Page 10 of Sapphire Nights
“Will seven work?” He glanced out the windshield. “Looks like Mariah is waiting for you. I’ll see youthen.”
Bossy, she didn’tlike that. But...free meal. Sam let herself out before Kurt could open the door for her... or not. He waited for her to climb out, locked the car, and with a salute, marched off in anotherdirection.
Someone had raised that boy with bad manners. And how did she know about manners when she couldn’t remember her own name? Suppressing the panic that was becoming second nature, Sam crossedthe lot to confront Mariah. “How did you get back here sofast?”
Mariah pointed her chin at the mountain looming over the town hall. “Shortcut.”
Sam didn’t plan to hang around long enough to learn it. “I need keys to get in the house, Ithink.”
“There’s a key under the geranium, sorry.” Mariah smirked and nodded at the departing resort manger. With the fog lifting, she lookedmore sturdy and less surreal than earlier. “See you fell in with the rich crowd prettyfast.”
“Val’s fault. I need food before I talk about it.” She let herself into thecafé.
The café had a few customers scattered among the stools and booths. They all turned to stare. Sam was beyond feeling self-conscious about her attire at this point. So, she was naked beneath her sweats. It wasn’tas if she had anything to hide—except her lack of identity. That problem was so huge that anything else wasirrelevant.
Dinah greeted them with a wave and slapped coffee down in front of a vacant stool before Sam could choose one. “Breakfast orlunch?”
“My money is still up at Cass’s, can I owe you?” Sam doctored the caffeine with sugar and sipped gratefully. She glanced at a newspapersomeone had left on the counter.June, it was June—another piece of her foundationreturned.
“You come work for me, and you get all you can eat,” Dinah said. “You’re providing free entertainment aroundhere.”
“Charmed, I’m sure,” Sam said dryly. “Eggs and toast, please, and can I go home and get dressed first? And have the night off? I’m supposed to have dinner with Mr.Kennedy.”
Dinah’s belly laughed filled the café. For such a small person, she had lungs. Sam felt oddly warmed that her smart mouth wasappreciated.
“You have anything besides sweats and jeans to wear to dinner?” Mariah asked, slipping behind the counter to take a tourist’s money at the cash register while Dinah returned to the kitchen foreggs.
Sam grimaced in remembrance of the interviewoutfit in her suitcase. “Business attire. How do they dress upthere?”
“Like tourists, mostly, except for some of the older ladies,” a plump woman wearing a red peasant blouse and blue tie-dyed skirt said from two stools down. She held out a hand encrusted in rings of various stones. “I’m Amber. I do tarot readings across the street. If you’re joining Dinah’s staff, I’ll be happy to giveyou a complimentary spread to welcome you totown.”
“She’s good,” Mariah called from the register. “Accept heroffer.”
“Is everyone in this town so bossy?” Sam asked of noone.
“Opinionated,” Amber corrected. “It’s a small town full of big personalities. It’s no place to beshy.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m not shy,” Sam said, thinking aloud. “I’m just a fish out of water.So business attire will be okay fordinner?”
“The Kennedys wear designer suits like mine,” a big, bluff man with so much golden hair it didn’t look real intruded on their conversation as he stood and reached for his wallet. “They like their women rich. No one in this pit qualifies.” He walked out with the stride of a man confident he owned the world and everyone in it. His suit and watchwould probably buy thecafé.
“Alan Gump from San Francisco,” Mariah murmured. “Owns Gump Real Estate. They buy land for corporations. He’s not only a Null, but an outsider. We don’t talk tohim.”
A tall thin man with stooped shoulders and a faded green blazer ambled out afterGump.
“Xavier Black, Gump’s stooge,” Mariah added. “He got left in the cemetery too long way backand isn’t fit for more than printing out rental contracts for tourists. He has an officehere.”
“Do we talk to Xavier?” Sam asked in amusement, wondering whatleft in the cemetery too longwas a metaphorfor.
Mariah shrugged. “Gump is right, though, the town is dying, and we’ll never berich.”
Dinah returned with a flaky croissant plus a plate full of steaming scrambled eggsmixed with bits of spinach, tomato, and cheese. “Go see Tullah about clothes,” Dinah said. “She runs the thrift store three doors down. Tell her I sent you. She’ll find something and you can return it tomorrow. Start work tomorrow at eight and wear whatever makes you comfortable, but you’d better have realshoes.”
“I’m never eating anywhere else,” Sam said in reverence, closing her eyesand savoring her first mouthful ofeggs.
“You ain’t eating here again if you chew while you’re talking,” Dinahadmonished.
Maybe whoever or whatever had sent her here had done her a favor. What kind of life could she have had previously if these eccentrics felt likehome?
