Chapter 31 Shadows On The Curb

• Briar Hollis finished sweeping the last traces of sugar and coffee grounds from the café floor before setting the broom aside. Her shoulders ached from the long shift, but the steady rhythm of cleaning always calmed her thoughts. The smell of roasted beans and warm pastries still lingered faintly in the air, though the shop had grown quiet now that the day was finally over.
• She made her way into the small kitchen and peeked inside the narrow office where Mrs. Brown, the manager, sat hunched over a stack of bills, counting the day's till.
• "Do you need me for anything else, Mrs. Brown?" Briar asked softly, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.