Double Shot Death by Emmeline Duncan

Author:Emmeline Duncan [Duncan, Emmeline]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery & Suspense, Cozy Mysteries, Women Sleuths
ISBN: 9781496733429
Google: 2dw6EAAAQBAJ
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2022-04-26T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

I glanced at the clock. Kendall was due to join me in a few minutes. Most of me was done with the festival. Going home sounded like the best idea possible. I reminded myself this was an excellent opportunity for the business. Quitting now would say we’d failed. But like many things, the reality of being here had been so different from the dream. And while I’d made all sorts of contingency plans in case things went wrong during the festival, I wasn’t sure how well I’d dealt with the not-so-minor problem that popped up.

I forced a smile on my face as two women holding hands walked up to my cart. They looked happy. Like the weekend was going exactly as they hoped. And they deserved to have a fantastic time, and that included service with a smile. My internal pep talk made the smile on my face turn real. Well, mostly natural, although, I assumed, tinged with sadness.

As I handed over their iced oat milk lattes in their festival cups, I caught a glimpse of a woman in Buddy Holly–style glasses recording my cart with her phone.

Grace.

Again.

Such the wrong name. Annoying felt more accurate. Or irritating. Thoughtless. I debated texting Alexis to complain about Grace, but I figured the music blogger was steadily digging her own grave. I did snap a quick photo of her filming the cart since Alexis had already warned her. Grace either wanted to get kicked out of the festival, or she didn’t think Alexis was serious. In this fight, she was a fool to underestimate Alexis. I’d clocked the steely look in the festival organizer’s eyes.

Grace walked up toward the cart, eyeing me like I was a rabid wildebeest ready to attack. Or maybe flee. I didn’t know the usual MO of a wildebeest. But, I decided, she reminded me of an anteater. She was digging in the ground, looking for more small bits she could turn into a meal. I’d read once that anteaters rely on their sense of smell, and Grace was following the wrong trail if she thought I was the path she needed to scour to find the truth.

I went ahead and texted Alexis the photo of Grace with her camera pointed at my cart along with the words Guess who’s back?

But before Grace had a chance to say anything, the VIP-pass woman walked up for her hourly coffee. As always, she held up her pass as she approached the cart. Like I’d forget who she was or that she had access to all she could drink if she didn’t display it.

“I want to try something new!” the woman roared. She looked more amped than usual, like the caffeine she’d drunk an hour ago was actually hitting her bloodstream.

Grace stared at her like the woman had said something outrageous. So I gave my VIP a wide smile.

“Anything for one of my best customers. Maybe one of the teas?”

“No, one of your coffee options. But something I haven’t tried.”

As I suggested a coffee soda flavor she hadn’t tried, Grace melted away.

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