Cash Cow
Today is the day that Eve sat down with her accountant after closing and learned that she had a liquid net worth of two million dollars and that the business, at this point, if she ever sold it, could go for about five million dollars.
The Cardinal And The Jack Coffee House And Bakery - Cambridge, Massachusetts
In the mornings, Eve's shop hummed. In three years of business, it has become a destination for daily workers, students, and travelers worldwide. The Cardinal's fame was helped early on when it was chosen as a location for one of those Christmas movies where the owner of a trendy bakery falls for a local guy, and they ride off together at the end of the movie.
Eve's design sense caused the production company to say to Eve, "We must use the Cardinal And The Jack as a location for this movie."
It made sense.
The Bakers at the Jack (Eve and now Melinda) wear traditional Bakers uniforms: a white coat, an apron, and a sort of half-toque for a hat. Their dedication to craft is visible to anyone at The Cardinal. The kneading, shaping, brushing, and baking were done behind the counter but slightly elevated.
The racks are accessible to customers who pick and choose what they want using tongs.
The left side of the counter is where coffee orders take place. Eve has kept this simple and less expensive than other places. She always says, "If you want a dessert coffee, you can go elsewhere. At the Jack, you get coffee to enhance your dessert."
The bakery is spotless.
A food server handles orders from those sitting at the small tables.
The sheet pans, mixing bowls, and utensils were all imported from France, and the recipes, aside from American Blueberry muffins, were all learned by Eve during a two-year arduous process in France where the master bakers worked Eve to the bone but with great humor.
They liked her.
The only way something like the cardinal could survive and thrive came from two things.
Eve, with the help of her Grandfather, owned the property.
The neighborhood was upscale and surrounded by upscale suburbs.
Eve charged what the product was worth, but she kept things reasonable.
The bulk of the cash inflow is not what most people would think. The customers' orders for coffee and breakfast items were profitable, but the real business was the orders for bulk items through the website.
Restaurants, hotels, and other businesses bought baked goods in bulk. Households in the suburbs placed large orders for weekends and holidays. Eve, I had room in the back of the house to add two industrial ovens, which she kept busy.
Today is the day that Eve sat down with her accountant after closing and learned that she had a liquid net worth of two million dollars and that the business, at this point, if she ever sold it, could go for about five million dollars.
When Eve heard this, she choked a bit on her croissant.
"Are you freaking serious?"
Brad, her accountant, congratulated Eve. "You deserve it, Evie." "You work hard as an owner/operator, and it's clear that your heart is into this; I mean, look at this place."
Brad looked around and said, "The authenticity alone makes this a destination, not just a coffee shop."
"Your online reviews are stellar except for a few assholes."
Eve looked at Brad and laughed, "There is one review from a woman I refused to refund. She said she did not like her chocolate croissant and wanted a refund even though she ate 90% of it."
Eve looked at Brad and said, "I gave her the Massachusetts - "Have A Nice Day" and walked her out the door."
Brad looked perplexed, being from Iowa. "What is the Massachusetts Have A Nice Day"
Eve smiled and looked at Brad and said, "I told her to go fuck herself."
Brad turned bright red in the face and laughed hard.
Eve's new status brought up old questions. She thought, "How can I get married, have a baby, and run this place?" "Plus, we live forty miles away."
FBI New England Regional Headquarters - Chelsea, Massachusetts
When a meeting takes place in the small auditorium, you know it's something big. This morning, the air in the room was cold, and someone requested that the A.C. be turned down.
The police chiefs from the cities where three victims have been found, their bosses, mayors or selectmen, State police investigators from two states, and any attendees that the state Governors requested are in the room. There are about 40 people in the room, all grabbing donuts and coffee from the tables in the rear.
Absent on purpose are members of the press.
Today, the F.B.I. is going to tell everyone what they already know.
We have a serial killer.
The killer is male.
The killer most likely knew the victims.
Here is all we know.
The FBI will then make recommendations about how to proceed, manage the press, and control the populace's potential panic.
All the Police Chiefs sat and waited and looked at their watches.
It will be at least ten minutes before the first speaker makes a Cop and Donut joke.
Thomas Allston is down the hall.
He stopped by and signed in to see Special Agent Lisa Tanaka.
He has questions about her and Ben Mason's upcoming wedding.
How convenient.