The Donut Shop ✔️

'T' Stands for 'Torrential Encounters'

"Typical Karen—unwilling to believe that anyone younger than her might have something useful to say." Tweed shook his head as he folded his fingers together in front of his face.

Ethan took a sip from his strawberry milkshake, admiring the records displayed above each booth of the diner. His eyes roamed over an Elvis one. "Maybe she has a point," he muttered. "Maybe we're just a couple of delusional idiots. What if Mrs. Heifenmeir wasn't murdered, and we're just crazy?"

Before Tweed had time to respond, the bell above the door jingled, alerting everyone of Mara's presence. She pranced over to their table and greeted them. 

"Ah, Pencil's here."

She scowled at Tweed and looked at the top of his shaggy blonde head to his beat-up vans, her eyes lingering distastefully on his black, tight jeans that matched with his baggy tee-shirt. The onyx fabric hung loosely on his frame.

"What's with the clothes?" she asked with a lifted brow.

"What's with the face?" Tweed responded with a challenging look, rising from his seat and motioning for her to slide in. While Tweed waited expectantly, she glared at him. An unspoken conversation flittered through their gazes as they settled next to each other on the plush red booth. 

"I brought my dad's camera," Mara said, holding up the silver box for Ethan to see. "I figured that it'd be good to incorporate a few photos if we really do find something worth documenting."

"Are you sure it isn't to snap a few photos of my sexy self when I'm not looking?" Tweed gestured to his face, clearly joking. However, it didn't sound like a jeer as much as it sounded like something he wanted. Mara scoffed at this, but Ethan cut in before she could respond. They were disgustingly funny. 

"We should get going. I just saw Red's car leave," he said, gesturing to the wide glass window behind their booth. A midnight black sports car cruised by. Both Mara and Tweed nodded, and they all got up. 

Ethan pushed the door to the diner open and stepped out. His eyes trailed after Red and the striking black Jaguar as it disappeared around the corner. Now was the perfect time to check out his unfinished bakery to find some proof, as well as a hint of where he could be living in town. 

The sky was coated with a wispy layer of swift-moving clouds that dampened the atmosphere. The whole street filled with an air of gloom, especially since the painted streets were empty. Ethan couldn't help but wonder what Mrs. Heifenmeir would say about their expedition. 

Once again, the bell above the door to Bjornie's clinked, and Tweed spilled onto the street. He seemed to catch a certain look in Ethan's eyes because he ambled over to him and laid a heavy hand on his hoodie. 

"You alright, man?" Tweed asked. With a shrug, Ethan forced his lips to curve up. 

"I guess."

Before Tweed had any time to react, Mara flounced up to them. "Ready?" she asked. Ethan nodded, pushing ahead of both of them and leading their escapade. Tweed hung back at Mara's side. Ethan couldn't help but sigh when he caught whispers of their conversation about him. 'Was he alright? Should they do something?'

Once the gang was in front of the building, they stared up at the tan, unpainted brick exterior. How were they going to get in? Ethan thought.

From the time that Ethan and Tweed had first snuck into the building to now, the exterior was completely finished, and they hoped that the inside would be close to done as well. If the interior was finished, there was a guarantee that Red's office would be set up, and they would be able to find something suspicious to incriminate him with.