Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99604 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 498(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 332(@300wpm)
Gloria stood behind the counter in a green floral dress, curls brushing her shoulders. She looked up and smiled. “You need more vitamins already?”
“No.” I gestured toward the front window. “Could you take that sign down?”
She laughed. “Are you kidding? I’ve had more traffic today than I’ve had in weeks. People want to come in and gossip if nothing else.” Her gaze shifted to the shelf stacked with protein powder. “Then they buy something. It’s great. I wish your Nana would get arrested every week.”
“That seems to be the path we’re on.” My voice came out sharper than I meant. “Do you know anything about the spiked tea we sold?”
Gloria shrugged. “How would I know anything about the tea? I don’t sell tea. Tea’s stupid.” Her eyes scanned me from head to toe. “Forget magical teas. You could use more muscle tone. My women’s supplement tastes great in coffee. In fact—” She reached under the counter and lifted a bag with a coffee cup printed on the front. “This one works as protein powder for smoothies that tastes like a frothing latte.”
My stomach growled, loud enough to draw her grin.
“It’s very good for you,” she said. “All natural, with vitamins B and D.”
I reached for the bag. “I could use more D.”
“Excellent. I’ll give you a discount.”
My eyebrow rose on its own. “Why?”
“I like you, Anna.”
I shook my head. “No, you don’t.”
She snorted. “Not really. But only because the O’Sheas and the Albertinis think they’re such big deals in this town.”
“They helped settle it,” I reminded her, my voice flat.
Gloria’s smile stayed, smooth and polished. “Whatever you say.”
Maybe if I bought the powder she’d work with me. “I’ll take it.”
She rang me up with a flick of her wrist.
The register dinged, and I handed her my card. “Did you know that Brooke has been distributing healing teas?”
Her head tilted. “My niece?”
“Yeah. She’s been helping with supply. She might’ve gotten caught in the middle of something ugly.”
Gloria stiffened. “You’re lying.”
“No, I’m not.” Yeah, I was tossing Brooke under the bus, but I had a grandmother to keep out of prison, and I needed answers. “She set Nana up with the tea distributor.”
I wasn’t sure I believed that, but I kept my expression even.
Gloria handed back my card, the bag already tucked into tissue paper. “But the tea is illegal.”
“Yeah. Brooke says somebody switched out the tea.”
Gloria’s forehead furrowed. “How?”
“If I knew, I’d tell you.”
“That brat. How dare she help the competition.” Gloria flattened a gnarled hand on the counter.
I sighed. “You and Nana aren’t competing.”
“You have to open your eyes. Your grandmother is into that moonlight and herbal stuff and being one with the earth, and I guess mushrooms come from the earth. My bet is that she meant to sell the funny tea.” Gloria’s tone remained soft.
I shook my head. “I promise, she didn’t. Will you please take the sign out of the window?”
Gloria wiped dust off the counter with her sleeve. “No way. It’s giving me tons of business.” Her gaze met mine. “Besides, even if I believed her about the mushrooms, I still think she put lotion in my pie.”
My shoulders slumped. “Come on, Gloria.”
She patted my hand. “I know she’s your grandmother, and you don’t believe she’d do such a thing, but she does like to get into mischief once in a while.”
I had to admit that part was true. Nana had a talent for chaos. “I don’t think she’d try to hurt somebody like that.”
“I know, and that’s good. You’re a good granddaughter.” Gloria leaned on the counter, her voice softening for half a second. “But every once in a while, even us old folks like to stir things up.”
The bell over the door jingled, and two more people stepped inside. Gloria turned toward them with a bright smile. “Hey there, I have protein powder on sale.”
I took that as my cue to leave. “I’ll talk to you later, Gloria.”
“That sounds good. Oh, and you’re getting to an age where you should get your eyes checked.”
I blinked. “I am?”
“Yes. You want to handle any issues before they get bad. Stop in with Julie and make an appointment with my husband.” Gloria moved toward the newcomers.
Wow. She really was a good salesperson.
“Thanks,” I said. I probably should get my eyes checked, but not today. I didn’t have time for self-care, not with Nana under suspicion and half the town buzzing.
Outside, the clouds had thickened to steel gray. The street smelled of damp asphalt and coffee drifting from the café down the block. I meandered a couple of blocks and climbed the marble steps of the courthouse.
Inside, the air cooled even more. My boots echoed down the long hall toward the prosecutor’s office. A young woman sat behind the counter, maybe mid-twenties, with sleek black hair and a pretty teal eyeliner.