“How’s his shoulder?”
“Err, fine?”
Did something happen to Teddy’s shoulder? I need to call him. But I had the same thought a month ago, and the last three months before that. I actually can’t recall the last time we spoke to each other. Work has been taking up all of my time, especially now.
“Tell him, he comes to Alexei’s café, I give him Scooby Snack for taking such hard hit last week. He did good.” Alexei interrupts my list of incessant failings before swiftly turning on his heel and disappearing into the kitchen. The clattering pan noises ring through the air almost instantly.
Mia whips out her card, but I grab her wrist to stop her from tapping and pull out my wallet, holding it in place until I hear the beep.
“Thanks, boss.”
“You're welcome.”
“It’s probably for the best.” Her lips curling into a small smile.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, if the Scooby Snack kills you, and they found out I bought it for you, I could be tried for murder, right? This way, it would be ruled as an accidental death.”
What is she talking about? I’m frowning, she’s grinning, the lady behind the counter snorts. Quite suddenly, I’m concerned for my welfare as I lift to my toes to try and peek into the kitchen behind the counter.
“Should I be concerned, Mia?” I ask, dryly.
She shrugs, her black as night hair shining as if the moonlight had somehow imbedded itself into the strands. “I’m sure you can handle it.” Her eyes crinkle at the edges and she bites down on her lip after the words spill out, a faint blush hitting her cheeks as if something obscene sprang to mind.
I keep my eyes on her lips for a fraction of a second longer before drawing my gaze away, reminding myself that I’m not really here to eat lunch, or make lingering stares at my employee. I'm here to stop a patient doing something illegal and potentially hurting someone.
I step away from the counter and try to relocate the bleach-blond mass of hair that is no doubt eyeing up his next victim.
“Stressful day, Dr. Adams?” Mia asks sweetly, pulling out a chair and slipping into it, close enough that I take a deep inhale of her perfume. Fucking flowers. Lavender mostly, and despite what people say about the relaxing effect of lavender on the body, it could not be further from the truth with this woman. I’m tense, frowning, my body in constant need of something more than what my brain will permit it.
I take the seat next to her, holding in another audible sigh that would no doubt make her flinch again. It’s a reaction that Ihave grown guilty about recently. It doesn’t help when she calls meDr. Adams.I’ve always preferred to be called Alfie, or even Dr. Alfie just to keep things as informal as possible. But hearing her sweet voice hum does things to me. It makes me imaginethings.Things that absolutely should not be happening between me and my employee.
“Just hungry.”
“Hangry then. I get that. Hence the Scooby Snack. I’ve got a big evening of preparing for my dissertation defense and honestly…I can only get through it when the prospect of an outrageous amount of food is on offer.”
“Then I’m happy to help,” I reply, my eyes fixed on the back of Vincent’s head.
“TWO SCOOBY SNACKS!”
Mia jumps to her feet, hustling over to the woman who screamed out our order despite us only sitting five feet away from her.
Just as Mia heads to the door, a tall, blonde woman meanders through the tables from the back. I watch as Vincent’s head pops up and he licks his lips in what looks like anticipation. Like a hunter who has found his next meal, he’s itching to start the chase.
He waits a few seconds, throws a couple of bills onto the table and follows her out.
“Come on,” I say, grabbing Mia’s arm as she cradles the two most humongous sandwiches I’ve ever seen. Both of them together are the size of a ten-month-old baby. I’m half expecting her to yellSurprise!and reveal a small dog. She hands me the monster sandwich, and I suddenly understand why she thinks she might get put away for murder if she bought it for me. It’s an entire loaf of bread, sliced longways, spilling out with what looks like five types of sliced deli meat, heart attack infused mayonnaise, I’d estimate half a jar of pickles, and oh yes, asmall leaf of lettuce just to balance out the artery clogging monstrosity that somehow Mia manages to eat in one sitting. It looks bigger than a football, maybe even a basketball, which is frankly ridiculous given the size ofher. I may split my intestines if I consume all this in one sitting. Is she really going to eat all of this? How long does it take her?
I shake my head, remembering the reason I brought her here. I need to make a decision. Am I going to follow Vincent and prevent a potential crime, or am I going to play it safe and take Mia back to the office? Mia takes a bite out of her sandwich, a blob of mayonnaise resting on the side of her lip before she grins at me, nodding at the sandwich. She’s so carefree sometimes it aches to look at her. What if someone did to her what Vincent is about to do to someone else? How would I feel about myself if I found out in a day or two that someone had become a victim of Vincent again and I did nothing to stop it? What would Mia think of me?
And with that final thought, I grab her hand and speed walk out of the café, the bell ringing behind me as my shoes slap against the sidewalk. Mia attempts to keep up, but she’s wearing her most frequently worn pair of heels, a nude three-inch which she walks remarkably well in despite the fact that the thin spike of her stiletto looks like it could be used as a lethal weapon if necessary.
“Alfie, we have time; there’s no need to rush.”
“Come on.” I peek my head over the pedestrians and watch as the blonde woman heads between two buildings. I know there’s a connecting path to the next block, but the alleyway she’s taken is dark and sketchy, only dumpsters and whatever trash has been left over littering the pathway.
“Alfie, what the hell is going on?”
