“What can I get you?”
He didn’t reply right away as he continued to examine the café area.
There was something about him. Something that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
“A cafe au lait.”
“Sure thing. For here, or to go?”
“To go.”
A breath of relief escaped my lips and I nodded. I turned to the espresso machine.
“Nice place you got here.” His voice was smooth, unctuous and without a trace of a Texan accent. The man was definitely not a local.
“Thanks,” I said.
I pulled a jug of milk out of the fridge below the espresso maker.
“Business seems slow,” he commented.
I gritted my teeth.
Asshole.
“It’s the lull.”
“Ah, right. The lull.”
“Here you go,” I said, putting a plastic lid on the cup of coffee and sliding it in front of him.
“Thank you.” He reached into his trouser pants and removed an alligator-skin wallet. He opened it and pulled out a crisp bill. “Keep the change.”
He took his coffee and headed for the exit. The bell chimed as the door shut behind him. Instead of continuing on his way, he paused outside the large window in front of the store near a light pole with a trash can next to it. He brought the coffee to his lips and took a sip. Closing his eyes, he appeared to savor it for a moment and then promptly threw the coffee in the garbage. Finally, he crossed the street and disappeared out of sight.
I looked at the bill he’d given me.
Fifty dollars.
“Was that a customer?” Jazz asked from behind me.
I nearly jumped, forgetting she’d taken her break and that I wasn’t alone. “Ah, yeah.”
She glanced at the money in my hand. “Whoa. What did he buy?”
“Just a coffee.”
“Just a coffee?” Jazz frowned. “No pastries?”
“No pastries.”
“No pie?”
“No pie.”
“And he left a fifty?”
“Yeah.” I handed it to her. “You take it.”