Mom and I walked as quickly as we could back to the store, and I was relieved to see that Reeves was sitting in the café with a mug of something. He looked up when we came in, and I held up one finger to tell him I’d be right there. Mom wandered off into the cookbook shelves, where she could keep an eye on me but not look conspicuous.
Then, I made a show of checking in with Marcus, looking at the computer screen intently, and doing a quick walk around the store as if it was my usual routine. I spoke briefly to Galen and Mack, who were browsing in the mystery section, and Mack trotted along behind me as I wandered on. I was just about out of reasonable ways to stall when Tuck and Watson walked in.
Tuck caught my eye as I fluffed a throw pillow on one of the wingback chairs in the front wi
