Page 3 of A Secret Message
Hot peppermint mocha with marshmallows on top.
It was Rule's favorite drink when he was a kid, mostly because it had made him feel special, seeing how his stepmom would create a special noncaffeinated version of it from scratch.
She would ask him about his day while topping his drink with several of those sweet, chewy white bits of fluff, and as he took a sip, she would then tell him about the things she had done while pottering around the house.
Those days were bittersweet memories, since rememberinghisfavorite drink also meant rememberinghers.His stepmom favored the type that was best served on the rocks, and she loved it so much that it eventually became the cause of her death.
Today was the first time he had thought of his favorite childhood drink since her passing, and Rule didn't even have to close his eyes to imagine its sweet but refreshing scent teasing his nostrils or the way its thick, creamy texture coated his tongue.
Rule took his phone out even though he knew it was a shot in the dark to find a cafe that could offer exactly what he was looking for. But as luck - or something else - would have it...
Books, Blends, and Blessings.
The cliffside cafe was recommended for its cozy ambiance, friendly staff, and specialty seasonal drinks like hot peppermint mocha...with marshmallows on top.
Three
IT WAS HER SMILE HEsaw first.
His entire world came to a standstill at the sight of it, and his steps slowed to a halt.
He had never been the type to believe in destiny. But something about the woman's smile drew him in. Inexplicably.Instantly.
Rule wished he was close enough to see the color of her eyes. But even from the distance he stood, it was easy to tell how her eyes sparkled with life.
He watched her chat with a middle-aged couple as she rang up the register, and a strange sensation gripped his chest when he saw her expression turn mischievous. Something she said afterward had the couple laughing, and they were still smiling upon leaving the counter with their takeaway bag and coffee in tow.
Her smiles rendered him motionless, his attention taken captive. By watching her work behind the counter, he finally understood what it meant for joy to be infectious.
The more he saw, the more he wanted to talk to her. The more he saw her smile, the more he wanted to know how it felt if she was smiling at him. The more he watched her, the more he wanted to get to know her.
Riiiiiiing.
But he could not.
Rule could already feel his mood changing as he slowly took his phone out. He canceled the call, only to have a barrage of texts flood his inbox.
Where are you?
Why won't you answer my call?
I need to talk to you.
The messages were like reality slapping him in the face, and Rule switched his phone off and shoved it back in his pocket as he turned away. Life was complicated as it was, and starting fresh didn't mean one could completely escape their past.
Four
VIXEN OPENED HER NOTEBOOKafter her third cup of coffee. A minimum of 240mg of caffeine needed to enter her system for her brain cells to work on a regular day, and about 25% more than that when challenged with unusual circumstances like, say...acceptingThe Case of the Dead Woman's Letter.
A wry smile played over Vixen's lips at the way her mind had already conjured a case title for Claire's predicament, and it was the exact motivation she needed to pick up her pen and begin to write.
CLUES | QUESTIONS
Vixen had taken everyChoose Your Own Adventurebook she read quite seriously back when she was a kid, and after each chapter, she would then come up with a list of clues and questions meant to help her solve the mystery.
Back then, there had been no better feeling than being able to gradually piece everything together, and when she eventually graduated toNancy Drewnovels, her two-column lists were consequently renamed CLUES | SUSPECTS.
Hmm.