When I was about halfway there, I came across a dumpster with its lid open. Inside were more cans of spray paint than any one person had need of. It could have shelved Planks & Cranks's entire paint section. After shuffling the trash around, I also discovered acrylic paint and discarded canvases. Someone slipped up, in letting their trash hang out for the world to see, and I was about to call them on it. Well, call the police. No way was I going to change being at the end of a gun again.
When I biked around to the front of the building to see which business's dumpster it was, I was shocked!
I usually left my phone at home when I went for a ride, as I sacrificed too many to the pavement. But with not fully wanting to commit to leaving the cafe today, I had put it in my basket. I pulled it out and took photographs of the storefront and the dumpsters. Then called Barry, as he was a better option than William. Not only was he nicer to look at, but he also did not tattle on me when I investigated cases.
"Pick up, pick up," I said to my phone as it rang.
"Hello," Barry said in his deep calming voice.
My nerves settled, and I found my voice to say, "Meet me at the cafe! I know who the town tagger is!"
"On my way," Barry said. "Don't—"
"I know," I cut him off. "Don't confront them alone."
"Good to hear my little junior crime stopper is learning."
I gave him an obnoxious ha and hung up the phone so I could petal back to the cafe.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Saturday, April 18th
After what felt like an hour, but was really closer to ten minutes, Barry Bear pulled up in his county issued SUV. Just enough time for me to fill in Jess on what I had discovered. As soon as I pulled up to the cafe, she came out to chase me off again, but I gave her a tagging earful instead.
"Are you ready?" he asked as he stepped out of the SUV labeled Sheriff department.
"Heck yes I am," I said. "Follow me. Let's catch 'em."
"Calm down," Barry laughed. "You can follow me, as it's still a criminal investigation."
I gave him a side eye, but followed him down Main Street toward the town tagger. Their car was out front, so I knew they would be there.
"Do you know what you'll say?" I asked, edging in front of him. "How about this, you play good cop, and I'll play bad cop."
"How about you play concerned citizen, tag along, and leave the police work to me?"
"That won't be nearly as fun," I said sticking out my tongue, but as I was in front, he did not see it. It was weird to talk to those that couldn't read my visual transmissions.
Azure transmitted his tongue out to me. Oops. I giggled out loud, causing me to miss a step as I walked.
"Untrained pedestrian," Barry laughed again in his deep guttural tone.
"Maybe they'll run, that would be fun."
"Why would they?" Barry asked. "At worst, they'll spend a month in jail. Realistically, they'll probably pay a fine, and compensate all the businesses they've harmed."
We were immediately greeted as Barry opened the front door.
"Hailey?" Ben asked. "And Deputy West? What brings you here?"
"I think you know," I said stepping in front of Barry.
He put an arm on my shoulder, to warn me to stay out of it, or it would be the last time I could tag along. Even though I had been the one to solve the case. Granted, I stumbled across a trashcan full of empty spray paint cans, but still. It had been my persistence that led to me looking into Ben in the first place.
"I don't think I do," Ben said.
I handed Barry my phone with the photos of the spray paint, which currently sat behind Ben's office window.
"And what do you have to say about these?" Barry asked, showing the photo to Ben.
Ben crumpled onto the closest brown leather couch to him and put his head in his hands. Barry gestured for me to join him on the couch opposite Ben. Together we sat and waited for Ben to pull himself together. To find his words, to attempt to explain.
How could he have harmed our town so? Why would he turn against his friends and customers? What had I done to bring his anger onto me?
Ben cleared his throat and said, "It was me."
Nothing about him seemed apologetic. If anything, he seemed proud. Why?
"Why did you do it?" Barry asked, clearly shocked by Ben's confession.
"Isn't it obvious?" Ben asked. "It's all these dang tourists. They've ruined our town!"
"They—" I began, but Barry's look cut me off, and I forced myself to sit silently.
"What did they do to you?" Barry asked.
"They're a menace, they take up all the parking, are inconsiderate of others, and are ruining the natural beauty of our town," Ben said. "On the weekends you can't go to the water anymore and enjoy the ducks. Too many weekenders running the boats up and down the lake."
"And for that, you attacked your neighbors?" Barry asked.
"Well," Ben said, showing remorse for the first time. "I figured if they were put off by the paintings, they might, you know, leave and not come back."
"Why not move your office somewhere else, if they bother you so much?" I asked before I could stop myself.
Barry must have approved of my question, because he did not stop me.
"Honestly," Ben said. "I guess I never thought about it. I've been here for years. All my clients know where to find me six days a week."
"But if you run off all the tourists, there's no way your clients will stay in business," I pleaded.
"Why should I have to move?" Ben asked. "Why should I have to change? Everything use to be fine. I'm not saying all the tourists have to go away, but enough is enough."
"Doesn't work that way," Barry said. "The town has spent the better part of two decades building up its tourism industry. Everyone in this town relies on tourists."
It surprised me to see how well Barry understood the situation. Broad shoulders, quick mind. It was enough to make a girl swoon.
"Can't we cut down a bit?" Ben asked.
"Not really," I said.
"It's a town effort," Barry explained. "Tourism is either on the rise, or it dies quickly. It's not something you can put a limit on. The people come. Have a nice time, and tell their friends. Who then come and have a nice time."
"At least they use to," I added.
"Yes," Barry agreed. "You've really hurt the town. And I don't just mean your paintings on the businesses."
Ben looked to me and said, "I'm sorry, Hailey. You know I've always liked you, and I still miss Tona."
"I forgive you," I said. "And I think there's a way you can make it up to the town."
"But first," Barry said standing up. "I've got to take you in. Formal booking and all that. Judge went fishing with Marcel and Brian. Won't be back until Monday morning. You'll have to spend a couple nights in a cell."
Ben looked scared for a moment.
"Don't worry," Barry said. "We'll feed you, but you can use the time to think about how you've harmed those who've supported you all these years. When you get out, you can talk to miss Morton here about making amends."
Ben stood up and placed his hand behind his back. Barry didn't cuff him though.
"Are you going to run on me?" Barry asked.
"No, sir."
"Then you can walk with me to the SUV," Barry said and led him out, but stopped for a moment at the door. "And Hailey."
"Yes?"
"You did some mighty fine detective work," Barry said with a wink. "Maybe next time you can try bad cop."
I broke out laughing, and I saw a slight smirk on his face as he led Ben away.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Monday, April 20th
I came down for my shift to find Barry Bear sitting at the counter sipping a cup of coffee. I figured this was not a social call as he was in his uniform.
"Good morning, Mr. Bear," I said, as I poured myself a cup.
"Morning, my little junior crime stopper."
I grimaced and hoped that
nickname was not about to stick around.
"Please, let me know what I can do to get you to be the first person I see every morning," I gave him a wink as I took a sip of coffee.
He blushed and looked down at his own cup. No doubt, trying to find a suitable comeback.
"Just stopped by to update you on the case. Thought you might like to know what happened with the judge this morning."
"You know me so well, it's like we're already on the same wavelength."
He smirked, then cleared his throat.
"The judge gave him 300 hours of community service, and he has to pay to repaint the businesses," Barry said.
"Speaking of which," I said as I topped off his cup. "I have a plan to fix the town, while also giving Ben a way to make amends."
"What's that?"
"You'll see," I said giving him my best evil smile.
"Trouble follows you around, just want to stay one step ahead of it."
"Aww, Barry Bear, you wouldn't want me to ruin the surprise for you now, would you?"
He laughed and then took an awkward sip.
"The breaking point for Ben," He said, eager to change the subject. "Was when a tourist hit his car and then drove away."
"That's horrible," I said. "Did he report it?"
"Didn't get the license plate," he said. "The person hit and ran before Ben could get out there. Could only tell that it was an out of stater."
Aubrey came to stand next to me, while Charlie and Jeremiah looked over from their table.
"What are you two talking about?" Aubrey said in that tone that suggested she suspected something nefarious was happening.
"Ben got 300 hours of community service," I said.
"Judge let him out this morning," Barry said. "Drove him back to his office myself."
"That was nice of you," Aubrey said.
"He's not a bad man," Barry said. "Just snapped and did something crazy. He'll be moving locations, though."
"Oh, tea," I said, yawning. "Who'll do my taxes?"
"He's not going out of business," Barry said. "He's just moving off of Main Street. Said that getting away from the bustle of tourists will help him coupe with our town's changes."
"Makes you wonder though," Aubrey said.
"Wonder what?" I asked.
"If we're all just one terrible day away from going around spray painting the town."
I giggled.
"I see it all the time," Barry said. "Person gets fed up with something, and just snaps."
"Well, I for one love this town!" I said proudly.
Charlie and Jeremiah raised their cups of coffee in agreement. While Barry and Aubrey chuckled at my silliness.
"I better be heading out," Barry said and finished off the last of his coffee.
"It's on the house," I said, before Barry could get his wallet out.
"Thank you," he said, tipping his sheriff hat.
"I assume you two heard?" I called over to Charlie and Jeremiah once Barry left.
"Hear what?"
"It was Ben Stanley, who tagged the town," I said. "Guess those teens aren't so bad after all."
The two old men grumbled something that could have been taken as a you were right. And within a minute were back to their conversation.
I sipped my coffee in triumph. I needed to start a tally of all my wins.
"Oh geez, someone's ego is going to outgrow the apartment. Should I start looking for a bigger place?" Azure transmitted.
"Why would you move out?" I transmitted in astonishment. "You and my ego will just have to learn to get along."
"That's not what I. . . you baited me. . . tea-tart. I'm going back to sleep."
I giggled. Looked like I was also mastering blocking and fake blocking slips. Adding that to my wins as well.
"Stop it!" Azure transmitted.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Monday, April 20th
Jason came by that afternoon with a fresh painting. It was primarily purple and green stars, with a large moon in the center. And at the bottom of the canvas was a giant coffee mug, the steam of which spread out to form the galaxy-scape.
"It's stunning," I told him. "Truly beautiful!"
"Told you, you were talented," Aubrey teased.
"Thank you," Jason said, going red.
I reached into the till to pay him for the piece, but he stopped me.
"No," Jason said. "It's a thank you gift. I took your advice, and I showed my artwork to Bianca. She's going to host an exhibition for me."
"Wow," Aubrey said. "That's great news!"
"I know, right?" he asked. "Bianca thinks I'll be able to sell enough to pay for the first semester of college!"
"That's excellent," I said.
Just then Bianca walked into the cafe holding what looked to be a rectangle of wood.
"I come bearing gifts, and to see the painting," she said. "He told me about it, but wouldn't let me see. Said you had to see it first."
I held up the canvas and said, "Isn't it amazing."
"It really is," Bianca said. "You've got genuine talent."
Jason's blush deepened. Which just made me smile more. This kid needed all the encouragement he could get.
She handed me the wood she was holding. It was a rectangle of three slates from a pallet nailed together by cross strips on the back. When I flipped it over, there was a coffee mug, done in string art. She outlined a mug with steam in small nails, then used purple string to thread the cup and rainbow for the steam. It was perfect.
"Bianca! I love it!" I squealed and handed it over for Aubrey to see.
"After you left my gallery, I spent a few days researching the various art that could be home decor, and this called to me." She was beaming with pride, "So many design options, and beating in the nails, has been a glorious form of therapy. I never thought I would find a talent."
"Oh! Speaking of talent," I said to Jason. "Did you still want to learn from the town tagger?"
"Yes!" he almost screamed. "Did you figure out who it was?"
"How have you missed this piece of gossip?" I asked. "It was Ben Stanley."
Jason thought a moment and then said, "You mean the accountant?"
"Crazy, right?" I said.
"Ben has a real eye for nature," Bianca said.
"I've got to see this," Jason said.
"You're in luck," I explained. "He's outside right now fixing my wall. Go ask if you can help, he is the nicest guy. I bet he'd be happy to teach you what he knows."
Jason did not respond. He instantly left his stool and ran for the door.
As we laughed at his enthusiasm, Bianca thanked me again and followed him out.
After two weeks of pure tea, everything was finally getting back to normal. I sipped my coffee, and enjoyed the chatter of the cafe. There was no place in the world I would rather be.
Hill Country Mysteries
A Fresh Brew: A Dragon Cozy Mystery (Hill Country Mysteries Book 1)
A Bitter Cup: A Dragon Cozy Mystery (Hill Country Mysteries Book 2)
Rainbow Mocha: A Dragon Cozy Mystery (Hill Country Mysteries Book 3)
Purr-fect Roast: A Dragon Cozy Mystery (Hill Country Mysteries Book 4)
Bury the Cups: A Dragon Cozy Mystery (Hill Country Mysteries Book 5)
Author's Biography
Verena DeLuca is a pen name for the life partner duo Sabetha Danes & Nicholi Baldron. When we're not homeschooling our artistic daughter, we spend our afternoons arguing the finer details of books. Failing that, we can be found walking the many nature trails around our home.
Marble Falls is an actual tourist destination, an hour west of Austin, Texas, that we're proud to call home. While Aconite Cafe isn't an actual coffee shop in the town, it is the name of our publishing company. We love coffee nearly as much as Hailey, though we've been known to break the cardinal rule and drink tea.
Azure is based on our cat James, who's just as snarky.
Luca, Rainbow Mocha
Rainbow Mocha Page 8