The Case of the Cosmic Corpse (Quera Valise Space Barista Mysteries Book 1) by Sara Bourgeois

Author:Sara Bourgeois [Bourgeois, Sara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-04-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

I knew I had to get closer to Liza if I wanted to uncover the truth about Nix’s murder, but I couldn’t just come right out and ask her. She was too guarded, too suspicious of my intentions. I needed to find a way to earn her trust, to get her to open up to me on her own terms.

That’s when the idea hit me. If I couldn’t get Liza to talk to me directly, maybe I could arrange for us to spend more time together on the job. And what better way to do that than to create a little problem that required both of our attention?

I waited until my next shift, when I knew Liza and I would be working in the same sector. Then, when no one was looking, I slipped into the maintenance closet and grabbed a wrench from my toolbox.

I made my way over to one of the air filtration units, glancing around to make sure I was alone. With a quick twist of the wrench, I loosened a few key bolts, just enough to cause a minor malfunction. Nothing too serious, but enough to require some repairs.

I slipped the wrench back into my toolbox and headed back out into the corridor, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. A few minutes later, the alarm started blaring, and I couldn’t help but feel a little thrill of excitement.

“Attention all maintenance crew,” the voice over the intercom announced. “We have a malfunction in the air filtration system in Sector 7. All available personnel report to the affected area immediately.”

I made my way back to the filtration until I’d sabotaged, trying to keep the smirk off my face. When I arrived, I found Liza already there, her brow furrowed in concentration as she examined the malfunctioning unit.

“Need a hand?” I asked, setting my toolbox down beside hers.

Liza glanced up at me, her expression wary. “I’ve got it under control,” she said, turning back to the unit.

I shrugged, grabbing a wrench from my toolbox. “Two sets of hands are better than one,” I said, crouching down beside her. “Besides, we’re partners now, right?”

Liza shot me a look, but she didn’t argue. We worked in silence for a few minutes, tightening bolts and adjusting wires. I could feel the tension radiating off of her, the way her shoulders hunched every time I got too close.

I knew I had to tread carefully with Liza. She was like a skittish animal, ready to bolt at the first sign of danger.

As we worked on the air filtration unit, I tried to keep my tone casual. “It’s just so sad about Nix,” I said, keeping my eyes on the wires in front of me. “I can’t believe she’s gone.”

Liza’s hands stilled for a moment, but she didn’t look up. “Yeah, it’s a shame,” she said, her voice flat.

I pressed on, undeterred. “I mean, I know we had our differences, but we were friends once. I just keep thinking about all the good

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