Catch Me When I'm Falling by Cheryl A Head

Author:Cheryl A Head [Head, Cheryl A]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781612941462
Publisher: Bywater Books
Published: 2019-02-14T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

“So, let me get this straight,” the bakery manager said, staring at the motley crew and then at Charlie’s card. “You’re a private investigator and a woman?”

Charlie pulled off her cap and faced the manager squarely. “Yes. Sorry. I’m working undercover. This is my partner, Gil Acosta, and Betti, uh Bettina Waller.”

The manager acknowledged the two with a nod. “I’ve seen Ms. Waller before.”

Betti came to life at the attention and pushed up to the balls of her feet. She extended her hand in greeting. “Pleased to meet you.”

The manager still held the mixer in her right hand and Charlie’s card in the other, so Betti lowered her hand, stepping back. The kitchen was in full swing for the morning’s opening, and a few workers paused to give the group curious looks. The manager nodded to a room near the pantry door. “Let’s go in there.”

The makeshift office had a small desk with a laptop, two six-foot file cabinets, and a small corner table loaded with catalogs, old menus, and a Farmers’ Almanac. On the wall behind the desk were several framed documents, but Charlie was too far away to make them out. She did recognize the seal of the Detroit City Council on one of the certificates. On the opposite side of the office was a futon piled with blankets and a pillow, a small TV on a cart, a filtered-water dispenser, and a stack of metal chairs. A door in the corner was stenciled with the figure in a dress symbolic of a ladies’ restroom. Since the manager seemed to be at the bakery day and night, Charlie imagined this back office was a home away from home.

“What are you investigating?” she asked Charlie.

“The burning deaths that have occurred in the Corridor.”

“I’ve heard about those. Some in the business community aren’t too keen for that news to get out.”

“Nor are the police,” Charlie replied.

“What brought you and your friends here tonight?”

“We had an altercation with a couple of young men on Cass Avenue.”

“They try to mug you?”

“Well, no. Gil sort of mugged them. He was trying to protect Betti.”

“The guys in the fancy cars?” the manager asked.

“Yes, ma’am,” Gil answered. “We just need to keep Betti out of sight for a couple of hours.”

“You do anything illegal?” The manager again turned to Charlie.

Charlie looked at Gil, measuring the words she was going to say, but before she could speak, the manager tried again.

“Let me put it this way. Did the three of you do anything tonight that will get me in trouble with the police?”

“I don’t believe so. I won’t let that happen,” Charlie added.

“Okay. She can stay here until you finish this morning’s work,” the manager said. “You are still working for me today?”

“You bet,” Charlie said, putting on her cap.

“What about you?” the bakery manager eyed Gil. “You want to work too?”

“No, ma’am. I already have a job to do.”

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.