8 Sweet Payback Read Online Free Page A

needed.”
    “And how did that go?”
    “Jessie’s older and wiser than
when he went on trial. Prison toughened him but I think it also matured him. He
doesn’t say a lot, just seems glad to be out. Jessie’s father, Joe, sat there
in an old T-shirt, taking slow sips from a beer, staring at the TV set with
this scowl on his face. Helen, Jessie’s mother, now that’s where I got an
earful. She’s still very resentful of how the system treated her son.”
    “Aren’t all mothers like that?”
    “Well, sure. I expected it. I
guess all my talk about how I’m different from Padilla was more for her benefit
than Jessie’s anyway. It’s an awkward position for me. I can’t admit that the
department made mistakes, but I certainly can’t condone the work that was done
on the case or the tactics Orlando used to get that confession out of Jessie.
It’s touchy. I’ll just have to play it cool and hope that the Starkey family
will, too.”
    A cloud obscured the sun, driving
a chilly breeze down the alley; Sam hoped the spring weather wasn’t about to
take a turn. She wished Beau luck and told him that she would do her best to
close up shop precisely at six and be home twenty minutes or so after that.
      Back inside, the kitchen had quieted somewhat.
The steady stream of new pastries went to the sales room all morning and early
afternoon; by this time of day they simply needed to sell it all. Whatever
didn’t sell, Becky had offered to drop off at the battered women’s shelter on
her way home. Sam had held back a couple of boxes of cupcakes for that purpose
anyway, something to brighten the lives of the frightened women and children
who resided there.
    Now, the bakeware was mostly
washed. Julio was mixing dry ingredients for Monday’s standard breakfast items,
and the helper was drying pans and putting them away. Becky had taken the
initiative to see what orders were due on Monday and Tuesday, and she was
making sugar flowers for two birthday cakes. Sam gave herself a leisurely
moment to take it in and make sure they hadn’t overlooked some vital detail
before she headed toward the noisy sales room.
    Jen’s normally unflustered face
had a sheen of perspiration as she rushed back and forth to box up items the
customers pointed out. When Sam stepped up to help, she gave a grateful smile.
Together, they took care of those who’d made their decisions and rang up sales
for the last of the large basket cakes. Sam checked with two ladies who were
having cheesecake at one of the bistro tables to see if they needed refills on
their coffee. It was five minutes to six when the last person walked out the
door.
    They’d judged their quantities
pretty well. Only a couple dozen cookies remained in the case, five petit
fours, and one of their stock layer cakes decorated in pastel flowers. Jen
turned over the Closed sign and dimmed the lights while Becky came out to box
up the leftover goodies and head out with them. Sam didn’t even bother to count
the register receipts—she could tell it had been a profitable day—she just
jammed it all into a bank bag to take home with her.
    She drove home, pulled her van to
the side of the house, and walked in to find Beau pacing the living room floor
with his cell phone at his ear.
    “Do not tell them that,” he said in a very firm voice. “Just say that
we expect everyone to stay level-headed and that we will be keeping an eye on
things. They’d better behave or arrests will be made. Then get two patrol cars
up there to cruise the streets.”
    He clicked off the call and seemed
startled when he saw Sam.
    “Damn,” he said. “It’s always
something. Lee Rodarte showed up in Sembramos this evening.”

 
 
    Chapter
3

 
    “Is everything under control?” Sam
asked. Beau’s face seemed flushed and she could tell he was agitated.
    He blew out a breath. “Yeah. For
now. It’s just—” He paced the length of the room one more time. “Why did
Rodarte think it was a great idea