Free Ganache with Panache: Book 2 in The Chocolate Cafe Series by Valley Sams Page B

quickly indeed—Mac’s enthusiasm for all things crime related, her overconfidence, the bookishly handsome man’s look of great disdain. She had been correct in her assumption that this wasn’t Mac’s first rodeo.
    “Stay.” Mac commanded Toby, who was practically leaping over the front seat to get to the detective. “Be a good boy.”
    Vanessa turned to look at Mac. That fire she had noticed before certainly hadn’t been put out, but there was sheepishness to it now.
    “You should probably stay, too,” she said. Vanessa shook her head. She pulled off one of the ever-present elastics she wore around her wrist and tied back her hair.
    “No way, man. I didn’t get walloped on the head for nothing. I’ve got to get to the bottom of this.” Regardless of Louis’s stern glare practically melting the windshield, Mac couldn’t help but beam at her new friend.
    “I like your style, young lady,” she said, “Let’s go.”
    Louis didn’t bother to uncross his arms as the girls approached, nor did he break his glare. He simply fixed Mac in his sight as she approached, his mouth a hard, disapproving slash.
    “I was going to call, I swear,” she began as she neared him.
    Louis uncrossed his arms and dangled a single key between them.
    “You wouldn’t have gotten very far without the key,” he told them. “Or were you planning on breaking in again?”
    Vanessa watched Mac’s face turn a shade of pink of bright enough to be visible even in the middle of a nighttime windstorm.
    “No. Maybe. Well, probably not.” Louis crossed the space between them with two steps. He took Mac’s hand and pressed the key into her palm.
    “I give up.” He said. “We’ve been at a dead end on this case for the last two weeks. If Sabrina hadn’t called and told me everything—no…” he held up a warning finger when Mac frowned. “No. That girl has your best interests at heart, and you know it.”
    “I didn’t think it would lead to anything. I really didn’t,” Mac said, as she gripped Louis’s hand. “Vanessa recognized the designs as direct copies and we started to put two and two together.”
    “Especially after they broke into my place and knocked me out.”
    “They did what?” Louis was alarmed.
    “Lau’s sister and some guy broke into Vanessa’s apartment and stole the…”
    Mac’s explanation came to a sudden stop when there was a loud thump from the inside of Maple Cabin. Immediately and with impressive swiftness, Louis unholstered his gun and headed noiselessly toward the door. He turned back to the girls and motioned for them to get back in the car.
    Vanessa grabbed Mac’s arm before she could jump forward and follow the detective, “No you don’t,” she hissed. “Let’s get in the car.”
    ***
    Louis held his gun at his side; he turned the doorknob as silently as possible. As he had suspected, it was locked, so he readied the key when he heard two voices arguing. He flattened himself against the wall between the window and the door and listened. Of course, all he really wanted to do was give the door a swift kick and get this nonsense over with, but something told him to stop. From his vantage point, he could pick up almost every word.
    “Are you going to do it here? Can’t you wait?’ The man’s voice was annoyed.
    “No, I can’t wait. Can you? How long do we have to stay in this hellhole? I’m dying here.”
    There was another thump and a shadow passed by the curtains.
    “Oh very droll. Very witty, Kyra. You’re dying here. Let’s just get the stuff you left and get out. I hate being here, It makes me sick.”
    There was cruel laughter from the woman
    “You’re such a colossal drag. No wonder Mr. Sober was so in love with you.” Louis heard the woman sniff. There was pause and the sound of a slight sigh before she continued, her tone suddenly more ragged than before. “You were the one who said it was a good idea. You even liked the whole heroin idea. Once a junkie always a