Page 32 of Freeing Lark

The dread had been building ever since she’d agreed to go. She’d tried ignoring it. That hadn’t worked.

She’d tried throwing herself into the store. That had resulted in three misplaced invoices, a broken display hook, and a sculpture she’d nearly glued to her own hand.

She hoped that the miniature Liberty Bell that was still waiting for her would settle her mind… and stomach. There was something therapeutic about taking thousands of ordinary pennies and turning them into something meaningful.

The bell above the door jingled as Lark stepped into Flour Power Bakery. “Hi, Cammie,” she greeted.

“Morning!”

Lark walked to the counter and ordered her usual coffee and a blueberry muffin. While Cammie worked on the order, Lark glanced around. And stopped. Hoot sat alone at a corner table, his back firmly against the wall. Of course. The man never seemed to sit anywhere without a strategic advantage.

He wasn’t doing anything particularly out of the ordinary. Just drinking coffee. But even from across the bakery, she could see the alertness in him. His gaze moved whenever the door opened. He noticed people entering. Not consciously, perhaps, just automatically. It seemed to be like breathing to him.

Lark studied him. What exactly did this man do? She’d ask, but could admit to herself she was a little afraid of the answer.

She picked up her coffee and muffin, then she looked at Hoot again. He was alone, and she’d promised herself she’d become his friend. Besides, she needed to know about that nickname. It was becoming a personal mystery.

She grabbed her bags and walked toward his table. His gaze lifted immediately. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

“I’d say you are but something tells me you wouldn’t listen.”

Lark smiled. That was probably true. “Good morning to you, too.”

She set the two bags on the floor beside his table. One was heavy enough to make her wince, since it was full of pennies. Thousands of them. The other contained the tools she’d need to work on the bell.

Hoot glanced down. “What are those?”

“Pennies.”

He looked at her. “All of them?”

“Most.”

“Why?”

“For the bell.”

He stared at her for a moment. “Right.”

Lark smiled. She pulled out the chair opposite him. He didn’t invite her to sit. She sat anyway. “So...”

Hoot took a sip of coffee. “So.”

“How’s your morning?”

“Fine.”

“That’s it?”

“Yep.”

Lark nodded thoughtfully. “You’re not very talkative.”

“Nope.”

“That’s okay.” She broke off a piece of her muffin and popped it into her mouth. “I can talk enough for both of us.”

He gave her a long look. “I’ve noticed.”