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Just like he had been wrong to try and get a bank loan from that woman.
CHAPTER2
What was she even thinking?Tess Thorn thought to herself as she sat alone in a booth at Mia’s café waiting.Who was she even waiting for?Ruth Kennedy, that was who. She worked as a secretary downtown at the insurance office. But who was she, really?
After a few hours of drinking alone at home days before, she had posted on Facebook to see if anyone had read the book about Ted Bundy that had just come out. Almost immediately, Ruth had responded that she had read it. Right away, Tess had messaged back about the book, and they chatted about what they each thought about it. That had lasted for a few hours. Once Ruth had asked to meet and actually talk in person about the book, Tess had jumped at the idea.
Now she was waiting for her fellow fan of murderers to arrive. Looking out the window, she watched as the wind picked up and blew snow down Main Street. It was starting to look like the storm was going to arrive early. At least her trip home was a short block away.
The door opened, which let in a blast of cold air, and a platinum blonde woman walked in whose hair was messed up by all the wind. Ruth Kennedy had arrived. Though they had not been introduced, Tess had seen the woman a few times since arriving in town, usually from a distance or across the bank. She watched as the woman took off her jacket and hung it up on the coat rack, then started her way.
Before she made it past the first booth, she stopped and talked to the two men in a booth closer to the door. Both had been there since Tess had arrived. She knew them by name, but not personally. One was Ruth’s boss, and the other, it seemed, was not well-liked by the blonde. Watching the interaction, Tess felt like an outsider because she barely knew any of them, but they all looked like they’d known each other since forever.
Soon, Ruth was sliding into the booth across from her. A smile was on her pleasant face despite what had happened on her way to the table.
Tess stuck out her hand to her. “Tess Thorn.”
Still smiling, Ruth took her hand and replied, “Ruth Kennedy.”
Dropping hands, they looked at each other, neither knowing what to say. The tension was broken when the cafe’s owner came to their table, dropped off two glasses of water already talking, “Here are the menus. Hey, Ruth, not at your mom’s today?”
Tess didn’t spend a lot of time at the cafe, so she didn’t know Mia very well. As far as she could tell, Mia was very friendly and knew a lot of people.
Ruth’s smile turned brittle as she turned to the waitress and replied, “Mia, no, it’s storming, so I’m staying in town.”
“I suppose…. Wouldn’t want Chester to have to drive in snow.” Mia said looking out the window.
“Mia,” Ruth warned.
“Sorry, there’s just a little tension in here right now,” Mia stated, looking around the nearly full café. “You and Rafferty now, and Natalie Beckett and Hazel May are here. I don’t think either one knows.” Mia walked away. A few of the names were familiar to Tess, but not enough to make her feel a part of the conversation.
Tess watched as the waitress walked away. Turning back to Ruth, she asked, “You and Rafferty Brooks?”
She hadn’t lived in town for very long when she had been introduced to Rafferty Brooks. Though he hadn’t hit on her yet, he was known for flirting with most of the tellers when he came into the bank. Something Tess kept a close eye on.
“Not like that. Ick. He is just a jerk, always has been,” Ruth assured her.
“You could do worse,” Tess said with a shrug.
“Ick,” Ruth emphasized her feelings for the man.
“So, what did you think of the book?” Tess asked, getting back on topic.
Ruth turned to look at her. “What did you think about it?”
“What book?” Mia was back with her pad for their orders.
“You wouldn’t be interested,” Ruth replied to the friendly waitress.
“The new one on Ted Bundy,” Tess answered at the same time.
“I think the author had a major thing for him. It was kind of creepy,” Mia said off-handedly as she tapped her pen against the notepad and watched customers enter the café.
“You read it?” Ruth sounded shocked as she looked at the waitress.
“I thought that too,” Tess agreed at the same time.
“I read a different one a few years ago that was way better on him,” Mia said after taking their orders before she was called away by another customer.
