Mug Shot: A Java Jive Mystery by Caroline Fardig

Author:Caroline Fardig [Fardig, Caroline]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2016-04-19T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

The next couple of hours absolutely crawled by, and I was considering breaking Pete out of jail myself when Gertie finally called. Pete was ready to be picked up at the station, and she informed me that she was already on her way and didn’t want to waste her time picking me up. That was Gertie. She had a single-minded focus when she was adamant about something, and everyone else could go to hell. I was fine with not having to visit the police station again.

I had a few minutes to burn before heading to Pete’s house, so I went into the kitchen and made him his favorite comfort food: a waffle taco. It seemed gross, but it was something Pete and I had developed when we worked at Java Jive as college students. His dad would let us play around in the kitchen when business was slow, and we were always coming up with weird combinations of food. Thinking about how much simpler things were when we were teenagers, I couldn’t help it that my tears started flowing. I got a couple of strange looks from my cooks Wayne and Brandon, but I didn’t explain—I just boxed up the concoction and fled out the door.

I let myself in Pete’s house using the key he’d given me when I had to stay with him while my living room was being cleaned and redone. Cecilia had had a hissy fit over it, and their relationship had never been the same. I wished he had broken up with her back then so he wouldn’t be in this mess now.

The door opened, and a very weary-looking Pete walked in, followed closely by a very relieved-looking Gertie. When he saw me, his eyes lit up, and we both rushed to hug each other. We held each other so tightly, it was a little uncomfortable, but after all that had happened, I never wanted to let him go ever again. However, if I wanted him to stay free, I had some work to do.

“Jules,” he said, his voice cracking. “You didn’t have to sign away your car for me…but thank you. I promise not to jump bail.”

“I know you won’t. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Anything to get you out of that place.”

We still hadn’t let go of each other. Gertie cleared her throat and said, “Should I skedaddle so you two can be alone?”

Laughing, we broke apart, but Pete kept one arm around my shoulders as he took her hand. “No, Gert. I’ve just really missed my two best girls.”

She beamed up at him, and tears started escaping from my eyes yet again. She nodded to me and said, “You need to cool it with the waterworks, missy. You’re like a leaky faucet lately.”

I wiped my eyes and changed the subject. “Well, jailbird, what’s the first thing you want to do now that you’ve broken out of the joint?”

Pete sniffed the air and zeroed in on the takeout box on his living room table.

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