Dyer Consequences by Maggie Sefton Read Free Book Online

you’d be in here. Weren’t you freezing, standing outside all that time?”
    “I was too aggravated to be cold,” Kelly said, accepting the large mug of black coffee she offered. Drinking deep, Kelly felt the dark brew rush down her throat, bringing its familiar burn. “Ahhhh, thanks, Julie. I can feel my toes thawing out now.”
    Tracy Putnam rounded the corner into the café then, and her face lit up when she saw Kelly. “Hey, Kelly. Did you come back to work on the yarns? I rushed through my homework today, so I could go downstairs and try that Aztec Blue again.”
    Kelly had to smile at Tracy’s enthusiasm. Tracy had taken to the dyeing class like a duck to water. Considering how much time was spent with your hands in the big dye tubs, it was like being a duck in water. “Actually, I’m here to warm up with another shot of Eduardo’s coffee.” Kelly lifted her mug, saluting the smiling cook beside the grill. “I’ll gladly leave the extra time in the dye tubs to you. It took me forever to get that magenta color off my hands last night.”
    Tracy laughed. “You weren’t the only one. I swear I still have blue arms.” She held up the looped skein of Aztec Blue yarn and gazed into the shimmering depths. “This may not make sense, but I simply have to see if I can match Mimi’s shade of blue. I got so close last night, remember?”
    “Yes, you were the only one who knew what to do with those colors. And that pink shade you came up with was scrumptious, too. Mimi ought to use it, for sure.”
    “Thanks, Kelly. That’s sweet of you,” Tracy said, her cheeks revealing a faint blush. “Mimi said I could come back and practice anytime and stay as late as I want. That’s why I thought I’d try this blue again. I really, really want to see if I can match it.”
    “Tracy, you may have found your perfect part-time job. You know Mimi can always use a smart, talented person like you in the shop. Think about it.”
    Tracy’s head came up, and Kelly saw excitement flash through her eyes. “Do you really think she’d hire me? I mean, the real estate office is okay, but working here would be...”
    “Heaven for you, probably,” Kelly said with a laugh. “Think about it. Personally I think you’d be a great asset to the shop. And Jennifer can vouch for you, too.” The sight of a familiar car pulling into the parking lot caught Kelly’s attention then. “Excuse me, Tracy. I see Burt outside and I need to speak with him. Good luck with your Aztec Blue, okay?” she said as she headed for the café’s back door.
    Bounding down the steps, Kelly waved to Burt as she called out his name. The whine of the power equipment, however, drowned out her voice. Burt was obviously checking the crew’s results on the side of the garage they’d finished.
    “How’s it look, Burt?” Kelly asked as she strode up beside him. “This one side took them nearly two hours.”
    Burt shook his head. “That paint was a son of a gun to clean, I bet. Especially on stucco.”
    If Kelly heard the words “paint” or “stucco” one more time today, she thought she’d scream. So, she changed the subject. “Did your old partner Dan have any new information? Anything about that bunch in the north of town?”
    “There was another garage break-in near Wellesley last night, and a car was stolen. And whoever did it left their calling card on the fence in red spray paint just like last time. We think it may be the same bunch that stole the electronics gear a couple of weeks ago. But this time, they beat up a guy. It was his car, and apparently he caught them breaking into it.” Burt shook his head. “He says he didn’t recognize anybody, but you can tell he knows them and is afraid to say anything.”
    A chill ran over Kelly that had nothing to do with the cold afternoon air surrounding her. “Whoa, Burt, that’s scary.”
    “Yeah, it is. The problem with these gang wannabes is they scare the hell out of the neighbors.