Page 103 of Stolen Ones

The kiosk was deceptively spacious and easily big enough for the two people cooking and serving inside.

Kim showed her ID.

They looked at each other and then back at her, as though doing their personal inventory of activities in case they’d done anything wrong.

‘May I ask how long you ladies have worked here?’

‘Too bloody long,’ they said together and then laughed.

Kim waited.

‘Nine years.’

No good.

‘Fifteen full-time and four years part-time. Why?’

Perfect.

‘Could we have a word, Brenda?’ Kim asked, looking at the badge.

‘Course yo con, me wench. What word would yer like?’

‘Privately,’ Kim said, glancing towards the queue.

Brenda shoved her head out.

‘Yer gonna have to wait a minute, love. Abby cor manage this lot on her own.’

‘It’s kind of urgent,’ she pushed, not too concerned about people having to wait an extra minute or two for a drink and a snack.

‘Go on, Bren – I’ll be fine,’ Abby said, nudging her in the arm.

Brenda removed her apron and stepped out the side of the cabin. Seeing no seats available, she motioned for them to follow her round the back.

A small, round table and two wrought-iron chairs were nestled out of sight.

‘Sorry,’ Brenda said, taking one of the seats. ‘Me feet are killing me.’

Bryant motioned for Kim to take the other seat.

She waited while Brenda removed a pack of cigarettes from her pocket and lit one.

‘When opportunity knocks, eh?’

Kim was pleased they were the reason for her impromptu fag break.

‘You were here when the works were carried out to the café?’

‘Oh yeah, right bloody headache that was. Owners insisted we try and keep going while it was being done, over there with a marquee, some urns and a hotplate. We did it though.’

‘And the work was instructed by a man named Steven Harte?’

‘Dunno his name,’ she said. ‘Never spoke to me but he was a good-looking bloke. Tony couldn’t believe his luck. He’d applied to the council for a grant. The shack was falling apart. He never expected to get the whole thing replaced for free.’

‘Go on.’

‘Well, that man you mentioned, he took it all very seriously. He spent time here, brought in his construction crew.’