Читать книгу Stonechild and Rouleau Mysteries 4-Book Bundle - Brenda Chapman - Страница 39

Saturday, February 25, 10:00 a.m.

Saturday morning the sun broke through at close to eight o’clock. Streaks of pink light gradually strengthened in brilliance until the winter sun climbed to its lookout over the Ottawa Valley. Temperatures had plummeted during the night and continued to fall during the early morning hours until they reached a frigid minus twenty-two degrees Celsius at ten a.m. when Kala made her way to the Elgin Street Diner for a late breakfast. She’d already spent an hour in the gym, showered, and done a load of laundry. Finding Rose had left her energized and eager to get started on improving their lives. This was what she’d dreamed of from the moment she’d watched Lily walk away from her for the last time that fall day on Birdtail reserve.

First she’d get some breakfast before shopping for food to bring to Rose’s apartment on York Street. She hoped to take Dawn later for new boots if Rose would let her, but knew she had to go carefully. Rose wouldn’t like being treated as a charity case. Rose. She was still Lily in Kala’s mind, but she could appreciate Lily’s need to carve out a new identity with a new name. Hell, she’d done much the same herself.

The restaurant was full and she had to wait ten minutes for a table. She followed the hostess to the back of the noisy room and sat at a table for two, facing the front windows. The waitress came right over with coffee and Kala ordered her usual breakfast fare — eggs over easy, homefries, sausage, and brown toast. Kala settled back in the chair and lifted the white mug to her lips. Her eyes scanned the room and doubled back. She squinted over her coffee cup, then her heart jumped like she’d had a hit of adrenaline.

Hunter Underwood was sitting directly across from her at a table with a blond-haired woman dressed in a tight red sweater and silver chains around her neck. They were leaning into each other, deep in conversation. Hunter’s eyes were fixed on the woman and he was listening intently to whatever it was she was waxing on about. He’d tied back his hair and wore a pressed blue shirt, so she must be important to him.

Kala squirmed inside, remembering how attracted she’d been to Hunter the few times they met. It would never have gone anywhere, but she was sorry how they’d left things. It was unsettling to think he was still angry with her.

The murders seemed far removed from her now. It was two months since Vermette had effectively taken her team off the investigation except for research support. She’d continued to think about the case, but she’d let it go after Rouleau had made it clear that she was not to pursue matters on her own. He’d kept her busy taking courses so that she couldn’t have even if she’d wanted to.

She continued to watch Hunter, but he didn’t look her way and she told herself it was just as well. When her breakfast arrived she lowered her head and began eating. She’d been too excited to eat much the night before and was famished. The food was greasy cholesterol ambrosia.