the floor. Teas and expensive coffees ground into the mess.
“You don’t think this is some sort of prank to bring attention, do you?” Nic asked when Greg joined him. Even as he said the words, he knew no prankster had anything to do with this.
Greg shook his head. “Nobody in town would do something like this to Cass. Minerva wouldn’t stand for it—and you do not cross Minerva.”
“Why? Would she put a hex on you?”
“If you’re lucky. And don’t dismiss Minerva so easily. She’s got a black belt in karate, and teaches a self-defense class at the community center. She knows everyone. If that woman ever wanted to run for public office, the other candidates wouldn’t even bother to show up. Heck, they’d probably vote for her too. Minerva is a force to be reckoned with.”
“So why risk her wrath by doing this?” Nic studied the destruction. To him, this went beyond pure vandalism. This looked more like a search. And rage. But Greg’s comments explained the boyfriend’s interest in Cass. Connections. He’d bet his gun the guy didn’t care for Cass beyond what the aunt could bring him.
Greg moved through the store, skirting the worst of the mess, careful not to touch anything. “I don’t know. There are some religious fanatics who don’t approve of the store, but even they respect Minerva. They’d never do something like this.”
“This doesn’t look like a simple robbery or even vandalism.”
“I agree. I’m going to check upstairs.” Greg stepped over the destroyed display to the front door.
“You want me to come with you?” Nic asked.
“Nah. I’ve got a feeling whoever did this is long gone.”
Nic nodded his agreement. “If you have a camera handy, I’ll get pictures of everything.”
Greg pointed to his car and tossed Nic the keys. “There’s one in the trunk. I’ll check upstairs and be right back.”
Nic went out to the car and got a camera, gloves, and several plastic bags he stashed in his pocket. He spent several minutes shooting pictures of the scene. He checked the cash register, found it undamaged and untouched.
“That’s odd. Why go to all this trouble and not take the cash?”
His mind wandered to the woman sitting outside. She’d been wearing a dark patterned skirt and black top that enhanced her coloring and shape—not that either needed enhancing. Before her cup broke—and he wondered about that—he’d have sworn her eyes had been full of rage, but when he left with Greg, he saw only calm resignation in her face. He forced his thoughts away from her and back to the store.
He glanced at the floor and noticed a necklace identical to the one Cass wore and similar to the burn mark on the floor. The chain had been broken—actually, more than broken. Shattered would be a better description. Like someone in a rage had pulled at it—multiple times. And the pendant had been bent out of shape. Crushed under a heel? There had to be some sort of symbolic significance. He snapped a picture of it so he could examine the design later.
Nic studied the remains of the store. He hadn’t had much of a chance the previous night, plus they’d turned off the lights just after he’d arrived, so he hadn’t even seen the layout let alone the goods.
Here in the front section, the debris looked to be mostly books, decks of cards, and other paper items along with the bins of teas, coffees, and other tea shop paraphernalia. The middle had candles, open bins of crystals, and what he would call costume jewelry and the rear section contained herbs and bottles of essential oils. A long case with a smashed top contained a variety of knives and expensive-looking jewelry. The pendant appeared to belong in that area, not here by the front door. He used his pen to pick up the remains of the piece and deposit it in one of the plastic bags.
“You find something?” Greg asked as he reentered the shop.
“Maybe.” Nic held the bag up for him to see. “Recognize this?”
Greg
“You don’t think this is some sort of prank to bring attention, do you?” Nic asked when Greg joined him. Even as he said the words, he knew no prankster had anything to do with this.
Greg shook his head. “Nobody in town would do something like this to Cass. Minerva wouldn’t stand for it—and you do not cross Minerva.”
“Why? Would she put a hex on you?”
“If you’re lucky. And don’t dismiss Minerva so easily. She’s got a black belt in karate, and teaches a self-defense class at the community center. She knows everyone. If that woman ever wanted to run for public office, the other candidates wouldn’t even bother to show up. Heck, they’d probably vote for her too. Minerva is a force to be reckoned with.”
“So why risk her wrath by doing this?” Nic studied the destruction. To him, this went beyond pure vandalism. This looked more like a search. And rage. But Greg’s comments explained the boyfriend’s interest in Cass. Connections. He’d bet his gun the guy didn’t care for Cass beyond what the aunt could bring him.
Greg moved through the store, skirting the worst of the mess, careful not to touch anything. “I don’t know. There are some religious fanatics who don’t approve of the store, but even they respect Minerva. They’d never do something like this.”
“This doesn’t look like a simple robbery or even vandalism.”
“I agree. I’m going to check upstairs.” Greg stepped over the destroyed display to the front door.
“You want me to come with you?” Nic asked.
“Nah. I’ve got a feeling whoever did this is long gone.”
Nic nodded his agreement. “If you have a camera handy, I’ll get pictures of everything.”
Greg pointed to his car and tossed Nic the keys. “There’s one in the trunk. I’ll check upstairs and be right back.”
Nic went out to the car and got a camera, gloves, and several plastic bags he stashed in his pocket. He spent several minutes shooting pictures of the scene. He checked the cash register, found it undamaged and untouched.
“That’s odd. Why go to all this trouble and not take the cash?”
His mind wandered to the woman sitting outside. She’d been wearing a dark patterned skirt and black top that enhanced her coloring and shape—not that either needed enhancing. Before her cup broke—and he wondered about that—he’d have sworn her eyes had been full of rage, but when he left with Greg, he saw only calm resignation in her face. He forced his thoughts away from her and back to the store.
He glanced at the floor and noticed a necklace identical to the one Cass wore and similar to the burn mark on the floor. The chain had been broken—actually, more than broken. Shattered would be a better description. Like someone in a rage had pulled at it—multiple times. And the pendant had been bent out of shape. Crushed under a heel? There had to be some sort of symbolic significance. He snapped a picture of it so he could examine the design later.
Nic studied the remains of the store. He hadn’t had much of a chance the previous night, plus they’d turned off the lights just after he’d arrived, so he hadn’t even seen the layout let alone the goods.
Here in the front section, the debris looked to be mostly books, decks of cards, and other paper items along with the bins of teas, coffees, and other tea shop paraphernalia. The middle had candles, open bins of crystals, and what he would call costume jewelry and the rear section contained herbs and bottles of essential oils. A long case with a smashed top contained a variety of knives and expensive-looking jewelry. The pendant appeared to belong in that area, not here by the front door. He used his pen to pick up the remains of the piece and deposit it in one of the plastic bags.
“You find something?” Greg asked as he reentered the shop.
“Maybe.” Nic held the bag up for him to see. “Recognize this?”
Greg
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