Extra Shot of Murder: The Second Caffe Milano English Village Mystery by Ruth Ward

Author:Ruth Ward [Ward, Ruth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Paw Press
Published: 2024-12-19T00:00:00+00:00

THIRTY-SIX

THE EARLY AFTERNOON in the Spinning Room was busy, but not busy enough to warrant four staff. Lucy was making good progress inducting Wendy into the mysteries of the coffee machine, so Bridget barely hesitated when she saw two figures approaching. She hadn’t seen them in the flesh before, but she’d seen their images on Abi Tennant’s CCTV pictures. She strode towards the archway, where they were hesitating, and gave them a smile.

‘Hi, I’m Bridget, and you must be Geoff and Darren Barton.’

The father smiled back, an open and slightly relieved expression on his face, and he went to shake hands. His son did not, and took a step back.

Geoff Barton was in a suit, but minus the jacket and tie. He must be around sixty, stocky and strong, with sleeves rolled up and hairy arms. His son looked like he’d inherited his father’s build but none of the power. Darren was wearing a T-shirt with one of the most bizarre designs Bridget had ever seen: a flock of men in kilts with wings. Whatever. The T-shirt tried its best but couldn’t hide the fact that Darren was XXL all over. Even the tent Lucy was wearing today would barely have covered him.

Geoff shook hands. ‘Now that’s what I call a personal greeting, Bridget. We were just wondering if it would be rude to ask for takeout cups when we’re only going upstairs?’

Sometimes the gods smile on you, and Bridget passed the smile on to Geoff. ‘That is not a problem at all. I’ve been hoping to have a word, and whatever you want, I’ll bring it up for you.’

‘That’s very kind, Bridget. Very kind. Shall I pay now?’ He turned slightly. ‘You head up, Darren, and I’ll see you shortly.’

His son escaped without having spoken or shaken hands, and Bridget took an order for a cappuccino and a caramel latte. She made the drinks, added a couple of scones on the house and headed for the lift.

Meeting new people, brewing the coffee and sorting the tray had taken her mind off it, but when the lift rose smoothly to the top floor, Bridget was dragged down and back to Monday morning when she’d taken a tray up to Tony. She breathed in and out, and forced herself to look straight ahead, right at the partition.

Nothing had changed. The CARM space was exactly as she’d found it two days ago. Geoff saw her and rushed to take the tray off her hands. She was about to protest until she realised that her hands were shaking. Just a bit.

His powerful forearms hefted the tray and placed it on the pile of boards next to the partition. Exactly where she’d put Tony’s tray on Monday. For that alone, she was very grateful. ‘Thanks, Geoff.’

‘No, thank you, Bridget.’ He stepped away from the tray, and his expression changed. The polite old-fashioned gentleman was still there, but he was on guard now. ‘You said you wanted a word?’

Bridget knew nothing about this man other than that he had a socially awkward son and an interest in model railways.

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