Snakes Among Sweet Flowers Read Online Free

meals, it’s cheaper. You get the two biscuits, two small hash rounds, and two small coffees. Two smalls in both the coffee and the rounds combine to more than one large in either, and it’s less expensive.”
    Cam frowned through this long speech, then canted his head in curiosity. “Why are you telling me this? Aren’t you supposed to be making money for the business?”
    “Well, yes, sir, but I’m just offering what’s on the menu. It’s only neighborly to make sure you get the best deal.”
    For some reason, Cam didn’t like the guy. Why would someone want him to spend less money in their business? It just seemed suspect. “All right, give me two of the meals, then,” Cam conceded after a moment, digging in his pocket for his money. “And no scrimping on the cream and sugar for the coffee.” He smacked a twenty on the counter and took his change and his food once it was ready.
    Cam left the restaurant with a grumble at the unexpected customer service. Sean called out a sincere “Have a great day!” as the door was swinging closed behind him. What was wrong with these people? Not that it wasn’t great to have an entire town full of suckers who thought being neighbors meant they should be neighborly. But did they have to be so nice about it?
    When Cam parked his pickup in front of the pumps at his station, he was surprised to find a local police cruiser waiting by the closed garage door. A tall blond cop leaned leisurely against the front bumper, staring directly at him as he took his time getting out. The frown on the policeman’s face was at odds with his stance, and although Cam didn’t think he had much to worry about, he couldn’t help the hammering in his heart, the constricting of his chest.
    He’d dealt with cops and guards enough to know there wasn’t a one of them that wasn’t a sadistic asshole. They thrived on making people like Cam suffer. Cam had yet to deal with the local law and had hoped his lucky streak would continue. He had to admit the officer knew how to wear a uniform, though, with broad shoulders and slim waist accentuated nicely. Too bad he couldn’t sit in the truck all day and ogle the man instead of having to deal with whatever he wanted. With a sigh, Cam gathered his wits and opened the truck’s door, stepping out, then turning back to grab his breakfast. Well, shit. Wasn’t this morning starting off with a bang.
    Instead of walking toward the officer, he aimed for the front door of the gas station. He’d turned the area attached to the garage into a waiting area with mismatched office chairs and an old coffee table from the Goodwill. Cam had to jiggle the key in the lock a few times before the cylinder turned, and as he opened the door, he heard footsteps approaching.
    “What can I do you for this morning, Officer?” Cam asked as casually as possible. “Your cruiser giving you trouble?”
    Cam sat his breakfast on the counter that ran along the back wall, then stepped over to the window-unit AC and pushed the button to get it going. It wasn’t that hot yet, but it wouldn’t take long to get there. When he still hadn’t gotten an answer from the cop, he turned to find him doing a thorough visual inspection of the area, then stepping over to the glass door leading to the garage and doing the same, canting his head to get as much of a view as possible without entering. Cam frowned.
    “Is there a problem, Officer?” Now he had a reason for concern. What was the cop looking for? Cam had a sudden itch to run for it, although he had no idea what he was running from.
    The officer turned, and Cam squinted to read the name Jackson Rhodes above the pocket of his uniform. When Officer Rhodes’s hand came to rest on the butt of his gun, it was all Cam could do not to flinch. “Who is the second coffee for, Mr. Sanders?”
    Cam glanced over to his breakfast and back to Rhodes, his nervousness kicking up a notch. “I… uh….”
    “Is anyone else here, Mr. Sanders?”