"I think the police are making progress. They are holding Jared Freedman on his illegal insider trading activity. The cops don't have a confession of any kind yet."
The man sat across from me. Though I now felt he was innocent, as Daniel said, he couldn't be completely ruled out by the police. There was something about him that told me we would be acquaintances, not friends. Even that part was due to my loyalty to Daniel. There was something about him that made any real connection impossible. Could be my loathing of his habit of womanizing, I thought.
"How is Cassie doing?" I asked. He needed to keep his mind on one woman. Cassie didn't deserve his roving eyes.
"We are working things out."
I looked up, fully focused on him. I had no idea there was anything to work out between them. I guessed Cassie already experienced Steven's habits. Better to talk about the two of them than to let out more information on the case at hand.
"I didn't know you were having problems. She’s a nice girl and deserves a good life."
For a change, Steven Landers appeared uncomfortable. He brushed his left hand on his slacks and then picked up a napkin and twisted it. The time between my question and his response stretched out. "We have had a few problems. Frank's murder hasn't helped. I think she is having flashbacks of her discovery that night."
I, on the other hand, thought she was having flashbacks of times that Steven flaunted his flirting openly in front of her with someone other than Cassie. I had no way of knowing that for sure and suddenly didn't want to pursue this line of conversation either. We ate in silence for a few minutes. The time I wanted alone was shot. We carried on a trivial conversation about the weather, Christmas and other neutral subjects until both finished eating. He picked up the tab against my protestations and we left Sam's together.
"My car is parked a block down the street. I'll give you a ride back to Roasted Love," he said.
No, my mind shouted. Instead I said, "Thanks, but I need the fresh air." He shrugged his shoulders and by that time we were close to his car. He smiled and waved good-bye to me from the driver's seat. I walked back to Roasted Love, more unsettled than before I bumped into him earlier. I needed Daniel in my life right here and now, not off in someplace called Kingston, Pennsylvania.
"Did you get a good break, Laila?" asked Jacob when I came back in. I nodded yes and headed for the front to help Lily. I caught the questionable look on my boss's face, but I kept going. I was in no mood to talk about the intrusion at Sam's Sandwiches that stayed with me.
"Can you believe I just had a customer who was upset because we don't serve a full dinner?" said Lily. Her hands moved fast. She wiped the counter in the same spot more than once. "He actually got mad at me when I told him we didn't."
I patted her on the arm. "We don't get that kind of customer often. Just let it go. He isn't worth you getting upset."
She agreed and calmed down but her flushed face told me it would take a few minutes longer for her to return to her easy-going personality. "The ongoing people and the season have put us all on edge, Lily." I reminded myself that telling her to let it go applied to me and my encounter with Steven Landers just as well.
The stress could explain why the restaurant owner irritated me more than usual. I changed my mind. Whether it was a stressful time or not, he would still irritate me. I planted the vision of Daniel in my mind. The bell-ringer a couple of doors down could be heard when a customer entered the shop. I had yet to drop in some money. I made a mental note to do that when things in the shop slowed down a little.
"Laila, can you put a Santa on top of the lattes for that corner table?" asked Lily.
"I keep forgetting to do that."
"Daniel needs to come back or you will get farther out in your own world," said Lily. Her melodious laugh told me she was back to her normal self.
The lattes foamed up. I didn't want to promote Santa. The notorious figure associated with Christmas was the last thing I wanted to think about. I swirled the foam into a small circle and a larger one attached to the top one. A couple of miniature raisins made the eyes, nose and mouth. It wasn't Frosty, but it was close enough.
"What do you think?" I asked Lily.
"You're a pretty good foam artist," she said. "I hope they won't throw this back at me since you didn't give them a Santa on top like they asked for."
Lucky for Lily, and for me, they were happy with the snowmen.
My good mood switched to one of annoyance when I saw Steven walk in. I ignored him and let Lily do the greeting. I watched as he shook his head and glanced my way. Lily shrugged and gestured toward me. Whatever he wanted couldn't be too important. We had just shared the longest lunch of my life together.
"Laila, looks like you are busy. I won't take too much of your time here."
My expression remained set. I meant to convey I didn't have time for more conversation with him. I think he got the picture.
"I just wanted to thank you for steering the cops away from me as a suspect."
"You already told me thanks," I said. Lily handed me another order and I turned away from Steven and back to the expresso machine. The whirring noise of the machine deterred conversation. It also gave me time to take a deep breath.
Handing Lily the two cappuccinos, I gave Steven my busy look again.
"How is Daniel?" he asked. "Is he still in Pennsylvania?"
His lame attempts at a meaningful conversation took me by surprise. "He'll be there until after Christmas. He's with his family as you know."