“I know Harper’s Bazaar has a web site called Fakes Are Never In Fashion ,” I added. “They encourage readers to send old counterfeit bags and tell their stories. There’s also a group called the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition that might have suggestions.”
Ernie glanced down at the bag, looking determined. “I’ll do some research,” she said, smiling back up at me. “Thanks, JJ.”
“No sweat. Would you mind giving me a call if any other bags turn up?”
“Absolutely,” she said, smiling a little. “I’ve never been a spy before.”
“New experiences can be good,” I agreed. “From what I hear, spies make a pretty good living.”
Beside me, Collin cleared his throat. I turned around, remembering our aborted conversation. My blood began to boil again, and I opened my mouth to pick up where I’d left off.
But before I could say a word, Collin set his Taser gun down on the counter and folded his arms over his chest. His amber eyes were flashing with something that looked like irritation. I took a step back, not sure what had prompted the reaction.
“So JJ,” he said, eyeing me with a guarded expression. “What do you say we go grab a cup of coffee?”
CHAPTER SEVEN
“Coffee?” I asked, not sure I’d heard him right. “Now?”
“No,” he said, picking up his Taser gun again, along with the toy truck. “After work.”
“Oh. I guess that would be okay.”
My mind was reeling, trying to figure out what was going on. Was he plotting to poison me or did he just really like coffee?
“You’re off at three with the rest of the landfill crew, so how about we meet at Starbucks around four?” he suggested.
I folded my arms over my chest and looked at him. “This is Oregon. There’s a Starbucks every two blocks. You’re going to have to be more specific than that.”
Collin sighed. “How about tea?”
“How about the Starbucks at the corner of Ninth and Wilson. They have tea. And make it five, I have to go home and feed my cat.”
“Very well,” Collin said, giving me a curt nod. “I’ll see you then.”
Then he turned on his heel and walked back toward the toy section.
Beside me, Ernie squealed. Burt and I both took two steps back and winced.
“He’s very smitten with you!” she gushed, keeping her voice low as we watched Collin retreat.
“Smitten?” I asked, practically choking with incredulity. “That wasn’t smitten. If that had been a real gun, I think he might’ve shot me.”
“That’s just Collin,” Ernie said, waving a hand dismissively. “He’s a little different. But obviously he wants to take you out for coffee.”
“He wants to meet me for coffee,” I corrected, checking to make sure Collin was out of earshot. “I don’t think that’s the same thing.”
“Oh, posh. That little Green Barbie was in here just before you were, flouncing around in her teeny skirt, and Collin barely even noticed her. He was much more taken with you.”
“Just because he’s not fond of bimbos doesn’t mean he’s got a thing for me. Seriously. Has he ever poisoned anyone? It’d be easy to slip arsenic into an espresso.”
“JJ, you’re being silly,” she said. “The boy is just a little shy.”
“That’s definitely not a boy and he’s definitely not shy,” I said, glancing to my left where Burt was admiring an electric toothbrush still in its original packaging. “What do you think, Burt? You’re a guy.”
Burt scraped something that looked like chocolate off the corner of the packaging and eyed it with interest. “Sorry, sweet pea,” Burt said, nodding at Ernie. “I’ve gotta agree with JJ here. The boy seemed downright hostile.”
“Exactly,” I said, trying not to be disappointed at being agreed with.
“Hogwash,” Ernie said. “You’ve seen how the little boys pull the little girls’ pigtails on the playground when they like them.”
“I don’t think he’s pulling my pigtails, Ernie. I think he might actually light
Ernie glanced down at the bag, looking determined. “I’ll do some research,” she said, smiling back up at me. “Thanks, JJ.”
“No sweat. Would you mind giving me a call if any other bags turn up?”
“Absolutely,” she said, smiling a little. “I’ve never been a spy before.”
“New experiences can be good,” I agreed. “From what I hear, spies make a pretty good living.”
Beside me, Collin cleared his throat. I turned around, remembering our aborted conversation. My blood began to boil again, and I opened my mouth to pick up where I’d left off.
But before I could say a word, Collin set his Taser gun down on the counter and folded his arms over his chest. His amber eyes were flashing with something that looked like irritation. I took a step back, not sure what had prompted the reaction.
“So JJ,” he said, eyeing me with a guarded expression. “What do you say we go grab a cup of coffee?”
CHAPTER SEVEN
“Coffee?” I asked, not sure I’d heard him right. “Now?”
“No,” he said, picking up his Taser gun again, along with the toy truck. “After work.”
“Oh. I guess that would be okay.”
My mind was reeling, trying to figure out what was going on. Was he plotting to poison me or did he just really like coffee?
“You’re off at three with the rest of the landfill crew, so how about we meet at Starbucks around four?” he suggested.
I folded my arms over my chest and looked at him. “This is Oregon. There’s a Starbucks every two blocks. You’re going to have to be more specific than that.”
Collin sighed. “How about tea?”
“How about the Starbucks at the corner of Ninth and Wilson. They have tea. And make it five, I have to go home and feed my cat.”
“Very well,” Collin said, giving me a curt nod. “I’ll see you then.”
Then he turned on his heel and walked back toward the toy section.
Beside me, Ernie squealed. Burt and I both took two steps back and winced.
“He’s very smitten with you!” she gushed, keeping her voice low as we watched Collin retreat.
“Smitten?” I asked, practically choking with incredulity. “That wasn’t smitten. If that had been a real gun, I think he might’ve shot me.”
“That’s just Collin,” Ernie said, waving a hand dismissively. “He’s a little different. But obviously he wants to take you out for coffee.”
“He wants to meet me for coffee,” I corrected, checking to make sure Collin was out of earshot. “I don’t think that’s the same thing.”
“Oh, posh. That little Green Barbie was in here just before you were, flouncing around in her teeny skirt, and Collin barely even noticed her. He was much more taken with you.”
“Just because he’s not fond of bimbos doesn’t mean he’s got a thing for me. Seriously. Has he ever poisoned anyone? It’d be easy to slip arsenic into an espresso.”
“JJ, you’re being silly,” she said. “The boy is just a little shy.”
“That’s definitely not a boy and he’s definitely not shy,” I said, glancing to my left where Burt was admiring an electric toothbrush still in its original packaging. “What do you think, Burt? You’re a guy.”
Burt scraped something that looked like chocolate off the corner of the packaging and eyed it with interest. “Sorry, sweet pea,” Burt said, nodding at Ernie. “I’ve gotta agree with JJ here. The boy seemed downright hostile.”
“Exactly,” I said, trying not to be disappointed at being agreed with.
“Hogwash,” Ernie said. “You’ve seen how the little boys pull the little girls’ pigtails on the playground when they like them.”
“I don’t think he’s pulling my pigtails, Ernie. I think he might actually light
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