Coffee & Criminals

9. Egg Free Muffins

"Why is he here?" I whispered.

"I don't know." Dad whispered back.

"You should kick him out."

"Florence, how can I? According to the contract, he owns half this business. This place is his just as much as it is ours."

I threw my hands up in frustration. "Then let's kill him!"

"Oh, sweetheart." was the sighed reply from my father. He gave me a look before turning back around to welcome a woman who had come up to the front counter with her son, whose mouth was covered in pink cotton candy. As the mom asked where the bathroom was and as my father told her, I glared at Table 5 again. I had given this certain table countless dirty looks, but they didn't seem to be getting the message.

Table 5 was the table from my nightmare. The customers from hell. Heck, they weren't even customers. They were the damn co-owners of this business. It wasn't fair. If you hadn't guessed why I was so bothered by this whole situation, worry not. I'll tell you. I hated Table 5 because it was the table that the Crowns had decided to plop their pretty little butts around. (Seriously though, Wolfe Sterling had one of the cutest butts I'd ever seen.)

Wolfe was in the center (not that there really could be a center, considering it was a circular table) and he was talking. Since I was halfway across the room from them, their chatter mixed in with the rest of the conversations going on. I could see his mouth moving though, and I was pretty sure I saw his lips form my name a couple times.

Brice, the brown-haired one that looked related to him, and the guy with the blonde hair and little man bun (his hair was gorgeous) sat on either side of Wolfe. They seemed to be discussing something important. On the table, a few files and sheets of paper were scattered between the four men. Unlike before, however, there weren't any guns visible. Thank goodness for that because today seemed to be a pretty good day for the Espresso House. We had a more than average amount of customers in, a few tables occupied and a nice elderly couple in the lounge.

I was at a loss of what to do about the Crowns. We very well couldn't just kick them out. It would look bad on us, for one. Besides, I wasn't so sure that Wolfe Sterling and his dangerous friends would be so willing that they'd get up and leave if we requested. They didn't seem like the agreeable type.

Also, I'd have thought that Wolfe would've been a little more careful about who saw his face. He was a wanted man, after all. And the cops were still buzzing around the Lane Diner. The fact that Wolfe would so openly prance around in public when he held such a reputation was a little unnerving. It was just pure luck that no one ever managed to get a photograph to put a face on the crimes. All candid pictures of Wolfe usually only showed his back. As far as I knew, their identities were still a secret to the public. Thank goodness for that.

Brice suddenly waved to me. I waved back, trying to slip into the kitchen before Wolfe saw me. Brice made a face and waved again, seemingly a bit more urgent this time. I waved back again, confused. By now, Clancy had come out of the kitchen to catch the end of Brice's strange greeting.

She frowned and nudged her chin towards their table. "Go see what they want."

"Me?" I squeaked. "Clancy, I can't. Do you know who they are? I'm not going over there."

"Florence, please." Clancy sighed. "Yes, I know who they are. And from my understanding, those men aren't going to leave until they get what they want. Right now, it seems that Wolfe Sterling and his men want your attention. I don't think refusal of service is going to sit well with those boys." Her voice was hushed and filled with worry. "Besides, the sooner you get them what they want, the sooner they'll leave. We don't want to start a scene, Florence, and I'm worried they're going to give you one if you don't get over there. Besides, what could they possibly want? Coffee? Wolfe can't ask much in a public place."