Part 13 (1/2)
”So they can tell me it's bruised?”
”Ice it then.”
It was hurting enough to bring tears if she b.u.mped it. Gritting her teeth, she grabbed one end of the tempered gla.s.s shelf lying across the display frame. No way could she move it alone. Jonah came up beside her.
Together they lifted the shelves off the frame. A broken edge had gouged the floor. They raised the frame and inserted the three unbroken shelves. The other display was a single unit. They righted it, and she straightened.
”Can you think of anything else about this guy that might help me find him?”
She shook her head. ”I don't want him prosecuted.”
”You've got serious damage and personal injury.”
”It was an accident.” She looked at her leg. ”I just need to clean up.” She surveyed the shards of gla.s.s and broken pottery and crumbled wax. She had intended to make a claim for her insurance, which would require a police report. When had that changed?
”You should close up until it's safe. Last thing you need is someone slipping on a shard.”
”Last thing I need is someone minding my business.” She hadn't meant to snipe but hated his stating the obvious.
”Yeah. Got it.” He looked her up and down, then walked out, turning the sign to CLOSED as he went.
Jonah left Tia's shop, scanning for the person she had described. He might be long gone, but if he was still upset about Tia's touching him, he could endanger others or himself. He checked the nearest shops. The kid at the T-s.h.i.+rt store had seen nothing. The man at the Western gallery had heard the crash but not seen anyone.
Jonah went into the bakery, glad to see Piper had forgiven Sarge's outburst and gone back to work-with no renegotiation of terms, as far as he knew. She looked up from arranging items on a tray and said, ”Hi.”
”Hi.”
”Can I get you something?”
”No, thanks. Tia had an altercation next-door. I wondered if you saw or heard anything.”
”Just now?”
”Forty minutes to an hour ago.”
She shook her head. ”The smoke alarm went off in the kitchen. I've been dealing with that.”
”Okay.”
”What happened at Tia's?”
He repeated an abbreviated version, then described the man.
”That guy?” Piper looked distressed.
”You saw him?”
”Not today. Awhile ago. I can't believe he'd do that.”
”Tia said it wasn't intentional. He snapped.”
Piper shook her head. ”Poor guy. He's got that Monk thing.”
”He's a monk?”
”No, you know the TV show.”
Jonah hadn't owned a television in years. Typical mountain reception, and it wasn't worth paying for satellite.
”That guy who has to have everything lined up and spotless.”
”OCD?”
Piper shrugged. ”He seemed nice enough. A little funny about germs. I sold him a fig and pine-nut sticky roll that could have been yours if you'd come in that time I asked.”
He half smiled and got her back on point. ”He made no threats ...”
”He's not mean, just different.”
”And you didn't see him today.”
Her silky blond ponytail swung as she shook her head. ”Is Tia okay?”
There were too many ways he could answer that. ”You can check with her.” He palmed his notebook. ”Thanks for your help.”
Having done all he could with that, he drove to the emergency clinic, found Sue and Sam in the waiting room.
Sue looked to be holding herself together with sheer force of will. ”Eli's getting x-rays.”
Sam sat, elbows on his thighs, hands shaking. He raised red-rimmed eyes, his face rough with several days' growth of beard. ”What are you staring at? Accidents happen.”
He was a thin man, narrow across the shoulders and chest, getting a bad-habit belly that made his jeans ride low. Jonah curbed his tongue. The last thing Sue needed was an altercation between her husband and her boss.
”How did he fall?”
”Climbed the railing on the balcony. He knows he's not supposed to go there.”
”Where were you?”
”On the couch. Sleeping. He was supposed to be napping too.”
”How did he get outside?”
”Gets hot in there. I opened the balcony door. He was supposed to be sleeping.” He wrung his hands together, exhibiting remorse, until he muttered, ”It's not my fault.”
Jonah leaned in. ”You're blaming the kid?”