Read Online Your Goose Is Cooked (A LaTisha Barnhart Mystery) by S. Dionne Moore - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: S. Dionne Moore
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smile.
William seemed pleased with himself as he caught up the order slip and ladled up the French onion soup. He made quick work of slicing the rest of the bread and tucking it into a cloth napkin in a basket for delivery to those who’d ordered salads.
That’s when his attention shifted beyond me. His expression melted, the smile smearing into a hard frown. It came to me in the time it took me to turn around, that William must be seeing the man he’d overheard calling the hit on the mayor. Why else such a dramatic change in his demeanor. Lester Riley blurted out a greeting to the man right about the time I laid eyes on my newest patron.
Chapter Eight
“Aidan! Been looking at that bracelet for my Mary. When you going to have a sale?”
My thoughts came crashing together in a riptide. I observed the dark-haired, dark-eyed, golden-tanned newbie of Maple Gap and realized I’d been right on in my thoughts at Dr. Cryer’s office. This is who William had tried so hard to describe.
I waited for Aidan to pull a gun or jump over the counter and push me to the floor as he made a wild run to the kitchen and William. Not that that was going to happen or anything. Shoving me out of the way was going to be like pushing a parked eighteen-wheeler. And guns didn’t scare me. One shot. Bang. I’m in heaven. Hello, Moses, Noah, and Jesus. Let’s talk shop.
Or . . . I sucked in a breath as my eyes landed on Mayor Taser’s unsuspecting back.
My eyes slapped back to Aidan. He didn’t pull out anything. He nodded at me, his dark eyes solemn. “Well, Mr. Lester, not anytime soon.”
“At least someone waits patiently to be seated,” I said, giving Lester a glare. “More than I can say for most.
Tucking a menu in front of Aidan, Lester leaned in close to the man. “Can I talk you in to a discount then?”
That’s when I remembered William and the folly of having seated Aidan at the bar, where he’d have a perfect view into the kitchen. I swung around and lowered my head to catch a glimpse of the cook, fully expecting him to be shaking in a corner of the kitchen. He was nowhere to be found. I’m guessing he scooted himself out the back door. I had to remain calm and level-headed. To think clearly.
“. . . into salads, then she’s got some real good spaghetti. ’Course, you can order most anything and it’ll be the best you’ve ever ate.” Lester’s voice.
I sucked in air and grabbed up a glass. “If you don’t get to be mayor, maybe I’ll hire you as a waiter.”
“Aw, LaTisha , you know you could use the help, especially with William going out the back door like he did. He sick or something?”
Thank you, Lester.
I filled the glass with sweet tea, my eyes hard on Aidan. He stared at the menu. I could detect no hint of interest in the subject. But I’d read enough about professional killers to know they showed no emotion, which was the very reason my heart started slamming.
I cracked my lips in a smile. “I’ll be right back, honey.” I’d gone exactly five steps when Lester hollered out.
“You want me to take his order?”
I made it to Chief’s table and slapped the glass down hard enough to get his attention, before yelling back my answer to Lester. “Sure.”
Chief let go of Regina’s hand, his smile sagging a bit.
“Tell William his bread is divine. Do you think he’d— ”
I rolled my eyes at Regina, then fastened on Chief. “Iced tea,” I said, slow, letting my tongue caress each letter. “It’s getting powerful hot in here. Powerful hot. Didn’t want you to die of thirst.”
“Why, LaTisha ,” Regina’s eyes darted between the chief and me. “It’s not that hot. Are you feeling badly?”
Chief touched Regina’s hand. She went silent.
He made no move and I could almost see him shift into alert mode, weighing my words, trying to make sense of things. I burned my eyes into the chief’s. “That sun can take a powerful hit on a strange man . Now, I’d
William seemed pleased with himself as he caught up the order slip and ladled up the French onion soup. He made quick work of slicing the rest of the bread and tucking it into a cloth napkin in a basket for delivery to those who’d ordered salads.
That’s when his attention shifted beyond me. His expression melted, the smile smearing into a hard frown. It came to me in the time it took me to turn around, that William must be seeing the man he’d overheard calling the hit on the mayor. Why else such a dramatic change in his demeanor. Lester Riley blurted out a greeting to the man right about the time I laid eyes on my newest patron.
Chapter Eight
“Aidan! Been looking at that bracelet for my Mary. When you going to have a sale?”
My thoughts came crashing together in a riptide. I observed the dark-haired, dark-eyed, golden-tanned newbie of Maple Gap and realized I’d been right on in my thoughts at Dr. Cryer’s office. This is who William had tried so hard to describe.
I waited for Aidan to pull a gun or jump over the counter and push me to the floor as he made a wild run to the kitchen and William. Not that that was going to happen or anything. Shoving me out of the way was going to be like pushing a parked eighteen-wheeler. And guns didn’t scare me. One shot. Bang. I’m in heaven. Hello, Moses, Noah, and Jesus. Let’s talk shop.
Or . . . I sucked in a breath as my eyes landed on Mayor Taser’s unsuspecting back.
My eyes slapped back to Aidan. He didn’t pull out anything. He nodded at me, his dark eyes solemn. “Well, Mr. Lester, not anytime soon.”
“At least someone waits patiently to be seated,” I said, giving Lester a glare. “More than I can say for most.
Tucking a menu in front of Aidan, Lester leaned in close to the man. “Can I talk you in to a discount then?”
That’s when I remembered William and the folly of having seated Aidan at the bar, where he’d have a perfect view into the kitchen. I swung around and lowered my head to catch a glimpse of the cook, fully expecting him to be shaking in a corner of the kitchen. He was nowhere to be found. I’m guessing he scooted himself out the back door. I had to remain calm and level-headed. To think clearly.
“. . . into salads, then she’s got some real good spaghetti. ’Course, you can order most anything and it’ll be the best you’ve ever ate.” Lester’s voice.
I sucked in air and grabbed up a glass. “If you don’t get to be mayor, maybe I’ll hire you as a waiter.”
“Aw, LaTisha , you know you could use the help, especially with William going out the back door like he did. He sick or something?”
Thank you, Lester.
I filled the glass with sweet tea, my eyes hard on Aidan. He stared at the menu. I could detect no hint of interest in the subject. But I’d read enough about professional killers to know they showed no emotion, which was the very reason my heart started slamming.
I cracked my lips in a smile. “I’ll be right back, honey.” I’d gone exactly five steps when Lester hollered out.
“You want me to take his order?”
I made it to Chief’s table and slapped the glass down hard enough to get his attention, before yelling back my answer to Lester. “Sure.”
Chief let go of Regina’s hand, his smile sagging a bit.
“Tell William his bread is divine. Do you think he’d— ”
I rolled my eyes at Regina, then fastened on Chief. “Iced tea,” I said, slow, letting my tongue caress each letter. “It’s getting powerful hot in here. Powerful hot. Didn’t want you to die of thirst.”
“Why, LaTisha ,” Regina’s eyes darted between the chief and me. “It’s not that hot. Are you feeling badly?”
Chief touched Regina’s hand. She went silent.
He made no move and I could almost see him shift into alert mode, weighing my words, trying to make sense of things. I burned my eyes into the chief’s. “That sun can take a powerful hit on a strange man . Now, I’d
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