We pulled up to Café Yoko’s, grabbing one of the few empty parking spots.
Holly let out an exasperated sigh as we did, glowering at the building. “Do we really have to go in there?”
I shrugged. “Other than Waffle House, I don’t know anywhere else Brent may have gone to.” Then I looked over at her. “If you hate it that much, you can always wait in the car.”
“It’s not that,” she explained. “It’s just that the clientèle is a little, you know… Off.”
“Tell me about it,” I agreed, opening my door.
I figured we’d start at the counter. Brent and I were regulars, so there was a chance someone might have recognized him.
“Hi,” I said to the girl behind the counter. “I’m wondering if maybe you’ve…” I trailed off when I noticed she was pointing at Holly.
“I’ve seen you before, haven’t I?” she said, snapping her fingers to help herself remember.
“Me?” Holly asked, surprised.
“Yeah,” the girl said. “Wait! I remember! You’re the girl that dumped that drink on that guy’s head!”
“Uh…” Holly stuttered out, unnerved by the sudden scrutiny.
The girl leaned forward. “That was you, wasn’t it?”
Holly straightened, standing up to her full five foot, three and a half inches. “Yeah… so?”
“That was the coolest thing!” the girl said. “He was being a total ass at the counter.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. He complained about the line, and the prices.” She shook her head. “I don’t know if he thought he was impressing somebody or what, but he had something to say about everything!”
“That’s just what he was like at Baskin Robbins!” Holly answered with a laugh. “I told him how much a scoop was and he started cussing at me!”
“Seriously?” the girl said in disbelief.
“Seriously!” Holly affirmed.
“So what’d you do?”
“Told him to get the hell out of my store, what else?”
“No way,” the girl said, even more impressed.
“Yup,” Holly said proudly. “Just like that.”
“And the manager didn’t yell at you or anything?”
Holly laughed, and gave the girl a mischievous grin. “I am the manager.”
The girl put her hand on her hip and look dutifully impressed. “Wow, I wish I could do that… Do you handle all your problem customers like that?”
Holly giggled. “You bet. There was this one guy who just barged in right when we were closing. And so I told him…”
I cleared my throat very loudly. Both of them stopped talking and looked at me.
“Oh, yeah,” the girl said. “What did you want to drink?”
“That’s not it,” I said. “I was wondering if you had seen a friend of mine.”
The girl frowned. “Maybe. What’s he look like.”
“Short hair, this tall, kinda whiny. Might have been following a girl like a puppy dog?”
She shook her head. “Don’t think I’ve seen anybody like that. You’re welcome to look around, of course.”
“Of course,” I said, eyeing the many filled tables.
“Anyway…” Holly was already starting up again.
I rolled my eyes. “I’ll be right back,” I said, slipping off into the crowd.
“Sure thing,” Holly said. “Anyway, like I was saying….”
I weaved my way around tables, hoping to see Brent, or maybe even someone we both knew. I made a quick circuit of the café but I didn’t see him anywhere, just the usual, after-hours crowd.
When I got back to the counter, someone else had joined Holly and the counter-girl. Cassie, I realized, slowing up. And from the looks of it, the self-proclaimed problem guru had already gotten herself hired.
Cassie finished taking a sip from the iced drink in her hand. “And so there wasn’t a note or anything? He was just gone?”
Holly nodded. “He even left a half-eaten slice of pizza. And we’re not- Oh, you’re back!” She noticed me returning, and then noticed I was alone. “Brent wasn’t here, I take it?”
I shook my head for an answer, then fixed my gaze on Cassie. “Hi,” I said.
Cassie nodded in greeting, then gave me a significant look. “Was I right?”
I ground my teeth. “Yes. Mostly because Holly talked to you earlier that evening.”
Cassie smirked. “Right is right. Anyway,” she waved at Holly with her hand, “your girlfriend here was just telling me about your disappearing roommate.”
I sighed. “So?” I asked, ignoring the “girlfriend” bit.
“So…” she said. Then she stopped smiling and her eyes narrowed at me in a glare. “Will you believe me this time?”
“Sure,” I answered.
“Seriously,” Cassie pressed.
“Yes,” I agreed, exasperated.
“Promise?”
I gave her a side-long glance.
“You have to promise!” she almost pouted.
“Fine. I promise.”
“Okay then.” Cassie screwed up her face and put her hand under her chin. “It’s really weird, but it sounds to me like he got dragged off by some guy with a gun.”
I gave her a look. She says this and she expects me to believe her. “Really?”
“Yes,” Cassie said with a succinct nod.
I gave her a few seconds to explain herself, and when she didn’t, I spoke up. “And why, exactly, would you say that?”
“Well, think about it. People just don’t leave in the middle of meals unless it’s something serious, and even then, they usually take it with them. Sounds to me like someone dragged him off.”
“Sure it does,” I said blandly.
Cassie’s smug grin faltered a bit and she gave me a suspicious look.
“What about if there was an emergency at work, or something?” the girl behind the counter suggested.
“Nah,” I answered. “He works at Wal-Mart. I don’t think they have emergencies there.”
“And besides,” Cassie added, “people just don’t just drop their meals unless they’re forced to.” Her mouth twisted as she thought for a minute. “Still, you should drop by, just to check.”
“So?” I said after a few seconds had passed.
“So… what?” Cassie asked.
“So are you just telling me to drive over to Wal-Mart and he’ll be there?” I couldn’t keep the exasperation out of my voice.
Cassie looked like I had hurt her feelings. “Well, all you asked was ‘what happened to him’ not ‘where is he’. I guess if you want me to…”
“No, no it’s fine.” I frowned. “Anyway, Holly, we should prob-”
“You don’t believe me, do you?” Cassie broke in, sounding hurt.
I looked at her over the rim of my sun-glasses. What does she want from me? “No offense, but it’s a little implausible that some guy showed up with a gun and dragged Brent off.”
“You promised!” she accused.
“But…” I wasn’t certain what I was supposed to say. She seemed to be completely missing the point.
“You promised!” she said again, this time in something that sounded like a wail. Then she put her back to me and slumped over her drink, sniffling. “My cousin never has this problem. You’ll see I’m right. Just you wait….” she trailed off.
“It’s okay,” the counter-girl said politely. “I believe you.” She gave me a meaningful look that asked us kindly to leave before Cassie burst into tears again.
“That was mean,” Holly said as I dragged her out the door.
I shook my head. “It’s not like you believed her either.”
Holly frowned at me, but she got in the car and we drove off.
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