Page 33 of Stone Shadow

Probably because they were packed into the overnight bag, Tacey thought but didn't say. "You can't wear those today. It's winter. You need socks and sneakers."

Grumbling, Rory started to pull on her socks.

Tacey wondered how Matt would cope with one of Rory's tantrums. They could be absolutely spectacular, leaving Tacey bone weary, but she knew showing weakness would definitely mean she'd lose, so she had to fight them to the end. Matt...well, he could find that out for himself. If he wanted to be a responsible parent, he wouldn't be getting any help from her.

"Are you ready?" Tacey asked.

Rory started to nod, before her mouth dropped open. "I almost forgot my toy bat! I need to show Uncle Ben!" She raced back to her room.

Tacey sighed. It was going to be a long morning.

THIRTY-NINE

Without Ben or Wystan there, Rory insisted on sitting at Ben's table in the café, beside his growing gallery of art. He'd added comics to the sketches now – all featuring a gargoyle with a cup of coffee in his hand. Were these what he'd been talking about yesterday? Must be, Tacey decided.

She set Rory up with a couple of muffins and a babycino with a stencil of baby Yoda on top in cocoa powder, and began baking up a storm. Saturday mornings were always busy, and she was on her own this morning. Better that no one else had to deal with Matt.

The last batch of cookies came out of the oven just before opening time, so Tacey flipped open the sign and took her place behind the counter.

Coffee after coffee, and muffin after muffin crossed the counter, until the cabinet was almost empty. Tacey dashed into the kitchen for another tray and checked the time. Almost noon! So much for Matt turning up on Saturday morning. He'd never been punctual before, so at least that hadn't changed.

For a moment, she dared to hope he wasn't coming, but she drove that thought away a moment after she'd had it. No, if Matt said he'd be here, he'd be here, even if he was late. He always kept his promises, especially the dark ones.

Noon came and went, so Tacey made a sandwich for Rory, setting a salad alongside it that was more cherry tomatoes than lettuce. As long as she ate some veggies, she was doing okay, wasn't she?

When the lunch rush was over, Tacey took a moment to grab a sandwich for herself. She'd put extra brie in one of the turkey ones, and hidden it in the fridge with the milk. No wonder these sold so well. It was delicious. She should make these a permanent menu item.

Of course, the moment her mouth was full, customers walked in. No, two police officers.

"Do you have any news about the lab tests? Or did he confess to the firebomb?" she asked eagerly.

The two officers looked at each other in confusion before one of them shook her head.

Only then did Tacey realise that neither of them were the same officers who'd come after the fire.

"Are you Tacita Bell?" the female officer asked.

Tacey nodded. "Call me Tacey," she said.

"Do you know a man named Matthew Masters?" the officer asked.

Again, Tacey nodded. "He's my daughter's father. He said...he said he'd be here this morning to pick her up. He's demanding full custody of her, but she barely knows him. Until a court orders otherwise, the best he's going to get is access visits."

"Your daughter is Aurora Bell?"

Tacey pointed at Ben's table. "That's her over there." She winced as Rory bit into a tomato and juice squirted across her cheek.

"When did you last see Mr Masters?"

Well, she hadn't actually seen him throw the Molotov cocktail or the bag of cockroaches. "Maybe two weeks ago, here in the café."

"Did he seem down to you at all?"

Tacey laughed. "He seemed bullying and threatening. He told me he was going to take our daughter from me and that if I knew what was good for me, I'd come along, too. Like I'm stupid enough to go back to a man who tried to kill me."

"Do you know where he is now?"

Tacey only laughed harder. "He's supposed to be here, so, nope, I have no idea where he could be that's more important than the daughter he hasn't cared about until now, when he suddenly wants her. Maybe he came to his senses and decided to sell his parents' fancy house and go live off the proceeds on a beach in Bali?" If the borders were open, which of course they weren't.