Page 167 of Fearless

“Ugh,” Leah said, shoving the coffees she’d prepped into the waiting arms of a customer. “It’s just…well, it’s probably nothing, but I wanted to run it by you since you…” Pointed look over her shoulder. “Have the inside scoop on city stuff.”

Ava frowned and sipped. “Okay…”

Leah urged another employee – high-school age dude with shiny pimples – up to her place at the register and moved back to pull drinks with Ava.

“Two lattes, extra whip, one chai tea, one espresso, two coffees cream and sugar,” the kid called from the register.

Leah pulled down a mug and said, “This guy came into the shop the other night, right before we closed up. We just had like three people left – coeds working on a project – and I was sweeping. Man in a suit walks up to my dad at the register and starts asking about his lease.”

“On the shop?” Ava nibbled another cracker and shot whipped cream on top of the lattes.

“One cup Earl Grey, one green tea with ice,” the kid said.

Leah nodded. “He seemed friendly, so I thought, maybe he’s got a shop too, and he’s looking for a storefront to rent along the strip, you know? So I kept sweeping. Then I look up, and Dad’s gone totally white. Like that time I fell through the glass coffee table and there was all that blood everywhere.”

Ava remembered that instance; Leah had come to school the next day striped with neon Band-Aids.

“What was he saying?” she asked.

“I kind of swept my way over there…”

“One cappuccino, one soy latte.”

“…and the guy said, ‘This is in the city’s best interest. Refusing wouldn’t be smart.’ ”

Ava felt her brows go up. “Refuse what?”

“I dunno. Dad wouldn’t say. Just kept telling me not to worry about it. But I should be worried, right?”

Ava frowned. “Have you seen the guy anywhere else?”

“Coming out of As A Daisy last week.”

The flower shop that was suddenly not on friendly terms with the club.

“Can you mention it to your dad?” Leah asked. There was a glimmer of real fear in her eyes. “I can’t go to the cops; what would I say? There’s some nice-dressed guy talking to my dad? But the Dogs could” – she lowered her voice – “find stuff out.”

Ava nodded. “I’ll tell him.”

They lapsed into a necessary silence as they concentrated on filling a lightning round of orders. By the end of it, Ava had managed to choke down half the crackers and all the coffee, but felt no better for it.

Leah shooed Pimples off the register and took his place in the middle of a slight lull. “What are you doing in so early anyway?” she asked. Her thin brows waggled. “Ronnie keep you out late?”

“Not Ronnie, no.”

Leah gasped. “No!”

Ava pulled her purse from under the counter. “Thanks for the coffee. I’ll talk to my dad.”

“Ava Teague, don’t you walk away!”

Ava smiled and waved. “Bye.”

“You’re cruel,” she called as Ava left. “You had sex with someone not your boyfriend, and you deny me details. Cruel!”

A dozen curious glances cut her way and Ava ducked out the door with her hand in front of her face.

“At five-fifty-two this morning, dispatch got a call that Milford Mattress was on fire,” Ghost said. He slapped a hot copy of the morning paper down onto the table, the sound echoing off the walls of the chapel. “And guess what the headline is.”

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