Cold River - Carla Neggers [62]
They grabbed muffins and headed out through the café kitchen. Hannah dipped behind the glass case, the two couples having made up their minds about what they wanted. From what she gathered, they’d run into each other on Main Street and come into the café together.
As Hannah took their orders and gathered muffins and scones, Everett quizzed her about her plans for studying. “Are you keeping your law books handy?”
“I’m still getting organized,” she said.
The Whittakers decided to have their muffins and coffee to go. “Lowell and I want to be at the guesthouse when Bowie O’Rourke starts work there today,” Vivian Whittaker said. “I think that’s always for the best. I really do hope repainting will help. I can’t get rid of the memories of those two killers on our property.”
“At least nothing actually happened there,” Lowell said.
“That does make a difference,” his wife said. “I wish the same were true for the Camerons’ lodge. Alex Bruni stayed there many times and loved it there, but I can’t imagine how it will recover. I wouldn’t want to stay in a place where someone blew up in a car.”
Judge Robinson looked a little shocked at Vivian’s bluntness. “I’m sure it will be easier once the police find the person who triggered the bomb.”
“Assuming they can.” Vivian picked up two coffees from the counter where Hannah had set them. “It’s been weeks. I’m not convinced we’ll ever know who it was. Of course, we all want to find the rest of these people before they can hurt anyone else.”
Lowell quickly paid, and he and Vivian left, the Robinsons heading to a table. Hannah wanted to avoid Everett’s scrutiny and went into the kitchen while there was a lull in customers.
Dominique looked up from the worktable, where she was filling muffin tins with thick batter. “I had to step outside for a minute, and I saw the Camerons arriving in force. Any idea what they’re doing here?”
“I haven’t seen them yet.”
Dominique frowned. “Do you want me—”
“No, I’ll go.”
Hannah returned to the dining room just as the Cameron men entered the café. A.J., usually busy with the lodge or his two young children, was a rare presence. He and his brothers left on their coats as they approached her behind the glass case. Their sister, Rose, wasn’t with them.
All three men looked focused and edgy, understandable, Hannah reminded herself, given the circumstances. Then again, when hadn’t a Cameron looked focused and edgy?
“Dominique just pulled cinnamon scones out of the oven,” she said. “Interested?”
“Just coffee,” A.J. said.
“Where’s Jo? Usually she’s with you—”
“She’s taking a look at the crypt in daylight,” Elijah said.
“I guess that makes sense,” Hannah said.
A.J.’s gaze was hard on her. “I guess it does.”
He took his coffee to a table by the window. She noticed that Sean was back to normal, whatever had bubbled up between them last night well below the surface again now. She got coffee and muffins for them, and they joined A.J. at his table by the river.
Dominique came through the swinging door with a bowl of homemade yogurt that she placed in the glass case. She sighed at Hannah and nodded toward the Cameron table. “You want to go butt heads with them, don’t you?”
“I think it’s the other way around.”
“Go ahead. I’ll keep an eye out here.”
“If you need me,” Hannah said, “just let me know and I’ll come right back.”
Leaving on her evergreen apron, Hannah headed across the dining room to the Cameron men. Sean was seated next to A.J., their backs to the river, the morning sun glinting on the ice formations and drifts of undisturbed snow.
Elijah was at the end of the table, his long legs stretched out. With one foot, he slid out a chair. “Have a seat,” he said.
As she sat down, Hannah tried to look casual rather than irritated, self-conscious or guilty, when, in fact, she felt a little of each. “Is Rose joining you?”
“She’s snowshoeing with Ranger,” A.J. said. “We’ve finally started cleaning out our folks’ place. It’s not easy on any of us, but it’s especially hard on her.”
“She and your mom were close. It hasn’t