Just as they got to their car Holmes got a call, he looked
at the screen, it said Cody, the owner of Cody’s Coffee and Roastery. He was Holmes’
least favourite hipster. There was something inert about him, that Holmes just didn't like, his handshake was
warm but limp, like holding a recently dead cat and his personality was
similar.
‘DI Holmes.’ Holmes said.
‘Mr Holmes can you come over, there’s been a development.’
‘Holmes looked around him as if a Google map was before his
eyes. He did the calculations, factored in the traffic.
‘20 minutes?’
‘Sure,’ said Cody. Holmes ended the call.
‘Change of plan,’ he said to Daniels, we’re going to see a
recently deceased cat.
‘Cody then is it?’ Daniels said smiling . Holmes nodded, she
was turning into quiet the Watson.
Holmes pushed the door of Cody’s open and looked around. Ten
customers, ten beards, ten MacBook airs, they were more uniform than him and he
was the police. Some electro swing was playing on the speakers and the air
smelt of ‘coffee’.
Cody was waiting for them at the counter. He held out his
hand to Holmes who didn’t want to shake it too firmly in case it came off in
his hand.
‘Thanks for coming.’ He said. ‘Look.’
He handed the pair another business card but this time it
had something printed on the back.
‘Pay us, or we’ll be back.’ Holmes read aloud. He read the
small print in silence.
‘A protection racket.’ He said while passing the card to
Daniels.
‘Who gave you the card?’ Holmes asked.
‘It was left on the table, one of the baristas found it.
Sorry do you want a coffee?’
‘Yes do you have a Columbian?’ Holmes couldn’t believe the
words had come out of his mouth.
‘Chemex or Aeropress?’ Cody said smiling. Holmes looked at him,
Chemex was a new one on him.
‘Chemex, is slow, a drip experience, makes the best coffee,
whereas aeropress is faster.’ Cody said.
‘I’ll try the Chemex.’ Holmes said. Daniels looked at him
like the world had gone mad and Holmes would have given himself the same look
if he could.
‘You can look at the recording while we are waiting,’ Cody
said.
They peered at the grainy CCTV images on the computer. A hipster sitting
alone, MacBook open, cap over his eyes. There was nothing to distinguish him
from any of the other men in any of the other cafes. He was probably one of the
gang of four but not definitely.
Holmes took a mouthful of coffee, it hit the spot. ‘Good stuff,’ he said appreciatively.
‘Thanks,’ Cody said. ‘We pride ourselves on our coffee,
unlike some of the other places.’
‘Oh really?’
‘We were the originals you know, us and the Cup of Coffee.
Have they been hit?’ Cody said, concern in his voice.
Holmes kept a poker face.
‘The others like Tache’s, Tom and Jerry’s and Lulu’s just
copy us, steal our ideas, steal our best barristas etc.’
‘Sounds like there’s no love lost?’ Holmes asked.
‘No, not really, our problem is that some of them are doing
it for money not for the love of coffee. They charge more and the coffee is
well, ropey.’
‘Let me guess,’ said Holmes, ‘Tache’s?’
Cody nodded. Holmes drained his cup and bid the lifeless cat
farewell.
‘So to Tache’s’ said Daniels.
‘No, I can’t face another coffee, it can wait till morning.’
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