Murder and a Tequila Sunrise (A Sunrise Cafe Cozy Mystery Book 1) by Elizabeth Clover

Author:Elizabeth Clover [Clover, Elizabeth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Clover Publishing
Published: 2023-11-01T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

SATURDAY

2:56 pm

“Sebastian?”

He was holding the box with a look of bewilderment.

My own face must have looked just as puzzled–but much more shocked.

“Oh, hey, Clementine.” Sebastian wrapped the box up with the rags and placed it back in the fridge. “Had to see for myself.”

“You told me to go to the police. Why are you tampering with the evidence?” I was so confused. Why was Sebastian here and not Gemma? What was his motive? Russell stood behind me with his arms crossed and a stance like he was a bodyguard.

An easy smile crossed Sebastian’s face. “There’s no evidence here.”

“What do you mean?” I asked slowly, unsure what approach to take.

He looked me dead in the eyes, his immense figure towering over me. The scar across his nose seemed to twitch as his nostrils flared—but something seemed off.

Behind his intimidating posture, he seemed. . .scared? His flared nostrils reminded me of the time we found a dead bunny by the dumpster, and Sebastian had buried it, his nostrils flaring to keep him from crying.

“Got to get back. Those drinks won’t pour themselves!” Sebastian scurried off, and Russell and I were left in utter confusion.

“He admitted there wasn’t money and. . .was fine with it?” Russell asked in disbelief.

“Sebastian admitted there wasn’t evidence. He conveniently didn’t say anything else, and I know him well enough that if there’s a precarious situation, Sebastian will stay silent until he gets all the facts. He’s not one to get up in arms about something without knowing the full story.”

“He knew enough to take a peek,” Russell pointed out.

My eyebrows furrowed. “That’s what concerns me. What has him so spooked?”

The cafe was too busy when we returned to corner Sebastian and interrogate him, so Russell and I left to go our separate ways. I was headed to my home after my shift, and Russell to his.

I arrived to find Mom on the porch, drinking her homemade lemonade.

Mom had been in a terrible car accident about a year ago. Two weeks in the hospital, many physical therapy visits, and one long jagged scar across her arm later, she had made a full recovery.

Her finances, however, now needed some stretching of its own.

I’d always been able to help my mom with money troubles, and to be in a position where I couldn’t, devastated me.

Mom was a lot more cautious on the road now–her accident hadn’t been her fault, but try telling her that she wasn’t to blame for going to pick up some food instead of having it delivered like she originally planned.

She definitely went out less and was content to sit on her porch and watch life go by. I would have been worried about it, except that she seemed to enjoy it. There was a sparkle in her eyes that had appeared only when she had taken time to sit in peace and relax.

That was one good thing about her accident. Mom used to be worried about getting this done or that done in a timely manner, and if it wasn’t perfect.

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