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Julia threw her arms around her friend and hugged her tightly. “Thanks so much, Zoe. You may have just saved Madeline’s.” She leaned back and smiled. “I’ll print out that salmon recipe you want, as long as you promise not to share it with anyone else.”
“Nah,” Zoe said with a smile. “I’d rather eat here at Madeline’s. That way, I don’t have to cook.”
“You come as often as you like,” Julia said. “Whenever you like. You’ll always eat on the house.”
Zoe slung an arm around Julia’s shoulders. “We’ll discuss that some other time. You do know I’m seriously loaded, right?”
“Doesn’t matter.” Julia shook her head vigorously. “The woman who saved Madeline’s doesn’t pay to eat here.”
Zoe jerked her head at Nico. “I didn’t do this alone. If Nico hadn’t been counting meals coming out of the kitchen, you wouldn’t have known what was happening.”
“Yeah, well, he’ll eat here free, too.”
“I already do,” Nico said. He was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest. “Employee meals, remember?”
Julia rolled her eyes at him. “Then bring a date for dinner,” she said.
Nico shook his head slowly, his gaze holding hers. “When would I have time to date? I’m with you twenty-four-seven.”
His eyes drifted over Julia slowly, and her skin goose-bumped as his gaze lingered at the vee of her sweater. Shivering, she cleared her throat. “I’ll think of some way to thank you.”
His eyes gleamed with an unmistakable message -- in your bed would be a good place to start.
Zoe pushed away from the wall, grinning. “I’ll let the two of you discuss your options for that. Let me know what happens tonight. Tomorrow,” she added. “I have plans for tonight.”
“Something fun, I hope,” Julia said. Zoe was a lot like Julia -- she worked way too many hours.
“We’ll see. I’ll report back to you.” Giving Julia a hug, she waved to Nico and disappeared out the door.
As Zoe’s car roared out of the parking lot, Nico’s gaze settled on Julia again. The heat in his eyes prickled her skin. Tightened it, as if every nerve was sparking. She licked her lips, and his eyes darkened. He took one step closer, and she slid away. “We have a lot of work to do,” she said, horrified when she sounded breathless. Aroused. “We’ll talk when… when this is over.”
Nico nodded slowly. “I’ll hold you to that.”
* * *
As the end of the night neared, Nico watched Carole, Andra and Ruth as they cleared a table together. They smiled at each other, and even though he knew the smug expressions on their faces would disappear after the restaurant closed, his blood boiled. When he had a lull in his duties, he slipped into the restroom. Punched a contact in his phone.
“Flynn. Got a job for you,” he said as soon as the other operative answered. “Get over to the restaurant right now. Park in front. I want you to follow Carole, the hostess. She’s in her forties, blond, shoulder length hair.” He described what she was wearing. “Not sure if she drove, but her ride is a Toyota Corolla, silver, dent in the left side. I want to know where she goes. The address. Get a picture of who she meets with, if possible.”
“Got it,” Spence said immediately. “As soon as I grab my camera, I’m on my way. Thank God there’s some action. I was going out of my mind with boredom.”
“Last two-top is paying up. As soon as they’re gone, Julia’s firing the three women. The police are waiting out in front.”
“I’m on it,” Spence said, and disconnected.
Nico flushed the toilet, then washed his hands. Opening the door, he saw that the servers and Carole were all gathered at the cherrywood bar, having a drink. He wandered over, and Brady handed him his usual cola. He leaned against the wall, drinking the soda, as he watched Carole, Andra and Ruth.
When Julia emerged from the kitchen, the three of them glanced at each other. Smiled.
Nico swallowed another gulp of his cola to hide the flash of anger. His only consolation was he knew they wouldn’t be smiling for long.
The servers and bussers finished their drinks and began to leave. Carole, Ruth and Andra set down their glasses and headed for the back door, but Julia stepped in front of them. “I’d like to speak to the three of you. In the office, please.”
The three women glanced at one another. Their smirks dropped away. Andra, the youngest of the three, licked her lips. Shoved her hand into her apron pocket, as if trying to protect the money she’d stolen.
Thanks, Charles, for confirming Andra was the weak link.
After the last of the servers and Brady had left, Nico opened the front door and two uniformed officers stepped inside. “Thanks for coming, officers,” he said in a low voice. “We have three employees who’ve been stealing, and the owner, Julia Stewart, wanted someone here in case there was trouble.”
