and the windows had returned to normal. No more looking out through artificial cobwebs. Lucy worked frantically behind the counter, trying to get bacon sandwiches out to the group of fluorescent-clad builders that were patiently waiting for their breakfasts.
Briggs slurped half of his coffee down in one go. ‘I needed that. It’s been a long night.’
The teenage girl who was assisting in the shop placed Gina’s second cup down. ‘Thank you. I’ve only got an hour. I’m meeting Jacob at Isaac Slater’s address. Wyre was still trying to contact Cherie Brown as we left but so far, there has been no answer on her phone. If we can’t get through, I’ll turn up after speaking to Isaac Slater. I need to get to the bottom of what’s going on.’
‘Good call about pulling up old arson cases. At least we have a connection.’
‘It was the matches. I mean who uses matches these days? Most smokers I know use a lighter. I even use one of those long lighters to start my fire off.’ She blew her coffee and tentatively sipped but it was too hot. ‘It might turn out to be a nothing thought on my part.’
‘Or, it might turn out to be everything. Haven’t you always said that there can be a clue in the smallest of thoughts?’
He was right; she always wanted to know everything, however small. And it was often the smallest of things that led to some of the biggest of breakthroughs. She smiled at Briggs, her only real friend, and a pang of guilt washed through her. She’d doubted him and she still doubted him.
‘I can see your cogs turning.’ He moved the cushion from behind his back and shifted in the seat a little.
Her smile dropped and her gaze met his.
‘What?’
She felt a tremor in her knee. ‘Only you know what happened between me and Terry.’
It didn’t take long for his own detective skills to kick in. His warm expression turned serious. ‘No, Gina.’
‘Just humour me.’
‘You think I could be involved? Seriously? I thought you knew me. I thought we knew each other. Have a real good think about what you’re insinuating.’
She’d been thinking about it all night. No one else knew about what Terry had done to her. No one knew that he’d locked her away in their shed for the weekend. Had she mentioned that incident to Briggs in the past and not remembered? Maybe in the throes of a nightmare she’d cried out, revealing more of her past. They’d talked about so much, her mind was blurry with what he did and didn’t know. ‘I don’t know what to think.’ She daren’t tell him that she felt as though she was losing her mind.
He reached into his pocket and dropped a ten-pound note on the table before standing and leaving. She knew she’d blown it. He didn’t even look back as he stormed out of the door and headed down the path. That hurt. He’d never turned his back on her so coldly.
The crowd had thinned a little and Lucy came over to collect his cup. ‘Is he okay?’
Gina picked up the note and passed it to Lucy along with a bit of change from her pocket. ‘Yes, he isn’t feeling too well. I’m sure it’s nothing.’
Lucy snorted a little as she laughed. ‘I hope it wasn’t the coffee. Don’t want to upset any of my best customers.’
‘The coffee was lovely as usual. He just has a lot on his mind.’ That was true.
As Lucy turned to take the cup away, Gina recognised the woman entering. The thickset boots with clanking chains around the bottoms belonged to their local goth-styled vicar, Sally Stevens. The woman waved across to Gina and headed to the counter.
Gina grabbed the coffee receipt and popped it in her pocket, along with the little wrapped biscotti that sat next to her coffee. There was no way she could force the biscotti down now.
As she headed to the door she turned. Were Lucy and Sally talking about her? If they hadn’t been, why were they still looking in her direction? As she pushed the door open, Cyril nodded and led the way through with his walking stick and June closely followed him. He too stopped for a look. What was wrong with everyone? She glanced at her reflection in the door as he passed her with a warm hello. She didn’t have anything on her face. Her hair was its usual organised chaos and nothing seemed out of the