Free Ginny Gold - Early Bird Café 02 - Deadly Surprise by Ginny Gold Page A

you know if I find anything good.”
    Zach paused to take a sip of coffee. Kori put Lani’s pancakes on a plate and placed it in front of her. Finally, Zach said, “There’s been a development since yesterday.”
    “What kind of development?” Kori asked.
    “You said you were in Scoter Circle yesterday?” Kori nodded in answer to his question. “There was another murder. At the conference center.”
    Kori stopped working and looked up to meet Zach’s eyes. She was afraid of what he might say next.
    “There was no DNA but the receptionist at the conference center where the murder took place identified Jay’s photo as having been there right after it happened.”
    Kori felt the blood leave her face. How could she have been so stupid? Of course they should have stayed away from any crime scene, even if they hadn’t known it was a murder. Jay was already a person of interest, if not a full blown suspect. And there she was, putting her older brother in harm’s way by bringing him straight to the town where Heidi had been killed. Of course someone would have recognized him.
    And Meri hadn’t been very friendly, especially once Kori brought Ibis inside. She felt even worse remembering that mistake. She’d brought attention to them when she should have tried to stay under everyone’s radar.
    “Okay. But we didn’t even know what the crime scene was. All the receptionist told us was that there was a crime scene in the conference center. Why were they even letting people inside?” Kori asked.
    “They only blocked off half of the building. And you happened to show up right after it happened.”
    “You don’t think we went there to kill someone, do you? Who was the victim?”
    “Larry Downing.”
    “Oh my God.” If Kori had been concerned over where they’d been, she was terrified now. “Do you think Jay’s in danger? Do you think I am?”
    “I would suggest neither of you goes back to Scoter Circle any time soon if that’s what you’re asking.”
    In the lull in conversation as Kori absorbed this new turn of events, the front door opened and Jay walked in with Spencer Graff. They were laughing about something so Kori assumed everything had been smoothed over with Jay suddenly taking yesterday afternoon off. She had no idea what Jay had used as an excuse. She also suddenly remembered his gun. Had he taken it from the glove box when he got out of the car and she just hadn’t noticed?
    Both men waved and smiled at Kori and took a seat in a window booth. They looked relaxed and Kori decided to keep the new information to herself. Jay was always trying to protect her. Not it was her turn to repay the favor.
    Before she could even walk over to take their order, Vera Joy and Betsy Scoop entered the café, followed by two families of out of town visitors. Not only could Kori spot tourists because she didn’t recognize them, but also because they looked lost and hesitant to seat themselves. These families followed Vera’s and Betsy’s lead and found two empty booths.
    With the café nearly full to capacity, Zach and Detective Silver finished their breakfast, left cash and waved goodbye to Kori as she made the rounds for orders.
    “How’s Bella doing in her new home?” Vera asked.
    “Bella?” Kori asked, confused.
    “The dog. You didn’t give her away did you?” Vera’s face showed more concern than necessary.
    “Oh right! No , of course not. I just changed her name and already forgot that she used to be called Bella. I named her Ibis. After a bird with similar coloring.”
    “A bird, of course,” Betsy joked. “She wouldn’t be a Cooke without a bird name.”
    Kori smiled and took their orders, then moved on to the next booth, slowly working her way to Jay and Spencer.
    When she finally made it there, she decided she had to be blunt about Jay’s gun without it seeming out of the ordinary to Spencer. She gave it her best shot. “Jay, did you leave anything in my car last night when I dropped you