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The clouds had successfully choked off the sun’s pathetic atterey and ugly A battered pickup chugged desultorily down the street, while a cherry red Ca it blasted a heavy bass beat froer shack down the street whipped pasting with it the sour sainst the wind as theyme when they stopped to admire the display in theof an antique shop I didn’t think this was the sort of weather anyone would want to go -shopping in

Squaring my shoulders in my kickass new coat, I crossed the street and ducked into the café I pulled the door shut behind me and inhaled with pleasure as the scent wrapped loves off, I approached the counter

The barista s, Kara A pound of sugar, a gallon of creaht?"

"You’re a very srin as I handed over ular so far," he said, then frowned "That could be taken the wrong way"

Laughing, I took the change and dropped it into the tip jar "If you ever start serving chocolate donuts," I said, "I’d probably never leave"

"Then for the safety of our fine co any"

"For the safety of my waistline as well!"

"Y’know, I actually had donuts here e first opened," he said, picking up a towel and wiping down the counter as he spoke "Had to stop carrying them because they didn’t sell"

I nodded "The stereotype"

"Exactly," he said, eyes flashing in amuse donuts in public"

"It’swink I turned around and barely caughtmy precious coffee all over the front of Officer Gordon’s jacket andsforof," I said as I tugged off the scarf and handed it back to hiive this back to you now"

"Well, I knew that if you did freeze I’d be the one stuck writing the report about finding your body"

"I’ate my own death?"

His mouth curved in amusement "It’s a bureaucracy Of course you would" He looked to the patiently waiting David "Sorry Hot chocolate, please Whole ood I briefly regretted my addiction to coffee But only briefly

He returned his attention to me as David went off to make his drink "New purchase? Surely you didn’t have tiure out what he was talking about "Oh, the coat!" I grinned "Yep, just bought it I couldn’t resist"

"It’s badass," he said with an approving nod

I preened a bit, about to respond when a screech of tires on pavement pulled our attention An instant later we heard the distinct crash of a car ood," I murmured as we both quickly moved to the broad s at the front The street and the detective’s parking lot were in full view My vehicle was the only one in the lot Or rather, it had been Now there was a dark blue Toyota Camry with its front end embedded in my car’s driver’s side