Her eyes narrowed to slits. “What a slut .”
Meaghan frowned. Kady wasn’t a gossip and, as far as Meaghan knew, she got along well with Marnie.
Kady seemed surprised as well. She shook her head, as if to clear it. “Sorry. I don’t know where that came from. Must be baby hormones or something. Marnie blew off her nursing home clients this morning. She didn’t even call. She loves setting those old ladies’ hair. I can’t imagine her bailing on them without a word unless something was really wrong. When did you see them last?”
Meaghan thought about it for a moment. “Dinner. The last time I saw them was dinner. They left right after in her car. Jhoro’s like a dog. He likes to hang his head out the window while you drive.”
“Did they come back last night?”
Meaghan thought some more. “You know, I have no idea. With all the shit going on with Jamie, I didn’t even notice. Have you talked to Russ?”
Kady nodded. “He was at the hospital all night. They weren’t there when he left to go to Jamie’s or when he got back this morning.”
“What about her place?”
“Not there either. Lynette swung by and checked for me a little while ago. And she’s not answering her cell. Could they have left before you woke up?”
Meaghan thought about it. Had Jhoro’s door been shut when she got home last night? She had been in such a daze she hadn’t even noticed. “I got about ten minutes sleep last night worrying about Jamie. I never really did more than nap. If they were there, they must have been awfully quiet. I assumed he was at her place.”
“If you remember anything, let me know. I’m going to call around some more and see if anybody’s seen them.” Kady got up to leave.
“Don’t worry,” Meaghan said. “I’m sure they’re fine. Marnie’s just a little . . . distracted right now.”
Kady’s eyes narrowed again. “Distracted? Trampy is more like it.”
Before Meaghan could comment, Kady was gone. What’s got her so pissy? Maybe it was baby hormones. It certainly wasn’t her normal behavior. Meaghan had never heard Kady say a negative thing about any witch but Emily Procter.
Meaghan yawned deeply. Coffee. She wouldn’t make it through Owen Finnerty’s report without more coffee and nobody had made any this morning. Rather than try to figure out Natalie’s high-end Italian coffeemaker, Meaghan decided to walk over to Eldrich Brew. Her safe little office suddenly felt very lonely without Jamie next door.
With Owen Finnerty’s report tucked under her arm, Meaghan made her way out of city hall and across the town square. The coffee shop was on Washington Street, which ran along the north end of the square, next to the food co-op. Natalie’s coffee-making notwithstanding, Eldrich Brew was usually full of city employees. Without city hall, Sally and Nate, the Brew’s young, tattooed proprietors, would be out of business. Meaghan liked to pop in a few times a week to see everybody and be seen. It was too easy, especially lately, to hide up on the third floor all day.
But the Brew was empty. Meaghan looked at her watch. It was only one thirty. The place was normally winding down the lunch rush by now. Granted, it was the Friday before Labor Day, but she’d never seen it this deserted.
“Finally,” Sally said as Meaghan approached the counter. “I expected it to be slow today, but you’re the first person to walk through the door. Did everybody stay home from work?”
“I guess,” Meaghan said.
“You want lunch? I’ve got plenty of food.”
“Surprise me,” Meaghan said, realizing she was hungry. She held up the report. “And a cup of dark roast before I slip into a coma.”
Sally laughed. “Have a seat and I’ll get your coffee. Nate,” she called through the window back into the tiny kitchen. “Salad special.” She looked back at Meaghan. “Chicken salad, okay?”
“Perfect.” Meaghan sat down at the counter.
Sally set a steaming cup of black coffee
Meaghan frowned. Kady wasn’t a gossip and, as far as Meaghan knew, she got along well with Marnie.
Kady seemed surprised as well. She shook her head, as if to clear it. “Sorry. I don’t know where that came from. Must be baby hormones or something. Marnie blew off her nursing home clients this morning. She didn’t even call. She loves setting those old ladies’ hair. I can’t imagine her bailing on them without a word unless something was really wrong. When did you see them last?”
Meaghan thought about it for a moment. “Dinner. The last time I saw them was dinner. They left right after in her car. Jhoro’s like a dog. He likes to hang his head out the window while you drive.”
“Did they come back last night?”
Meaghan thought some more. “You know, I have no idea. With all the shit going on with Jamie, I didn’t even notice. Have you talked to Russ?”
Kady nodded. “He was at the hospital all night. They weren’t there when he left to go to Jamie’s or when he got back this morning.”
“What about her place?”
“Not there either. Lynette swung by and checked for me a little while ago. And she’s not answering her cell. Could they have left before you woke up?”
Meaghan thought about it. Had Jhoro’s door been shut when she got home last night? She had been in such a daze she hadn’t even noticed. “I got about ten minutes sleep last night worrying about Jamie. I never really did more than nap. If they were there, they must have been awfully quiet. I assumed he was at her place.”
“If you remember anything, let me know. I’m going to call around some more and see if anybody’s seen them.” Kady got up to leave.
“Don’t worry,” Meaghan said. “I’m sure they’re fine. Marnie’s just a little . . . distracted right now.”
Kady’s eyes narrowed again. “Distracted? Trampy is more like it.”
Before Meaghan could comment, Kady was gone. What’s got her so pissy? Maybe it was baby hormones. It certainly wasn’t her normal behavior. Meaghan had never heard Kady say a negative thing about any witch but Emily Procter.
Meaghan yawned deeply. Coffee. She wouldn’t make it through Owen Finnerty’s report without more coffee and nobody had made any this morning. Rather than try to figure out Natalie’s high-end Italian coffeemaker, Meaghan decided to walk over to Eldrich Brew. Her safe little office suddenly felt very lonely without Jamie next door.
With Owen Finnerty’s report tucked under her arm, Meaghan made her way out of city hall and across the town square. The coffee shop was on Washington Street, which ran along the north end of the square, next to the food co-op. Natalie’s coffee-making notwithstanding, Eldrich Brew was usually full of city employees. Without city hall, Sally and Nate, the Brew’s young, tattooed proprietors, would be out of business. Meaghan liked to pop in a few times a week to see everybody and be seen. It was too easy, especially lately, to hide up on the third floor all day.
But the Brew was empty. Meaghan looked at her watch. It was only one thirty. The place was normally winding down the lunch rush by now. Granted, it was the Friday before Labor Day, but she’d never seen it this deserted.
“Finally,” Sally said as Meaghan approached the counter. “I expected it to be slow today, but you’re the first person to walk through the door. Did everybody stay home from work?”
“I guess,” Meaghan said.
“You want lunch? I’ve got plenty of food.”
“Surprise me,” Meaghan said, realizing she was hungry. She held up the report. “And a cup of dark roast before I slip into a coma.”
Sally laughed. “Have a seat and I’ll get your coffee. Nate,” she called through the window back into the tiny kitchen. “Salad special.” She looked back at Meaghan. “Chicken salad, okay?”
“Perfect.” Meaghan sat down at the counter.
Sally set a steaming cup of black coffee
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