of it. Ever since my dad’s death, my life had been intense.
And not in a good way.
I finally spotted Violet, because she waved and called my name—yes, I was being that observant. She and Kevin had secured a purple velvet love seat with an armchair snugged up against it. I made my way over to them, and pulled off my coat before taking the chair.
“Hey,” I said. “Ordered yet?”
Violet held up her menu. “Waiting for you. I would kill for the mocha fudge pot de créme and a good cup of coffee.”
I glanced at the menu. The vanilla sin almond torte with kumquat drizzle sounded really good. That, and an espresso. “Ready.” I glanced at Kevin. “You good to go?”
He nodded.
The three of us held our menus up over our heads. Silly, yes. But standard in this place, and the server showed up in a remarkably short time. She tucked an empty tray beneath one arm while she took our orders and menus, gave us a smile, and was gone into the crowd.
The guitar guy switched to something a little more up-beat, with Latino influences.
“So.” Violet leaned forward enough to fold one leg under the other. “Is this about your position in Beckstrom Enterprises?”
“I’m that easy to read?”
“It’s been three months since Daniel died,” she said in that matter-of-fact way of hers. “There are still a lot of details that haven’t been settled. We need to take care of the business before people get too nervous.”
“I know. My schedule has been really hectic and it’s only going to get worse. I’m considering a job Hounding on retainer for the police.”
That got Kevin’s attention. He stopped looking like he wasn’t scanning the crowd and instead looked at me.
“Which department?” he asked.
Yes, he was Violet’s bodyguard, and no, I didn’t owe him any answers. But he was also a part of the Authority and a hell of a magic user. I figured he had ways to find out who I was working for, so why keep it a secret?
“Detective Stotts.”
His sandy eyebrows notched up, but that was all the reaction I got out of him.
Violet nodded. “I think that’s a valid choice. I’ve looked into your files.”
“Nice,” I said.
She winced. “I’m sorry if you feel like I’ve crossed a line, but we don’t know each other that well, and . . . your decisions about his company could change my life and my research in the most drastic of ways. Did you know your father kept detailed reports on you?”
“Yes,” I said.
“As I said, I went through them and I noticed you don’t have any self-defense training.”
“What?”
“Self-defense. I’m surprised you never took any training. No martial arts, no sidearms training, no basic self-defense classes. Not even in college.”
“I can handle myself just fine.”
She stared at me for a long, uncomfortable moment. Finally, “In the very short time I’ve known you, you have been chased, shot, robbed, stabbed, drugged, and attacked by magic.”
“I’m still breathing, aren’t I?”
Our dessert and coffee showed up. The server caught on quickly that chatty banter was not going to work at our table. She set everything on the small coffee table in front of us, and walked away a little quicker than before.
Violet picked up her coffee and took a moment to appreciate the leaf design worked in the foam. She held the cup in both hands and closed her eyes, inhaling the aroma.
The flutter behind my eyes kicked up again, and I felt a wash of memories push through me. Different times, different places, all Violet, holding a simple cup of coffee like it was treasure, savoring a plain moment like it was gold.
Go away, I pushed at my dad. Where was that wall when I needed it?
I looked away from Violet, which helped some, then took a drink of my coffee and a bite of the torte. The burst of flavors in my mouth pushed everything else aside. Violet, Kevin, the crowd, and my annoying father would all just have to wait while I ate half that torte and drank half that coffee.
Violet, however, was a multitasker.
“Yes, you’re breathing. I think you should take steps to avoid injury in the first place. You need self-defense training, and I’ve put together a list of people you can check into.”
She dug in the purse at her feet and put a manila file on the table. “Contact information, profiles, photos, classes, and costs are there. Beckstrom Enterprises has an employee wellness program set up that will cover any one