What She Saw

“I will.”

The deputies rose, leaving immediately. Haley jumped up, still feeling shaken, but needing to take care of her favorite customer. Her favorite customer? What an odd thought, considering he didn’t talk all that much. But he was nice. Then it struck her that he never came in with the rest of the waves. He always came alone.

Move. She needed to move. She felt as if news of Ray’s death had tossed her brain like a salad, if only because she had once known him and he seemed so young to end this way. Keeping busy seemed like the only antidote.

She grabbed the freshest coffeepot, a cup and saucer, and headed for Devlin’s table. “Hi, Mr. Devlin,” she said, trying for a smile as she poured his coffee. “What’ll it be tonight?”

“An omelet with green peppers and onions, and rye toast, please.”

Unlike others, he never imagined she would remember his usual order. He always told her, and rarely did he change it.

“Coming up,” she said as cheerfully as she could.

Then he startled her by calling her by name. “Haley?”

She turned at once, surprised, and found those deep, dark eyes fixed on her. “Yes?”

“There was an accident?”

“Yeah. A truck went off the road east of here. One of your company’s, I think. At least it looked like your truck.”

He nodded slowly. “I heard some of what you said. Mind telling me about it?”

She hesitated, then decided there was no reason not to. The place was nearly a graveyard right now, and there was no reason not to chat for a few minutes.

“Sure,” she said. “Let me just put your order in. Want me to leave the coffeepot here?”

For the first time since she’d met him months ago, a faint smile touched the edges of his mouth and sparkled quietly in his eyes. It seemed to reach out and touch her, and made her tingle. “Sure. And bring a cup for yourself if it’s okay with the boss.”

Hasty, as usual, didn’t have a problem. “As soon as I make his meal, I’m heading out back for a smoke. Go ahead and take a break. Damn, ain’t that some news about Ray? Used to go to my church before the family fell away.”

After serving his meal, Haley got herself a cup and joined Devlin at the table. He stuck out a large hand. “Buck Devlin.”

She shook it. “Haley Martin.”

“Wild night, huh? Do you want something to eat?”

She shook her head. “Thanks, I’m okay. Hasty lets me eat whenever I want.”

“One of the perks of working here, I guess. He sure makes a great omelet.”

“You should try some of the other things on the menu sometime. He’s good at them all.”

Again that faint smile in the corners of his eyes. “So you’ve noticed I’m a creature of habit.”

“When it comes to what you eat here, anyway.”

“I guess it comes from all the years when I didn’t have any say about much.” He fell silent, eating his omelet, munching on a bite of toast. She refilled his cup when he half drained it.

“So,” he said a couple of minutes later, “you knew the driver who was in the accident?”

“I went to school with him. This is the first time I’ve seen him in a few years. Do you know him? It looked like he drives for the same company. His shirt was like yours and his truck, too.”

“I didn’t know him. I don’t spend a whole lot of time hanging around the terminal.”

“Oh.” She wondered what that meant about him. Maybe he didn’t have a whole lot of time between trips. Or maybe he wasn’t like the other drivers who, when they came in here, at least, seemed to crave the company of other drivers. He did seem self-contained.

“Must be a shock for you,” he said.

“I guess.” She hesitated. “I don’t know, Mr. Devlin—”

“Buck,” he interrupted.

“Buck,” she repeated obediently. “Honestly, I haven’t seen Ray in six years. It was a surprise to see him again tonight. I thought he’d left for good. So, yes, it was a bit of a shock, but not a huge one. If you know what I mean.”

He nodded. “I understand.”

Something about his face suggested he did.

“Maybe he fell asleep at the wheel,” she said when he remained quiet. “Not that he seemed sleepy or anything when he stopped in for coffee. But I guess it’s possible.”

“Could be. Some drivers push it too hard and too long.”

“I thought there were regulations about that.”

“There are. And for every regulation there’s a way around it. So…you said you saw him doing something before he came in here.”

She turned her coffee cup in her hands, looking down. Something about the intensity of his gaze made her a little self-conscious, like she should be patting her hair to make sure it hadn’t fallen from the bun she wore to work. “I’m not sure what I saw.” She nodded toward the window. “You can see how hard it is to see the lot from inside here. The odd thing was the way the two trucks were parked. Back-to-back. That’s something I haven’t seen before.”

“Anything else?”

She wondered why he was so curious about it when the cops seemed to think it irrelevant, but then figured there was no harm in telling him. He worked for the same company, after all. Maybe he figured the company would have some questions for him.

“Well, I was sitting at one of the tables studying when I heard a clanging. I glanced out and thought it looked like they were moving some crates around, like there was a ramp between the trucks. But honestly, Buck, I’m not sure. I wasn’t paying close attention and I couldn’t see clearly. I don’t see what that has to do with his accident, anyway.”

“Maybe nothing,” Buck said, returning to his meal. “How’s the pie?”

“I recommend the cherry cobbler tonight. Hasty makes the best in the world.”

His face suddenly blossomed into a smile, and the expression took her breath away. My God, he was gorgeous.

“Then I’ll break tradition and have some cobbler a little later. Tell me about yourself, Haley Martin.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m curious.”

Being the object of Buck Devlin’s curiosity made her heart skip a little. Why in the world would he be interested in her? But when she considered the story she had to tell, she figured the interest wouldn’t last. Not that it mattered, she told herself.