Page 69 of To Catch a Latte Thick as Thieves

“Oh, yeah, fine,” she said, dabbing at her forehead with a tissue.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “This will be over in a matter of days and your business will be yours again. I promise.”

“Thank you,” she smiled. Even if he was just giving her lip service, it was nice to hear.

Then they went to the Arizona Savings and Loan, where after an official meeting with the bank president, Fisher signed a packet of papers changing the ownership of the bogus account from A. Talbot to Fisher and Annie McCoy. When the bank officer showed Annie the balance of the bogus account, she saw spots and everything began to turn gray.

“Five hundred thousand dollars?” she squeaked at Fisher as they walked away.

“I believe it was more like four hundred ninety-five thousand,” he said. “And after my first withdrawal goes through, it will read four hundred eighty thousand.”

“I’ve never seen that many zeroes attached to my name before,” she said as she climbed into the Jeep. “What do you think the perp will do when he finds out you’ve put your name on the account and you’ve begun to withdraw funds?”

“He probably won’t know until the bank informs him that he needs my signature to access his account. Then the bank security will seize him and call me.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.” Fisher turned to look at her. “You look tired. Let’s go home. I have a feeling Brian will be waiting for us.”

Brian wasn’t so much waiting as he was pacing a hole in the floor. It was a little after ten and the shop was in full swing. They could hear the clang and rattle of pans in the kitchen, and Annie headed in that direction. Fisher stopped her by putting a hand on her elbow.

“Don’t you want to hear what Brian has to say?” he asked.

“Oh, yeah,” she said, biting her lip with a wistful glance at the kitchen.

“Hey partner,” he greeted his friend with a handshake. “So what’s happened since we left?”

Brian’s thin hair stood on end like he’d been caught unaware by a firecracker. He motioned them to a secluded corner table. “What hasn’t happened?” he asked in return. “Do you have any idea how many people have absolutely flipped over Annie’s marriage?”

Annie finally turned her head from the kitchen to the two men. “Really?” She pursed her lips as if to keep from saying, I told you so.

“Let’s see...” Brian ticked off the people on his fingers. “We can start with your sister Mary. She didn’t believe it and wanted to call the Phoenix police and file a missing persons report. Then there was your mother. She seemed more furious that you would elope. Apparently, that’s not the Talbot way. Then there was your father. You’d think someone had kidnapped his baby. Fortunately, Fisher’s mother was able to calm them down with some herbal tea and sunflower seed scones.”

“That must have been interesting,” Annie said. She and Fisher exchanged amused glances.

“Then there was your former beau Stewart Anderson. He almost blew a gasket when he heard the news. He stomped out of here like someone had made off with his wife! Then there was your rival Martin Delgado. When he heard the news, he just laughed. He seems to think he’ll be able to talk your husband into selling. So what do you make of those reactions?”

“Sounds reasonable to me,” Annie said. “Everyone knows I never planned to marry. It stands to reason that they wouldn’t believe it.”

“I think I’m beginning to feel offended.” Fisher frowned. “Why is it so inconceivable that you would marry me? I’m not that bad of a catch.”

“Maybe you’re just not the stud you thought you were,” Brian mocked him.

“Hardly,” Annie said. “You’re wonderful. It’s just that I made no secret that I would never marry. People are bound to be shocked.”

“Oh! Annie and Fisher. You’re back.” Fisher’s mother came bustling out of the kitchen. “Annie, where do you keep your wheat germ?”

“Wheat germ?” she asked.

“Yes. I wanted to make a nice yogurt spread to go on my sprout and curry muffins.”

“Sprout and curry?” Annie lifted a censoring eyebrow in Fisher’s direction.

“Did I forget to mention that my parents are very organic?” he asked.

“Aren’t we all?” Annie glared at him and followed his mother into the kitchen, greeting her regulars along the way.

“If I’m not mistaken, you are in deep doo-doo,” Brian said. “I’ve been on the receiving end of that look quite a few times over the past five years. Allow me to translate. It means, ‘Just wait until we’re alone, dear.’”