Caffeine & Killers (A Roasted Love Cozy Mystery Book 3) by Cam Larson Page B
Authors: Cam Larson
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the homeless man until I saw him turn the corner.
Satisfied, I went back inside and got back to work.
Yet, I still couldn't figure out why Ricky Thomas
had suggested I meet up with Licorice Billy. They both knew something
about John's death, but I couldn't imagine what it was.
# # #
I was off at mid-afternoon, and I got right in my
car and drove straight down to Skid Row. I was just passing the
grocery store with the bars on it when I saw Billy and Ricky standing
right next to each other.
I swung into the parking lot and pulled into a
space. The right front wheel of my car came to rest in a hole in the
cracked and broken asphalt. I stuffed my small purse under the front
seat and put my cell phone in my jeans pocket.
Both men looked in my direction as I approached.
Licorice Billy looked as if he was ready to make a run for it. Ricky
reached for his friend's dirty sleeve and spoke to him in a low tone,
and then both of them stood waiting for me.
"Hey, Billy. I didn’t get to ask you all of
my questions this morning," I said. I pretended not to remember
how he'd gotten belligerent with me earlier today. "Can I ask
you a couple more?"
I could see his disgust for me in his eyes –
although maybe it wasn't just me and he simply didn't like people in
general. I tried not to push him, but just waited quietly.
"Whaddya want to know?" he finally said.
"I want to know if you know who could
have caused John Collin’s death. We both know he wasn’t into
drugs."
Ricky and Licorice Billy looked at each other.
Ricky spoke first. "I told you before. John Collins isn't dead."
He looked at Billy. "Tell her."
Billy’s look was one of complete surprise. "I
don't know what you're talking about," he said to me. "John
Collins is alive. I saw him just a few minutes ago, right here where
we're standing now."
Billy looked over his shoulder. We three were the
only ones here. Ricky had a smirk on his face, now that Billy had
backed him up.
Okay, I thought. Two – or in this case, three –
can play this game.
I turned to Licorice Billy. "Now – John
Collins was the man whose place you claimed for your own outside
Roasted Love. Correct?"
Both men looked at each other, and then burst into
hoarse laughter. "That John was no John Collins, Miss Uptown,"
said Ricky.
They both turned abruptly and walked away from me,
shaking their heads. I heard them laughing, even when Billy wiped his
hand across his blackened mouth.
"Wait!" I cried. "I need to know
what you're talking about. Who's – who's John Collins?"
Licorice Billy just waved his thick hand over his
shoulder without looking back. Both men parted ways at the corner.
Ricky continued across the broken street at a leisurely pace, until
something caught his eye. Then he raised his head and practically
started running towards a side alley, where he vanished.
I looked to see what caused him to panic. An
ordinary-looking car pulled to the curb and stopped – and who
should get out but the now-familiar DEA man. He started in Ricky's
direction, but the scruffy dealer had had too much of a head start
and was already gone.
I knew I should turn and take refuge in my car
before the officer recognized me – but I was too late. He strode
quickly in my direction and I had no choice but to stay where I was.
"Don’t tell me you do your grocery shopping
down here." His tone was sarcastic.
"Don't tell me you don't wear your badge down
here." I wasn't sure where I'd gotten the nerve to say that. At
least my voice was brave, even though the rest of me was beginning to
shake.
"I don't think you understand how it works,
ma'am." His eyes were hard and glaring, and his words held a
warning. "I told you I didn't want to see you down here again."
I wanted to tell him my thoughts on freedom in
America, but decided it was smarter to just keep quiet. I walked back
to my car, reminding myself not to come down here again.
At least, not without Thor.
Chapter Sixteen
I was still baffled by the way
Satisfied, I went back inside and got back to work.
Yet, I still couldn't figure out why Ricky Thomas
had suggested I meet up with Licorice Billy. They both knew something
about John's death, but I couldn't imagine what it was.
# # #
I was off at mid-afternoon, and I got right in my
car and drove straight down to Skid Row. I was just passing the
grocery store with the bars on it when I saw Billy and Ricky standing
right next to each other.
I swung into the parking lot and pulled into a
space. The right front wheel of my car came to rest in a hole in the
cracked and broken asphalt. I stuffed my small purse under the front
seat and put my cell phone in my jeans pocket.
Both men looked in my direction as I approached.
Licorice Billy looked as if he was ready to make a run for it. Ricky
reached for his friend's dirty sleeve and spoke to him in a low tone,
and then both of them stood waiting for me.
"Hey, Billy. I didn’t get to ask you all of
my questions this morning," I said. I pretended not to remember
how he'd gotten belligerent with me earlier today. "Can I ask
you a couple more?"
I could see his disgust for me in his eyes –
although maybe it wasn't just me and he simply didn't like people in
general. I tried not to push him, but just waited quietly.
"Whaddya want to know?" he finally said.
"I want to know if you know who could
have caused John Collin’s death. We both know he wasn’t into
drugs."
Ricky and Licorice Billy looked at each other.
Ricky spoke first. "I told you before. John Collins isn't dead."
He looked at Billy. "Tell her."
Billy’s look was one of complete surprise. "I
don't know what you're talking about," he said to me. "John
Collins is alive. I saw him just a few minutes ago, right here where
we're standing now."
Billy looked over his shoulder. We three were the
only ones here. Ricky had a smirk on his face, now that Billy had
backed him up.
Okay, I thought. Two – or in this case, three –
can play this game.
I turned to Licorice Billy. "Now – John
Collins was the man whose place you claimed for your own outside
Roasted Love. Correct?"
Both men looked at each other, and then burst into
hoarse laughter. "That John was no John Collins, Miss Uptown,"
said Ricky.
They both turned abruptly and walked away from me,
shaking their heads. I heard them laughing, even when Billy wiped his
hand across his blackened mouth.
"Wait!" I cried. "I need to know
what you're talking about. Who's – who's John Collins?"
Licorice Billy just waved his thick hand over his
shoulder without looking back. Both men parted ways at the corner.
Ricky continued across the broken street at a leisurely pace, until
something caught his eye. Then he raised his head and practically
started running towards a side alley, where he vanished.
I looked to see what caused him to panic. An
ordinary-looking car pulled to the curb and stopped – and who
should get out but the now-familiar DEA man. He started in Ricky's
direction, but the scruffy dealer had had too much of a head start
and was already gone.
I knew I should turn and take refuge in my car
before the officer recognized me – but I was too late. He strode
quickly in my direction and I had no choice but to stay where I was.
"Don’t tell me you do your grocery shopping
down here." His tone was sarcastic.
"Don't tell me you don't wear your badge down
here." I wasn't sure where I'd gotten the nerve to say that. At
least my voice was brave, even though the rest of me was beginning to
shake.
"I don't think you understand how it works,
ma'am." His eyes were hard and glaring, and his words held a
warning. "I told you I didn't want to see you down here again."
I wanted to tell him my thoughts on freedom in
America, but decided it was smarter to just keep quiet. I walked back
to my car, reminding myself not to come down here again.
At least, not without Thor.
Chapter Sixteen
I was still baffled by the way
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