“You’re terrible at cards,” Stella pointed out, thinking terrible was generous. Zahra only played because everyone else wanted to play and she was a good sport about doing what the others chose to do. Like camping out by the lake when the temperature dropped because she knew Stella was going to do it whether she was alone or not. That was Zahra, loyal to a fault.
“I’m not terrible,” Zahra defended and then burst out laughing. “Okay, maybe I am, but poker is so boring. I have no idea what is going on half the time.” She took more bites of her pasta and did more moaning. “And I kick your ass if we’re playing Durak.”
“That’s true, because you like that game and you pay attention. Otherwise you chatter. Incessantly. I think you’re hoping to distract us, which doesn’t work.”
Zahra’s dark chocolate eyes went wide. “I absolutely do not chatter during cards.” She not only looked but sounded indignant.
Shabina slid onto the bench seat beside Zahra. “Yes, you do, ya mamma.” She always called Zahra little mamma, a term of endearment from Saudi Arabia that Shabina’s mother had called her. “But we all love it. You tell us the funniest stories.”
Stella burst out laughing at the expression on Zahra’s face. Zahra never thought of herself as funny. She got herself in trouble all the time but managed to get out of trouble as quickly as she got into it.
“We’re going to the Grill tonight for drinks and dancing and after, we’re camping out by the lake for three nights. I have time to set up tents for us,” Stella offered as a bribe. “I know it’s short notice, but I really need to get away. It’s not that far from the resort.” Which was still far for those living in town if they had to check on their businesses during the day.
“Definitely in for the Grill,” Shabina said readily. “Give me an hour to see if I can arrange for camping. If Vaughn can cover for me, I’m there. I could use a little downtime. And I can help set up tents. I should be off in another couple of hours.”
Zahra moaned again as she took another bite. That earned her a couple of very interested looks from the two men at the table across from them, which she missed entirely. Stella and Shabina exchanged knowing looks. They were used to Zahra and the way she attracted men. She couldn’t help it. She flirted outrageously and didn’t seem to notice she was flirting.
The other man magnet in their group was Vienna. She walked down the street and could cause a traffic jam. The difference was she was aware of it— she just didn’t care. She was extremely intelligent and very independent like all the women in the circle of friends. She worked out hard, did the same outdoor activities as the rest of them and they all swore that, like Zahra, she didn’t even sweat.
“Good grief, Zahra, if you keep making that sound, you’re going to get arrested for indecent exposure or something,” Stella warned.
Zahra burst out laughing. “I can’t help it. This pasta is that good.”
Shabina’s face lit up, her dark eyes shining. “That’s the nicest thing you could have said to me. A customer demanded his money back after eating the entire lunch, claiming it gave him an upset stomach and it was the worst meal he’d ever had.”
“You have got to be kidding me.” Zahra was outraged. “I hope you didn’t refund his money, Shabina. He was just looking for a free meal. What an ass. Did you call the police?”
“He didn’t really cause a disturbance and when I asked him to leave, he did. It seems, though, he did call the police on me.” A slight flush slid under the beautiful dusky skin she’d inherited from her mother.
Stella sat back in the booth and regarded her carefully. “I don’t suppose a certain detective just happened to show up with a police officer to investigate the complaint. I wonder why that would be.”
“A detective investigates all sorts of crimes, including deliberately trying to poison customers, which, apparently, I tried to do,” Shabina pointed out, her chin lifting and her wealth of very black lashes feathering down to cover royal-blue eyes.
“He actually accused you of trying to poison him?” Stella said, the smile fading.
Shabina nodded. “Apparently Mr. Watson— that was the customer— is certain I am from Iran or Iraq or Afghanistan and have been planted here to get information, possibly on the Marine training center just down the road from us.”
“Just down the road?” Zahra echoed. “You mean five hours away? That training center?”
“Wait,” Stella said, frowning, looking up to meet Shabina’s eyes. “Sean Watson? Works for Fish and Wildlife? That doesn’t make any sense. Has he always given you trouble, Shabina? You must have crossed paths with him before this. We all know him.”
Shabina shrugged. “He asked me out a while back, but there was just something about the way he did it that bothered me. He’s attractive. Even my type. I thought about it, but I didn’t like the way he was looking at me, or maybe it was the way he worded it when he asked me. I can’t tell you exactly why I said no. It wasn’t even a hard no. I just said I couldn’t make it right then, that I’d have to take a rain check.”
“What did he do?” Zahra asked, her dark brown eyes wide with concern.
“He looked me up and down as if I were so beneath him. He had a sneer on his face, like he was really disgusted. He just turned around and walked away. After that, he would come into my café once a week and complain about the food. He’d usually send his lunch back at least twice. I tried to make certain I could slip out the back door if I saw him coming. If I wasn’t here, he just ate and left.” She hesitated. “Little things started happening about six months ago. Not often, about once a month or so. Someone took a spray can and wrote all over the outside of the café for me to go back to my country, whatever that means. I was born here. My mother isn’t even full Saudi Arabian. In any case, I reported it to the police and we put primer over it and painted that same morning.”
“You didn’t say a word,” Stella said.
“I know.” Shabina sighed. “It just left such a bad taste in my mouth. The other incidents were similar. Vandalism, mostly. I’ve installed more security cameras recently, both inside the café and outside. I asked Lawyer to help me. He installed the cameras for me and put the apps on my phone, iPad and computer to warn me if anyone came near the place.”
Zahra continued to frown, looking at Shabina with that same concern. “Why didn’t you contact Bale’s security company?”
“He’s friends with Sean Watson,” Stella answered for Shabina. “Remember, Bale dated Harlow for a short time about six months ago. She broke it off abruptly but never really said why. They only went on a couple of dates. Maybe we should ask her.”
“He asks her out all the time,” Shabina offered. “I’ve seen him messaging her. Mostly she ignores the messages, but sometimes she’ll type a reply and it’s very short. Once I asked her why she didn’t block him when he has to be driving her crazy with so many messages, and she just shrugged and said she really didn’t want to piss him off.”
Stella sat back and regarded Shabina’s face. She was a beautiful woman. Harlow was as well. They were very different in looks. Harlow was a fiery flame. Red hair, brilliant jade eyes. Freckles over her nose and across her high cheekbones that only added to her beauty. She was tall with long legs and she could move fast when she wanted, although she seemed to be always graceful, even in stiletto heels—training from being a senator’s daughter and having to attend endless fund-raisers, she laughingly told them.