“Yep,” Ryan said.
“And what’s that?” Amy asked.
“Kaila hates her bosses.”
“The owners, Frank and Ida, right?” Hunter asked him.
Ryan nodded and spoke softly. “She says they’re all smiles and good cheer to the customers, but they treat staff like indentured servants. Staff today is herself and a girl named Jill, who works nights on the weekends, and a guy named Drew, who comes and cleans at closing time.”
“Interesting. Anything else?”
He nodded. “She lives in town. Her parents had a small place where they ranched, but her dad got sick, and they lost the ranch. Father passed a couple years ago, and her mother passed recently. She’s just trying to save up enough to get out. She wants to live in Fort Lauderdale and go to the community college. She doesn’t hate it, but she was an only child and there isn’t much left for her around here.”
“That’s understandable,” Amy said.
“I think so, too,” Hunter agreed.
“Something else,” Ryan said.
“What’s that?” Hunter asked.
Ryan leaned closer. “I think she’s taking food—hoarding it. Some diners left a half loaf of pumpkin bread. She looked back at Frank, then carefully hid it under her apron. I mean, maybe she’s trying to save on groceries, but maybe...”
“Maybe she’s trying to feed someone who is hiding out?” Amy asked.
Ryan shrugged. “Oh, she loves the rabbi—calls him Rabbi David. He’s her favorite. Apparently, priests and pastors meet here often. They’re all nice, she told me, but Rabbi David was the best.”
“Good to know.” Hunter nodded approvingly at everything Ryan had learned.
Ryan leaned back. “Am I driving to Orlando to pick up some things for you, Amy?”
Amy didn’t get to answer—Hunter answered for her. “Yes, we’re going to be here a few more days, I think. And if you’d stop by my hotel, I’d appreciate it. It shouldn’t be much bother. I stay packed.”
“Yes, thanks,” Amy said, determined to speak for herself. “I’ll talk to my friend who feeds my cat for me when I’m away,” Amy told him.
“All right. I’ll head back after this. Unless you have other instructions for me?” Ryan asked.
“No, but I’ll book you a room for tomorrow night, too. We’ll need you with us,” Hunter told him.
Ryan nodded, smiling. “Thank you!”
Hunter grinned. “You’re a good agent, Ryan. You worked this place well. We’re going to be glad to have you with us.”
“Thanks. So you know, for breakfast, the omelets are great.”
“Wonderful,” Hunter said.
Kaila appeared back at their table, balancing two cups and a coffeepot. She set the cups down and poured coffee and refilled Ryan’s cup.
“Would you like food?” she asked.
“Omelet, please. Cheese, tomatoes, peppers. And a side of bacon,” Amy said.
Hunter was looking at her strangely. “Uh, two, please,” he said to Kaila.
“Making it easy,” Kaila said, and she walked the ticket she had written out with their order back behind the counter to hang for Frank in the kitchen.
“She gets off after the lunch shift, around three,” Ryan told them, indicating Kaila. “Ida takes the dinner shift. I guess old Frank cooks all day. I should be back by five—barring traffic. I was going to go to Mass.”
“Yep. Good idea,” Hunter told him. “Keep in touch, and text me your whereabouts.”
“Will do,” Ryan said. “I ate already...”
“Then get going,” Hunter told him, smiling.
Ryan nodded and Amy shuffled out of the booth to let him by. He paused to catch Kaila quickly as he was leaving, saying goodbye. The waitress looked after him for just a second. It was a longing look.
“Poor kid,” Hunter said.
“Yes, I agree. Losing both parents, a home—and then stuck in a job working for people who aren’t that great. If she’s telling the truth.”
“I think she is. Let’s face it, people put on fake faces all the time. And that’s why, sometimes, gut feeling is part of the job,” Hunter said.
“Okay. I have a feeling about Pastor Colby—and his daughter. Why would she go all the way to Miami when her father is a pastor? Okay, she could have friends down there—in fact, she probably has friends in Miami. But at that age, she’d be visiting to head to the clubs on the beach, maybe a frat or sorority party at the UM or FIU. Would you really go all that way to go to church, unless you felt that you needed to do so?”
Hunter didn’t answer; Amy saw Kaila was coming to their table with their food.
They thanked her as she set down the plates. The girl paused just a moment.
“You guys are really cool,” she told them. “Well, not that I know any other law enforcement agents of any kind, but... Ryan is so nice. And...well, you guys seem the same. I guess I thought you’d be all serious and...cold.”
Hunter laughed. “We honestly try to be somewhat warm and cuddly.”
Amy decided to take it a step further. “He’s right, you know. We need help all the time from people close to a situation. And for that, we must earn their trust. We try very hard to do that.”
Kaila nodded. “Well, you three are doing a good job at that.”
She smiled and moved quickly away from the table. Glancing back, Amy saw Frank was watching Kaila, making sure she was giving her attention to all the guests.
Or that she wasn’t spending too much time talking to them, specifically?
Hunter stood, walking over to the counter. He was going to talk to Frank himself. Amy couldn’t hear what he said, but it was obviously friendly. He pointed to her, and she smiled and waved, and Frank waved in return.
Hunter returned to the table.
“Good move,” she murmured.
“I want to find Kaila later, when she’s off work and away from here.”
“Right.”
He looked at his watch. “Should be time to see Colby after we eat our omelets. That was strange.”
“What was strange?”
“Your order. At least we have similar eating habits.”
Amy grinned. “If I hadn’t ordered first, you really would have ordered the same thing?”