Page 60 of Cornered

Donovan couldn’t tell if he meant that in a hostile way, or if he was concerned for her.

“She’s been here. She’s currently in the breakfast kitchen trying to figure out how she’s going to make dinner work tonight.”

“I need to talk to her.”

“You can talk to herafteryou talk to me.” Donovan sunk all his authority into those words.

“What happened?” Amos asked.

“We’re still not sure.”

Amos took a few steps toward the dining area, then caught sight of the refrigerator. “Why would anyone do this?”

“We don’t know.” Donovan pointed to the doors again. “Come on. Let’s talk.”

The big man deflated with each step, and by the time he reached the table, he sank into a chair and dropped his head into his hands. “We don’t need this. Not this weekend. There’s so much to do. I need to talk to Cassie.”

Donovan didn’t want to take this guy off his suspect list. But Amos was sure making a compelling case for Cassie’s assertion that he would never do anything to harm the kitchen.

“Let’s talk about Cassie for a minute.”

Amos’s face was infused with what looked a lot like shame. “I bet she named me as her prime suspect.”

“Actually, she said she didn’t think it was you.”

Amos lowered his hands and his voice. “But you do, don’t you?”

“I’m undecided. Why would Cassie assume it was you?”

“Because I’m a jerk. And I’ve made every day difficult for her. And I’ve done it on purpose.”

Donovan had a lot of questions, but if this guy was willing to talk, he decided to go with the simplest one. “Why?”

“Why?” Amos waved a hand around the room. “This is practically my home. I’ve worked here for years. Sous-chef to Chef Louis. We’ve collaborated on menus and he’s let me experiment with dishes. He’s my mentor. And this place ... I don’t have children. Or a spouse. I have Hideaway.”

That didn’t sound depressing at all.

“When Louis had his heart attack, I assumed I would step in. I know everyone thinks I do, but I don’t want the job full-time. I have ... issues. I don’t need the pressure of being the head chef. But I could have managed it while he recovers.”

He ran a shaky hand over his chin. “But instead there’s this little girl. She’s barely out of culinary school.”

Donovan didn’t point out that she’d been out of school for over five years and had an impressive list of restaurants on her résumé.

“She’s cute and perky and the polar opposite of Chef Louis. Have you met him?”

“Briefly. Once.”

“Well, he’s a grump. He has a heart of gold, but he’s a little salty. And he runs the kitchen a certain way.”

“And Cassie runs it a different way?”

“So different! Some days I can barely stand it!”

Donovan made a note to ask Cassie and Bronwyn how often Hideaway staff were drug tested. He didn’t think Amos was high. But there was something going on with him.

EIGHT

CASSIEWALKEDinto Hideaway in time to hear Amos’s outburst. She froze, undecided. She shouldn’t eavesdrop. But she really wanted to know what his deal was.

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