Kee Patterbee - Hannah Starvling 01 - The Chef at the Water's Edge by Kee Patterbee Page A
Authors: Kee Patterbee
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items.
Everything in its proper place
, she noted.
Detailed. As if the family was soon to arrive for dinner
.
Opening a drawer with silverware placed in a holder, something struck her as odd. She stared at it a moment but could not make out what it was that bothered her. She pulled out her cell phone and took a picture. She then shut the drawer and walked over to Cate, who was talking into her cell phone as though she were recording notes. As Hannah approached, she could hear that her friend was, in fact, making a list of things to do when she returned back home. “Redo kitchen,” Cate said, adding, “And get organized.” Looking up at Hannah, she motioned toward the set. “Find anything?”
“Take a look at this.” Hannah handed her the phone. “What do you see?”
Cate studied the photos for a moment but shook her head. “What am I looking for?”
“Depth.”
Cate frowned hard as she studied the photos harder. “The drawer’s deeper than the flatware organizer.”
“Uh-huh. I need a moment to get at it. Watch the cameras. Text me with your cell when they turn my way.”
“Got it.”
As Hannah continued with the illusion of taking notes and walking about the set, Hannah pretended to take photos. Once the cameras turned away, Cate sent Hannah a repeat text. The sound indicating it had come let Hannah know she had a few seconds to work. She opened the drawer, removed the flatware organizer, and set it on the floor behind the kitchen island. A second buzz from Cate let her know the camera was turning back her way. She re-positioned herself to appear as if she were examining the sink. Another text, another moment to move. Hannah saw a small, nail sized groove to the rear of the drawer bottom, pried it up, and lifted it out. Another text and another deceptive move later, Hannah glanced over the inside contents. After a few more repeat actions, she had returned everything to its proper order and once again walked over to Cate. “Time to go,” Hannah said, and the two exited the studio into the hall.
“What did you get?” Cate inquired.
“A small safe. It’s mounted to the base and has a particular lock type.”
Cate frowned. “That presents a problem. No time to pick it. No way to smuggle it out. No idea where to start looking for the key. What now?”
“Not sure yet. Let’s get the boys and make our way out. I’ve got some things to think about.”
Cate agreed. The women made their way to the studio. Then they located Louie and Buster.
“Y’all ready to hit the road?” Hannah asked through a false smile.
“I’ve been ready…” Louie countered. He pointed in the direction from which they came. “This way, I think.”
As they walked toward the front, Cate took Louie’s arm in hers. She then put her head on his shoulder. “I know this hasn’t been an easy day for you,” she said in a quiet tone. Buster then clapped a hand on Louie’s other shoulder. “Yeah, man. We sort of ran over your feelings today. Forgive me?”
Louie smiled through a hint of sadness. He pulled his arm free of Cate and then draped them across the shoulders of his friends. “It’s all good,” he assured them.
As the group opened the door to enter the front area before they exited, Vera appeared before them, her head tipped down, her brow drawn in and her lips pursed. Through her oversized, black-framed glasses, she stared. “Why are you here?”
Chapter 6
The group turned to look at Vera. Hannah was already evaluating her body language.
Composed, but not as antagonistic as before. Observing. Contemplating. Assessing
, Hanna clicked off in her head before filing it in her mental storage.
Cate was the first to recover. She made an immediate attempt to deflect suspicion. “What do you mean?”
Vera stared ahead, unflinching. Her eyes darted between each member of the group before coming full circle back to Cate. “I’ve been watching you. This place has cameras, which you are no doubt aware of.”
Everything in its proper place
, she noted.
Detailed. As if the family was soon to arrive for dinner
.
Opening a drawer with silverware placed in a holder, something struck her as odd. She stared at it a moment but could not make out what it was that bothered her. She pulled out her cell phone and took a picture. She then shut the drawer and walked over to Cate, who was talking into her cell phone as though she were recording notes. As Hannah approached, she could hear that her friend was, in fact, making a list of things to do when she returned back home. “Redo kitchen,” Cate said, adding, “And get organized.” Looking up at Hannah, she motioned toward the set. “Find anything?”
“Take a look at this.” Hannah handed her the phone. “What do you see?”
Cate studied the photos for a moment but shook her head. “What am I looking for?”
“Depth.”
Cate frowned hard as she studied the photos harder. “The drawer’s deeper than the flatware organizer.”
“Uh-huh. I need a moment to get at it. Watch the cameras. Text me with your cell when they turn my way.”
“Got it.”
As Hannah continued with the illusion of taking notes and walking about the set, Hannah pretended to take photos. Once the cameras turned away, Cate sent Hannah a repeat text. The sound indicating it had come let Hannah know she had a few seconds to work. She opened the drawer, removed the flatware organizer, and set it on the floor behind the kitchen island. A second buzz from Cate let her know the camera was turning back her way. She re-positioned herself to appear as if she were examining the sink. Another text, another moment to move. Hannah saw a small, nail sized groove to the rear of the drawer bottom, pried it up, and lifted it out. Another text and another deceptive move later, Hannah glanced over the inside contents. After a few more repeat actions, she had returned everything to its proper order and once again walked over to Cate. “Time to go,” Hannah said, and the two exited the studio into the hall.
“What did you get?” Cate inquired.
“A small safe. It’s mounted to the base and has a particular lock type.”
Cate frowned. “That presents a problem. No time to pick it. No way to smuggle it out. No idea where to start looking for the key. What now?”
“Not sure yet. Let’s get the boys and make our way out. I’ve got some things to think about.”
Cate agreed. The women made their way to the studio. Then they located Louie and Buster.
“Y’all ready to hit the road?” Hannah asked through a false smile.
“I’ve been ready…” Louie countered. He pointed in the direction from which they came. “This way, I think.”
As they walked toward the front, Cate took Louie’s arm in hers. She then put her head on his shoulder. “I know this hasn’t been an easy day for you,” she said in a quiet tone. Buster then clapped a hand on Louie’s other shoulder. “Yeah, man. We sort of ran over your feelings today. Forgive me?”
Louie smiled through a hint of sadness. He pulled his arm free of Cate and then draped them across the shoulders of his friends. “It’s all good,” he assured them.
As the group opened the door to enter the front area before they exited, Vera appeared before them, her head tipped down, her brow drawn in and her lips pursed. Through her oversized, black-framed glasses, she stared. “Why are you here?”
Chapter 6
The group turned to look at Vera. Hannah was already evaluating her body language.
Composed, but not as antagonistic as before. Observing. Contemplating. Assessing
, Hanna clicked off in her head before filing it in her mental storage.
Cate was the first to recover. She made an immediate attempt to deflect suspicion. “What do you mean?”
Vera stared ahead, unflinching. Her eyes darted between each member of the group before coming full circle back to Cate. “I’ve been watching you. This place has cameras, which you are no doubt aware of.”
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