Smiling to himself, he made a quick survey of the room. There were four men sitting at the counter, two tables were filled and three of the booths had people sitting in them.
Shannon and another waitress bustled around the room, pouring coffee, taking orders and serving meals. He knew that Jessie was probably in the kitchen herself.
Shannon smiled and motioned him to a booth, following him with a coffee pot clutched in her hand. He’d managed to avoid her for the most part this past week. She was up and gone to work by the time he got home from Alicia’s place in the morning and he made certain he’d left the house by the time she got home in the evening. Not that he was avoiding her exactly. But he didn’t want to answer her questions.
Patrick had looked at him the first morning he’d come home, cocked his eyebrow, and shaken his head. “I don’t want to know. As long as she’s not married, I don’t care.
But just remember that this is a small town and folks will talk.”
Gill hadn’t offered any information, but he’d taken what Patrick said to heart, which was why he was parking in Alicia’s garage and trying to be as inconspicuous as possible when he left her place each morning. It rankled, but he hoped to change it given time.
And speaking of time, it looked as if his had just run out.
“I missed you again this morning,” Shannon began as she grabbed one of the clean mugs from the table and began to fill it.
“Thanks,” he offered, gingerly taking the mug from her.
“That all you’re going to say?” She frowned, looking more amused than perturbed.
“Yup.”
Shannon laughed, placing the pot on the table to keep from spilling any of the coffee.
She shook her head, but quickly sobered. “It’s none of my business where you’re spending your nights, but I’m worried.” She chewed on her bottom lip.
Gill hated to worry her. Shannon had had more than her share of hardships and concerns. “Look. I promise I’m fine. I’m not doing anything illegal. Your husband would kick my butt if I did.”
She chuckled. “That never crossed my mind.” She glanced around at the other customers and leaned in closer. “People have been talking.”
“People usually do. Nothing you can do to stop them.” He took a mouthful of coffee and swallowed. It hit his empty stomach, making it growl, but he ignored the complaints.
He had a bad feeling about this, considering his quick call from Alicia. “What exactly are they saying?”
Shannon picked at the fabric of her apron and shrugged.
Gill reached out and took her hand, squeezing it gently. “Tell me.”
She pushed her long braid over her shoulder and squared her shoulders. “It’s about…”
A loud male voice interrupted her. “What’s this I hear about you and young Alicia?
Any truth to the rumors, boy?” An old man doddered up to the table. Every head in the place turned to watch them.
Gill straightened in his seat, but forced himself to remain relaxed. Shannon grabbed her coffee pot and eased out of the way. “Now, Burt,” she began.
“Don’t you ‘now, Burt’ me, missy.” The old man stopped when he reached Gill’s table. “People are whispering, so we might as well talk about it. Get it out in the air so to speak. Doesn’t do anyone any good to listen to gossip. It’s time to get the facts.” He squinted down at Gill and waited.
Gill knew who the man was. Burt Banner was in his eighties, if he was a day, and respected by one and all in the community. Patrick had pointed the man out to him his first day in town. “Would you care to sit down?”
Burt laughed. “At my age sitting is always good, but then the rest of the folks in the diner wouldn’t hear and they’d hurt themselves straining their ears.” His voice rose near the end and some folks turned away, pretending to be concentrating on their meal. Other people didn’t even bother to pretend they weren’t listening.
Gill paused. He’d thought that the old man had approached him because he wanted to cause trouble, but that wasn’t the case at all. He could see the intelligence and the knowing glint in the older man’s eyes. Burt knew that people were talking, and this was a way for Gill to control exactly what they were talking about. Smart.
He leaned back, resting his arm across the back of the bench seat. “What exactly would you like to know?”
Respect and approval flashed in Burt’s face before he raised his hand and scratched his jaw. “Well now, are you seeing our gal, Alicia?”
“Yes. Alicia and I are seeing one another. I’m doing some work for her.” You could hear a pin drop in the place as everyone listened. No one wanted to miss a word so they could recount the tale to their friends and family later.
Burt squinted. “You a lawyer too?”
“No.” Gill shook his head. He might not be a lawyer, but thanks to years of going to night school, he did have two college degrees. One in criminal justice, and a second one in counseling, which he’d just finished before he left the force. “I’m an investigator. I just retired from the police force down in Alabama.”
Burt’s head wagged up and down. “So you’re a cop.”
Gill almost laughed as Burt went about establishing his credibility and his reputation with the townspeople. “Twenty years.”
“Well then. There’s nothing to be concerned about, is there? You wouldn’t do anything untoward, would you? A working relationship, you say?”
Someone snorted and a female voice filled the room. “If staying all night, every night, is working. Alicia Flint is having an affair.”
The bell tinkled over the door as the woman was speaking. Gill felt his stomach drop as Alicia froze in the doorway, her face pale as snow, the accusation still ringing in the air. This was just what she’d feared.
Even though he wanted to jump up and go to her, he made himself remain seated.
This was her chance to deny all the rumors, to deny their relationship if she wanted. He realized that she was right. Her reputation was at stake. Everyone in the diner was watching. Some of the folks looked amused, while others sat with pinched features and condemnation in their eyes.
“Clara Jenkins!” Burt roared.
Alicia straightened her spine and strode right up to Clara’s table. “That’s all right, Burt. I can handle this.”
She leaned down, planting her hands on the table. They were bare. Once again, she’d forgotten her gloves. Gill hoped her hands weren’t cold. He was like everyone else in the place, unable to look away from the scene unfolding in front of him.
“What exactly do you want to know, Clara?” She didn’t give the younger woman time to speak, but kept on going. “That I’m actually having an affair? That I’m sleeping with a man?” She straightened and took in the room in one sweeping glance. “Is that what all of you want to know?”
No one moved.
Alicia snorted. “I’m thirty-seven-years old, I operate my own law practice, own a house, pay my taxes on time and abide by the law. What I do in my own home is my business.”
“Not when you’re in such a prominent position,” Clara brazened out. “Why, if you’ll sneak around having an affair who knows what other sneaky things you might do?”
Gill couldn’t believe that some people were actually nodding. But they were mostly older folks, who had grown up with a much stricter set of values when it came to relationships outside of marriage.
“Is that so?” Alicia questioned, her tone mild, almost amused.
Gill almost pitied Clara as Alicia glared down at her. His woman was spitting fire.
She was hell on wheels when she got started. He’d never felt prouder of her.