Chapter Seventeen
Aames and Kazad entered the Sunriser Cafe and quickly spotted Hollins sitting at a back table, far from the row of booths lining the front window. His face was grim. A plump waitress wearing a checkered apron and jeans that were a size too small was refilling his coffee as the two detectives slid into the booth. The waitress set the coffee pot on the table and grabbed her order pad.
“What can I get you?” she asked, as if they had driven there with a particular favorite in mind.
“Coffee, please. Black,” said Kazad.
Aames held up two fingers.
“Okay, two coffees. Anything else for you two?”
Aames pulled a slightly sticky laminated menu from behind the condiment caddy, flipping between the two sides. “I’ll need some time to process all this, ma’am.”
“I’ll check back,” she said, unamused, then disappeared into a side station.
“Looks like real home cooking,” said Kazad.
“Maybe your home,” replied Aames.
The waitress returned with a pair of coffee cups and filled them black. “Are you ready to order?” She glanced at Aames first.
“I’ll pass this morning, thank you.”
She pivoted to Kazad, pencil at the ready.
“I’d like two eggs, medium hard, hash browns, sausage and orange juice, please,” said Kazad.
“You can go ahead and start my order too,” said Hollins.
“I’ll get that out shortly,” she said and headed toward the kitchen.
Kazad blew on his coffee. “So what’s going on, Roy? Why the secret meeting in Hooterville?”
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Ned's Blog 
Still gripping! Should the word ‘and’ be ‘an’? “The telephone repair van slowed, pulling behind and empty car that had been parked a block away.”
Yes! Thank you, Susan!