Love in a Nutshell - Janet Evanovich [65]
“I understand completely.”
“You do?”
“Sure. I was lucky to be able to find my calling in a hobby I loved, but it was hard work figuring out how to build and run a business. It took all the energy I had. Right now, your business is your life. There’s no reason to rush things between us.”
Kate’s body relaxed, and when she smiled up at him, Matt once again had to fight not to pull over to the side of the road. Sooner or later, Kate would come around, but how he’d help her get there was a more complicated proposition than charming the poodle. All he needed for Stella was a lamb chop in each pocket. Kate would take finesse.
They pulled into the parking lot at Farmers’ Market a few minutes later and noticed a police cruiser was parked in front of the main entry door.
“What do you suppose that’s about?” Kate asked, looking at the cruiser.
“I suppose it’s just life in the big city.”
They entered the building and made their way back toward the Depot Brewing booth, stopping in the middle of the aisle, grimly gaping at the Depot Brewing Company banner hanging in tatters.
Harley, Junior, and Torvald Mortensen stood in front of Matt’s booth with two police officers. A scarecrow manned the booth, dressed in a Depot Brewery T-shirt and hat. A huge jagged hunting knife was stuck in its belly and a corkscrew protruded from its right eye.
“The leftover beer from last night is gone,” Junior said. “We set up the tables again, though. They were all wrecked.”
Matt clapped his friend on the shoulder. “Thanks, pal. I appreciate the help.”
Matt, Harley, Junior, and Torvald answered the officers’ questions while Kate sat on the floor, sorting through upended boxes. Matt was handing one of the officers his card when Kate joined them.
She held out a vintage lighter decorated with a black-and-white enamel eagle. “Sorry to interrupt, but I found this with the merchandise. I thought maybe it was Harley’s?”
Harley barely glanced at it. “Nope.”
“Are you sure?” Kate asked. “It looks like one from your collection.”
“Sure, that’s yours,” Junior said. “I got it for you last Christmas.”
Harley absently patted his pants pocket. “Huh. I must be worse off from last night than I thought. It’s mine, all right. It must have fallen out of my pocket a coupla minutes ago when I was moving that stuff near the table. Thanks for finding it.”
She handed it to him and turned her attention to Junior.
Junior clutched his blue cooler, searching for something to say. “I heard you’ve got bees in your house. You should be careful, because bees can be very dangerous.”
Kate opened her mouth, thought better of telling Junior what she’d like to do with her bees, and snapped her mouth shut.
Matt asked the police what they knew so far, and it was nothing helpful. The building manager had opened the place at five to let in the cleaning crew. They’d done their job and left. The manager had stayed in his office. He’d also admitted to dozing off. Anyone could have slipped in at any point. Matt thanked the police and asked to be sent a copy of their report. Beyond that, he doubted that he’d hear from them again.
“Let’s get to it,” he said to his crew.
Harley volunteered to get the rest of the beer from Matt’s truck while Torvald and Junior bought ice. It would be a shorter pouring day, but not a total wipeout. Kate got her hands on a ladder and roll of duct tape and began piecing the banner together from behind.
“Looks like you’re going to need more tape,” Matt said.
Kate leaned precariously from the top step of the ladder, trying to fix a torn piece. “I’ve got just enough. It’s not going to be perfect, but it will do.”
Harley rounded the table wheeling a dolly stacked with cases of bottled beer. His labored breathing made it clear that he was too hungover and out-of-shape to be a beer hauler.
“You’re handling this situation like a champ,” Harley said to Matt.
“I didn’t know I had a choice.”
“Most guys would be bitchin’ and moanin’.”
Matt smiled. “I’ve discovered it doesn’t make much of a difference whether I do or don’t, so I’m opting