After Mrs. Hudson left for the police station, I cleaned the kitchen for her and then left myself. I walked to my apartment, keeping my bag close. The ocean at night wasn't always the safest. I knew what I saw on the tape, but how could I explain it to Mrs. Hudson?
Once home I opened my bag to take out the tape. I looked in the outside pocket, but it wasn't there. Then I remembered Alanna tripping over the bag. She must have put it in the main pocket with everything else. I searched through the mess of papers and books, but the tape would not be found. Had she stolen it? The trip did seem deliberate, but how could she have known where it was? How did she even know I had it? I had only mentioned it to Mrs. Hudson, outside of the apartment.
I looked through the bag again. Nothing.
Giving up, I decided to go get coffee. Maybe a sweet cup of Caramel Frappuccino would help clear my mind. As soon as I walk up to the counter, Amanda nods for me to sit at one of the stools. "Here you are. One Caramel Frappuccino, extra caramel, and here's your chocolate chip cookie." She passed it across with a quarter and said, "Your change, of course."
I dig through my bag and give her a five dollar bill. "Hello, Amanda."
"Ethan. You didn't come yesterday, and you're later than usual today. Trouble with the shop?" She studies my face. "No, that's not it. Something else. How's Mrs. Hudson?"
"She's been keeping fine, considering what happened to her son." The door of the small shop opens again, letting in the cool ocean breeze.
Amanda squinted to see, her glasses had been missing for a few weeks by then and she refused to buy new ones. "Newbie."
I turned. Alanna hesitated in the doorway, watching me. I was distantly reminded of those old Western cartoons, in saloons. She takes the seat right next to me. "Amanda, is it? Just plain decaf. No milk or sugar."
"Hi, Alanna."
"Ethan." Amanda bites her lip and goes in the back room to make the coffee. She knew something happened.
"You took the tape, didn't you?" She doesn't look at me. "It's gone."
"Yes, I did." I almost spilled my coffee. I hadn't expected her to admit to it.
"Why?" I asked.
She said, "I think you know. You saw it, right? That's what you were going to tell Marge."
"You were watching us."
"I have to keep her safe." I finished my coffee and stuffed the cookie wrapped in a napkin in my pocket, but I didn't trust Alanna. I wasn't going to leave her alone with Amanda. I'd always seen Mrs. Hudson as someone watching out for others, never as someone who needed to be watched over. But maybe Alanna was affected by the death. That happens sometimes, people lose someone and get scared everyone is going to be gone.
"And what of yourself?"
"I can take care of myself. You, on the other hand, are going to get yourself killed."
I frowned. "How?"
"You were careless with the tape, your whole posture shows that you're fit as a sloth, and I'd have killed you already but Marge seems to care about you, so I won't."
I pauses, to think. Alanna definitely isn't right in the head, and Mrs. Hudson had already told me that. "What is it, then? On the tape, what's in the water?"
Amanda comes out with the decaf. She'd taken much longer than usual, perhaps to give is some space. Alanna accepts the coffee, pays in crumpled bills, and leaves without another word. "You know her?"
"Mrs. Hudson's sister." I got up to leave.
"Ethan? Don't waste time on her," Amanda said.
"Sorry?"
"I saw the way you looked at her. Trust me, she's not worth it." She looks beautiful, even with coffee staining her apron and hair falling out of its ponytail. She was far more attractive than Alanna, and she hadn't even threatened to kill me.
"Amanda, why don't I take you out some night. How's tomorrow, at seven?"
"Sounds great, Ethan." Frieden Russell, the lifeguard on the beach by my store, walks into the store and orders. I leave.
