Café Chocolaté

Chapter XX – Adrian Terrence

When Eddie left the cousins, nearly falling off the edge of his seat in his eagerness to escape, Adrian watched him with a shake of his head. “There’s something about him…”

“He’s scared and he’s hiding something.”

Adrian looked back at his cousin. “I caught onto the scared part.”

“What neither of us know is why he’s scared or what he’s hiding. Or if it should matter to us at all.”

“Doesn’t it have to matter to us, until we know that it doesn’t?”

Xavier would have shrugged, but for the sleeping child. “Pretty much.”

Adrian flipped open his notes again, adding a few lines under Eddie’s name. He read and reread his notes for the two interviews. Nothing stood out particularly. “Did you see anything significant near the body?”

“No. Though, I wouldn’t mind a look at his tablet, if only we could move it.” Xavier sighed, shifting Monique just a little. The child didn’t react at all. “It’s possible that I missed something. You’re the observant one. I have to work at it.”

Adrian scoffed. “Of course, you would say that.” He focused on the notebook again. “What if I go over there and take a look for a moment, before our next interview? I don’t think you should put Monique down, or I’d suggest we both go.”

“Agreed on that last.” Xavier watched the rest of the café, who seemed engrossed with their book. “It’s probably a good idea, just… Be careful, Adrian.” His dark eyes grew serious. “While I don’t think it makes sense for there to be another attempt at murder, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be. I think we need to be careful not to rile anyone up or let them think we’re after them.”

Adrian nodded. “I’ll be careful, don’t worry. God will take care of us, like He always does. Remember that.”

“I remember it.” Still, Xavier’s expression did not soften, as Adrian stood to make his way across the café.

He took his notebook along, just in case he had need of it, pushing the book into his pocket with the pen.

The dead man rested as they had left him, though the coat had slipped down a little bit, showing the man’s graying hair. Probably slipped during the second explosion. He tugged on the collar, covering his face and upper body of the corpse. Adrian felt his heart sink.

Murder is so senseless and cruel. I don’t understand it, Lord, I really don’t. I hope that I never will.

The table in front of the victim showed the remains of his last meal. A plate with a half-eaten and wilting sandwich, and most of a cup of black coffee, the cup still resting in the dead man’s cold hand. A tablet lay near his other hand.

He didn’t have time to react. He didn’t expect the blow.

Adrian used his sleeve to try turning on the tablet, but a password screen greeted him, effectively blocking him out. He gave up the idea.

It would probably be tampering with a crime scene to try anything else. If pressing the button didn’t already violate that restriction.

He turned his attention to the corpse again, little as he wanted to do so. From what he could see without removing the coat, the man wore a decent gray sweater and tan slacks. His shoes looked scuffed, but not out of the ordinary way. He wore a watch with a dark wristband on his left wrist. Adrian sighed again before wondering just how many times he had done so that morning.

Why would anyone commit a murder in such a public manner? Obviously, they got away with it for the moment, but why do it? And how did no one see them? And, obviously, why Gary Bradshaw? What had he done?

He glanced toward the frosted windows, then around the café. From the corner seat, Gary Bradshaw had a view of the entire café, including a side view of the small preparation area and ordering counter. Still, despite this view, he also had the most secluded seat in the room.

The employees would have the easiest access to him without being obvious. So… He looked back at the party reading around the tables. Ginger and Eddie are the only employees here.

He turned back to the corpse, but saw nothing else of consequence. He inspected the floor, the seat, and even the lap of the dead man. Nothing. With a final sweep of the scene, Adrian rejoined his cousin.

“Did you discover anything?” Xavier didn’t look any less worried.

“No. Not anything of importance, so far as I can tell.” He sighed yet again. “It does seem like there ought to have been something more though.”

“There isn’t always an obvious clue. That’s only in books and on television.”

“Well, I am an author!”

“It doesn’t follow that your life will play out like a story though.”

Adrian laughed. “Maybe not.” He wrote a few notes in his book about the table and the dead man, then set both book and pencil aside. “I think we should talk to Ginger Thomas next.”

Xavier nodded. “Sure. Any particular reason?”

“I’m not sure how both she and Eddie could have missed seeing anything regarding that murder. They were in full view of Gary Bradshaw’s booth until after the explosion.”

“Eddie clearly said he was busy and saw nothing.”

“In a room full of eleven people, someone ought to have seen something, and those two are the most likely from what I can tell.”

“Did you see anything relating to the murder of Gary Bradshaw, Adrian?”

“Not that I know of.”

“It’s possible that there is no one here less honest than you with the same dearth of knowledge.”

“Except the murderer.” Adrian picked up his pencil again. “I had my back to the man, as well.”

“Both are true.”

The cousins sat in silence for several seconds. Adrian started to sigh again, but caught himself. “I detest this entire thing.” He had hesitated to say the words aloud, but once he began, he didn’t stop. “There is a reason that even my father would never have suggested I try for anything in the criminal detection and investigative realm.”

“I know.” Xavier paused a moment. “But…” He smiled faintly, then began again. “As you have reminded me on more than one occasion, this is the task that the Lord has put in front of you for the moment, whether you detest it or not, so He will give you the ability to face it. That applies to you as well as it applies to me.”

Adrian tapped his pencil on his other hand. “This is true. Even if we’re not any good at the task either. We can face it.”

“Even if.” Xavier tried to shrug, but didn’t pull it off. “Except, I’m already a lawyer and have some experience. And you, well, as the resident genius, you’re good at everything and bound to figure things out.”

Adrian shook his head. “Genius does not equal high levels of brilliance in every area of life, Cousin. We’re covered this before.”

“It does with you.”

“Hardly.” Adrian couldn’t help relaxing a little at the sound of laughter in Xavier’s voice.

His cousin waited a moment, then tilted his head toward the rest of the group. “You said that you want to interview Ginger Thomas next?”

“Want to? Not really. I rather doubt she wants to be interviewed at all.” Adrian set up a fresh page in his notebook. “However, I think that we ought to.”

“Let’s ask Miss Thomas to join us then.”

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