Laina Turner - Presley Thurman 05 - Gems & Gunshots Read Online Free Page B

way that I knew further discussion was not going to happen. At least not right now.
    I was quiet the rest of the ride home just thinking, thinking about what Cooper meant about it being more and wondering how I could get him to tell me his theory. And him not wanting to disclose how he knew the victim just added to my curiosity. Good thing I loved a good puzzle.

Chapter 4
    N o coffee? Are you sick?” Cooper said, motioning to the water glass that was in my hand instead my normal large coffee cup. We were sitting at the breakfast bar in the kitchen, and he was drinking his usual black coffee.
    I was waiting for him to leave for work so I could head back to the Coffee Break and talk to Haley. So until that happened I was just sitting there keeping him company and drinking water with lemon, feeling quite proud of myself after having two glasses of water this morning. “No, just trying to cut down.”
    He leaned over and felt my forehead like he was checking for a fever, and I swatted his hand away.
    “Stop it, you goof. Really. I’ve been getting jittery lately and thought maybe it was a good idea to cut back on the caffeine. I’m going to head to the Coffee Break later to sit out in this beautiful sunshine and get some writing done. So, I’m saving my caffeine for there.”
    “Okay, but do me a favor and just focus on your writing,” he said with mock sternness. “Not on sticking your nose into other people’s business—specifically what happened yesterday at Gemstone’s Unlimited.”
    “No promises,” I said sweetly.
    “That’s what I’m afraid of.” Cooper looked at his watch and set his cup down. “I’ve got to run. Should be home about sixish. You want to go out or stay in for dinner?”
    “After last night’s event, how about we stay in and have a relaxing evening? I’ll find something to bring home.”
    “Sounds good,” he said, kissing me goodbye.
    When he left, I got up and gathered my laptop and things to take to the coffee shop. I hoped it wasn’t Haley’s day off. I had forgotten to ask her yesterday if she would be in today, but if nothing else, I could still sit out in the sunshine.
    I was in luck. I walked into the Coffee Break after the short drive over, and Haley was behind the counter.
    “Presley! Glad to see you again.”
    “Me, too. I was hoping you would be here today.”
    “I usually am. Want to try the special today? It’s one of my favorites: iced caramel macchiato and an almond biscotti for one low price.”
    “Sounds perfect.”
    As Haley was fixing my drink, she asked, “So did your boyfriend say anything to you about what we saw yesterday?”
    “Besides ordering me to keep my nose out of other peoples business? No not much.”
    “Are you?”
    “What?”
    “Going to keep your nose out of it?” she teased.
    “Probably not. I’m a curious gal. What can I say?”
    “Good, because I have some news you might be interested in then.”
    “Really? What?”
    She handed me my drink and biscotti. “Take this and sit down. I’ll come over in a few minutes. Let me take care of the person behind you.”
    The ten minutes it took for Haley to finish making the customer’s drink and walk over seemed to last forever. I kept hoping no one else would come in for a while so she wasn’t interrupted, which made me feel a little guilty, because I didn’t want the business to not have customers. I just hated waiting.
    She slid into the seat across from me. “So, last night I talked to Jill, you know, my cousin I told you about who works across the street?”
    “Yeah. Did she hear something?” I asked excitedly.
    “I guess the cops called everyone who works there in for questioning, even the people who weren’t there at the time of the robbery and murder. Jill said the owners were really going at it in the office and she overheard the owner’s wife, Ann or Annie, something like that…”
    “Amelia,” I Interrupted. Haley looked surprised that I knew this information but