Blood

11. The Pine Cone

We were on the sidewalk across from the police station. I counted four black vans like the one I'd seen by my house (all with the same out of state plates). They were in the lot reserved for the town's police cruisers, parking both of them in. That seemed odd.

"Come on," Amira said, opening the glass door to the Pine Cone, which is a coffee joint with old black and white linoleum tiles on the floor and a pine counter with tall wooden bar chairs. Someone had cut the shape of a pine cone in the back of each chair. Cute.

The bell rang when the door opened and an elderly couple in a booth looked up. "Don't go in if it looks suspicious," I called after Hedges as he crossed the street, then I let the door close and followed Amira to the counter. A new old waitress came out of the kitchen with an order pad and pen and said, "What'll it be?"

"Two eggs over easy, home fries, whole wheat toast and do you have any hot sauce?" Amira said. I was surprised. I thought we were just waiting. A coffee would've been fine.

"We don't serve breakfast this time of day," the waitress said.

"What do you serve?" She asked. "I'm hungry."

"The cook's all backed up with a delivery order," she said. "A dozen sandwiches to make. Why don't you try the Blue Plate Special?" She pointed to a hand lettered sign that said: Today's blue plate special: Baked stuff chicken smothered by gravy, $5.00.

"Okay," Amira said with a shrug.

"Love that baked stuff," I said.

"You want one too?" The waitress asked. I don't think she got the joke. Maybe she's the one who wrote the sign.

"No thanks," I said. "I like my chickens cooked, not smothered." "Is he being rude?" The waitress asked Amira.
"She!" I snapped. "How about a cup of black coffee. Please."

She frowned and scribbled on her pad. "I'll put your order in," she told Amira. Then she was gone through the kitchen door and we had the place almost to ourselves.

I drummed my fingers on the counter.
"Stop that," Amira said.
"Sorry. Guess I'm nervous. Do we have a plan?"
"No." She glared out the front window toward the police station.

"Can you, uh, defeat those agents?" I asked. I was really hoping she had some super powers or was inhumanly fast with that sword or something. I'm handy in a fight on ice, but I'm not used to men with guns, I thought. That kind of fight is probably a lot—

"Harder. You're right." She was looking at me and her eyes were animal again.

"Damn it! That freaks me out," I said. "Wait, how did you know what I was thinking?"

She smiled.