell over the door chimed breaking up this getting-to-know-you session with Wes and I helped the customer, which turned into several. It was coming to the end of the workday, so a lot of people liked to grab coffee and a snack as a last pick-me-up to get home.

Once the last customer left, I told Wes and Darby they could head home and Lizzy and I would finish cleaning up.

“Question.” I locked the door.

“What’s up?” Lizzy tossed the dirty cloths into the bin and started rolling it to the back, and I followed.

“Anything off about Darby?”

“She’s different, but I like different. Hard worker, happy, customers love her.”

“Yeah, figured.”

She grabbed her bag from in her locker and faced me. “Why?”

“Nothing, just, I didn’t get to do the background checks, and with me in and out I wanted to make sure they were up to code with you.”

She grinned, little dimples forming in her cheeks. “Her and Wes have been lifesavers. Thanks for hiring them.”

“Sorry it took so long.”

She waved me away and headed out. “No worries. Have a good night.”

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