Ginny Gold - Early Bird Café 02 - Deadly Surprise by Ginny Gold Page A

was going to say anything else but heard the phone click off instead. She smiled.
    But she didn’t have time to revel in her next date because her phone started buzzing again. This time she looked at the caller—Jay.
    She picked up and he was already talking. “Come back. He’s on his way. He’ll be here any minute.”
    “Okay. On my way.” Kori hung up and turned to bring Ibis back to the car. As they walked into the parking lot a car tore past them and parked in a hurry. She wondered if that was Brett, so instead of making him wait she decided to bring Ibis with her.
    As soon as Kori opened the front door, Jay got up to meet her and Meri rushed out from behind the desk. In an overly friendly voice Meri said, “I’m sorry, ma’am, but you can’t bring your dog in here.”
    “Oh, sorry. She’s actually a retired therapy dog so she won’t bother anyone,” Kori protested. She really didn’t want to miss talking to Brett.
    “Even so, it’s our policy that dogs aren’t allowed inside unless they’re assistance animals.”
    Kori turned and looked behind her. The driver of the in-a-hurry car was now speed walking toward the front door. It was a man and she could only assume it was Brett.
    “I promise she won’t bother anyone,” Kori insisted again, not having a clue if that was true or not. She’d barely had her for a full day. “I’ll just stay in the lobby.”
    Meri looked past Kori at the man approaching. “Mr. Carr, thank you for coming in. This is Kori—I’m not sure I got your last name?”
    “Cooke. Kori Cooke.”
    “This is Kori Cooke and Jay,” Meri paused, letting Jay share his last name.
    “Cooke,” he said .
    “Kori, Jay. Call me Brett,” Brett said, not quite unfriendly but also not very inviting. He walked past them inside and Kori followed him before Meri could stop her.
    Brett turned left when he reached the front desk and then let himself into a small meeting room. The police had mostly congregated at the other end of the hall and had finally taped off everything to the right of the front desk.
    Brett , Kori and Jay all took seats around a small table and Ibis lay quietly at Kori’s feet. She was glad Meri didn’t come looking for them, and that Ibis didn’t make a sound to bring attention to her presence.
    “I understand you had some questions about the yoga retreat I led this weekend,” Brett said, getting straight to the point. Kori was thankful for that. There really was no point in small talk.
    “Yes. Our mother was a participant and she’s having some back and neck pain now. We wondered if there was anything in particular that could have caused that and what she can do now to get rid of it,” Kori said, feeling funny that she was lying so confidently.
    “Did she come with you so I could talk to her about it directly?” he asked, unsmiling.
    Kori and Jay both shook their heads.
    “Well, there’s really little information that I can give you then. I’d recommend seeing a chiropractor if it doesn’t get better in a few days. But I was only there in the afternoons. So any of the morning sessions I wasn’t a part of and am unfamiliar with.”
    Kori was surprised her mother hadn’t told her that detail. Gale had said Brett was there all day ever y day, hadn’t she? The timing of Heidi’s murder lined up with Brett’s absences from classes. What was Gale hiding by pinning the murder on him but omitting that scheduling detail?
    “Well, thank you for your time then.” Kori wasn’t quite sure how to ask him about Heidi’s death without giving away too much information. She figured this one piece of information was worth it and let any other interrogation go. She stood and offered her hand, which he shook. Jay did the same.
    “Sorry to be so unhelpful. I hope that your mother is feeling better soon.”
    With that, Brett made a speedy exit and Kori tailed him back to the parking lot. She noticed Meri give her a dirty look as she led Ibis back outside but she