A Cup of Murder (Roasted Love Cozy 1)

"I see now why you like Sam’s for lunch on occasion," she said. "I always knew it wasn’t the watercress sandwiches."

She looked over her shoulder and laughed. I watched as she set the cappuccino in front of Daniel. Our eyes met and I hoped that wasn’t a wink from him directed at me. Turning back to my work, I resolved to hold the reddish tint from creeping up my neckline. Roasted Love was busy enough since some customers ordered seconds while waiting out the rain. My attention was drawn elsewhere and Jacob was busy bringing out more scones. He glanced my way but I couldn’t read his thoughts.

"Do you need anything else, Laila?" he said. "I still have some fruit turnovers ready."

One thing about my boss: he wasn’t afraid to work like the rest of us. I had always felt it gave more character to the atmosphere when he was easily recognized by everyone who came in. He believed all of us should be visible which gave the correct impressions of family and friendliness that he wanted. Jacob did not excuse himself from this responsibility. In the case of recent happenings, it also reassured customers of Jacob Weaver’s innocence.

I had almost forgotten Daniel Jenkins until I passed his table and realized he was still there. The rain was letting up and some of the customers were leaving. He smiled at me and obviously he was taking his time drinking his once-hot cappuccino.

"I guess I’d better leave before I have to spend more money," he said to me. "I’ll see you around."

He stood and reached for his wallet. He pulled a few bills and left them on the table but not before he leaned over and whispered, "Michael was poisoned with belladonna found in his coffee cup. The cup left next to his had coffee in it but was left untouched. No fingerprints, no DNA."

He silently placed his finger on his lips. I got the meaning.

Chapter Eight

The truth of how Michael Simms died clinched it was poison. Belladonna was not a familiar term to me and I wondered where Jen Perry would have gotten any kind of chemical that translated to poison. If she left Sunrise around ten that night then Michael must have come back later. He was found in his own coffee house the next morning, slumped in his chair where he customarily took his breaks. He must have had a meeting with someone. And they must have both used the back door, unnoticed. Of all the possible suspects on the police list, none seemed likely to have met him late at night unless it was his Barista. If someone else, then that person must have known him or there wouldn’t have been two cups of coffee served.

The mystery person was still out there. Jacob Weaver would never had gone inside Sunrise and sat down for a meeting with Michael Simms. Knowing his personality, he would have accosted him in daylight and not cared who saw him. It wasn’t like Jacob to sneak around and kill someone in the dead of night.

I still wanted to get to New York City and meet face to face with James Simms. Maybe he would have a better idea who had a grudge against Michael. The next day was Sunday. Roasted Love stayed open early morning through five on Sundays and I would ask Lily to have her son, Eddie come in to help out. He liked working there and he didn’t mind the extra money either. Jacob rarely took a day away from the coffee house and Janie worked all day on Sunday with Monday off.

Next, I had to think about the right person to leave Thor with while I went to New York City to meet the Senator. My new responsibility was something I enjoyed so far. I recalled how someone once told me that I should think twice about wanting a dog because they were like a child who never grew up. I was beginning to see it was true. And like most parents, I took Thor’s care seriously.

Once home that evening, I debated whether or not to call Jacob and ask him to take the dog. The fact I fed Thor a muffin or two on occasion wasn’t lost on Jacob but I knew he had no idea I adopted the dog as my own. I dialed my boss and he picked up right away.

"Do you mind if I come over for a few minutes?" I asked him.

"No, come on over. I’m not doing anything in particular except putting my feet up."

With Thor by my side, the dog willingly jumped into the back seat of my car. One thing about this Doberman, he loved to ride in the car. He trotted beside me when I walked up the sidewalk to Jacob’s house and rang the bell. I crossed my fingers.

"What are you doing with that monster of a dog?" asked Jacob. "That is Michael’s dog, isn’t it?"

"He’s mine now."

A low growl came from Thor. It bordered on a snarl. I commanded him to be quiet, and thanks to Michael’s training, he did so immediately. Jaco

b swung the door open for both of us.

"Laila, I’ve never known anyone to be the bleeding heart you are."

I tried to look nonchalant and shrugged my shoulders in answer. "He needed a home and I couldn’t just leave him to make his way alone. Jen Perry sure didn’t want him and I have never seen Michael’s wife anywhere around. He would have just roamed the streets and eventually he would have been hit by a car or something like that."

‘Something like that’ meant he would end up in a shelter and may face the possibility of someone getting him who wouldn’t hit it off with Thor, or worse yet, maybe put to death at a pound. I couldn’t let any possibilities happen that would endanger the animal I was now strongly attached to.

"I have to go into the city tomorrow and wondered if you would look after Thor for me."

I wish I had a video camera to record Jacob's reaction. He glanced at the large dog and back at me. Thor got the point and growled low again.

"All you have to do is feed him and he will be your friend for life," I said.

"What makes you think I want any living thing that once belonged to Michael Simms to be my friend for life?"

"Just allow him to follow you to your kitchen while I get a small sack of dog food from my car." I came prepared. There was no alternative except for my boss to take charge of Thor.

Apparently, Thor sniffed food odors and followed the massive figure that went to the kitchen. I held in a chuckle when I realized both large frames somehow matched one another. When I got back inside and handed Jacob the dog food, Thor was happily on his stomach, front legs sprawled out as he happily gnawed a piece of ham that hung from a large bone. I told Jacob thanks and left. Thor didn’t look up.