Cypress Nights Read Online Free PDF Page A

nothing.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?” he asked, although he was aware of surreptitious glances quickly averted.
    â€œI don’t know. They watched us outside when we were coming here. Then I thought everything was fine—until we came inside. Now, they’re pretending not to look at us and talk, but it’s obvious they are. What can they be saying? Do you think they’ve heard about Jim Zachary yet?”
    â€œI doubt it,” Cyrus said. “Lil won’t have been at the rectory yet. Everything was done so quietly last night andthere was no one around but us, then Spike and his guys. It’ll all come out soon enough. Everyone will be questioned.”
    â€œYep,” Roche said, catching a pair of interested eyes that looked away at once. “You’re right though, Bleu. We’re the entertainment around here this morning—at least for some.”
    Cyrus cleared his throat and bent forward over the table. “Don’t put too much emphasis on that. Not at all,” he said. “Small towns have their own habits. The folks are interested in everything. Yes, they surely are. You haven’t been here long, Bleu, so you’re the latest unknown quantity. They’re still sizin’ you up all right. I don’t know why they’d look at Roche and they surely wouldn’t bother with me. They’re so used to me, I’m pretty much invisible.”
    Bleu let out a short laugh. How could a man be so oblivious of his presence. “Father Cyrus, you couldn’t be invisible if you tried. And every woman who sees Roche just about drools.”
    Her hand, audibly slapped over her mouth, made Roche smile, and he didn’t miss the way Cyrus tried to squelch a grin.
    Embarrassed, Bleu said, “I just meant you’re easy on the eye. Well, nice to look at, anyway. So people are bound to watch you.”
    Bleu glanced at Cyrus, who raised his eyebrows and gave her a great big smile.
    â€œI guess I’m just a smooth talker,” she said, chagrined at her own clumsy efforts. “I’ve led a pretty sheltered life, so you’ll have to make allowances for me.”
    Sidney, her dark eyes clear and cheerful, arrived with a bunch of coffee cups strung on her fingers. Deftly, sheswung off three and set one in front of each of them. “Coffee?” she said. “Leaded or unleaded?”
    She wriggled menus from the pocket of her apron and passed them around. Sidney had worked with Jilly for several years and took pride in the café.
    â€œLeaded with cream,” Bleu said.
    â€œLeaded, black,” Cyrus said, and Roche asked for the same.
    â€œYou havin’ cooked breakfasts?” Sidney asked, pouring coffee from a carafe. Her shiny brown hair hung in a single braid down her back.
    â€œOh, an omelette,” Bleu told her, pretending to faint against the wall.
    The others laughed. “Bowl of grits, and the morning man-blast,” Cyrus said. “Two sausages, two pieces of bacon, two eggs, hush puppies, corn bread, honey—and whatever else you can get on the plate.”
    â€œMake that two of those,” Roche said, feeling better already, even if he was having a testosterone rush. Or maybe that was making it a perfect morning.
    Bleu’s gaze met Roche’s and she made him feel suspended in time until she looked away.
    He had a bad case; in fact he had the worst case he could recall. He had always been a hotblooded boy who knew trouble was his middle name when it came to women.
    Cyrus said Sidney’s name softly and she went to bend down beside him. The little smile on her lips suggested that she’d expected him to approach her for something. She nodded, and deep dimples popped into her cheeks before she sped away.
    â€œWhat was that about, Cyrus?” Roche asked, and got himself a puckish grin as an answer.
    â€œSidney and I have our own secret,” Cyrus said. “I’m very good at keeping