Temptation Trails - Page 141

I handed her the piece of paper where I’d made a note of the dates I wanted to check. “So you were recording this area on these dates?”

She slid it closer. “I’m pretty sure we were.”

I almost hesitated to ask, half expecting her to cheerfully say they’d lost or deleted the files long ago. “Do you still have the footage?”

“I’m sure we do. Somewhere.”

“Could I see it?”

Her face brightened. “Of course! I’d love to help catch a killer. You can have anything you need. If they make a show about the case, be sure to tell them my name. Give me a few minutes.”

She disappeared into the back and I wandered around the store, eyeing the arrangements while I waited. Owen sent me a text, saying he was going to his grandparents’ house for the evening. Uncle Theo was taking him. I let him know that was great and I’d see him later.

“That was easier than I thought!” Margie came out, waving a thumb drive. “My husband, God bless him, is so organized. I copied the files for you.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” I took the thumb drive. “I appreciate your help.”

“My pleasure.” She gestured to the flower arrangements. “See anything you like for your lady?”

“Actually…” I took a bouquet of red roses. “I’ll take these.”

“Classic.” She nodded in approval. “I like it and she will too.”

I went back to the counter and paid for the roses, then thanked Margie again.

Outside, the sun was bright, so I slipped on my aviators. As anxious as I was to get to the footage she’d given me, I decided to swing by the bakery first and give Harper her flowers. Angel Cakes was only a few streets away. Not that I needed a reason. Any excuse to see her.

The parking in front of the bakery was full, so I went around to the back, found a spot, grabbed the flowers, and got out.

As I walked by her car near the back entrance to the bakery, I did a double take. Something was tucked beneath the driver’s side windshield wiper. It was a coaster from the Timberbeast Tavern. That was odd. Why would someone have put that on her car?

Wait.

I had a handful of Timberbeast coasters at home. Was that one from my house?

I set the bouquet on her hood and pulled a pair of gloves out of my pocket. The coaster was cardboard, white with the Timberbeast Tavern logo. This one had a chocolate brown splotch on it, just like the spots Owen left on the coasters when he had hot chocolate. The kid always made a mess. It was why I insisted he use a coaster.

Someone had been in my house. And they’d taken that coaster to prove it.

I looked up, my eyes sweeping the parking lot. Whoever they were, they were taunting Harper again—showing her they could still get to her. Newsflash: They couldn’t. Because I was going to catch them first.

CHAPTER 36

Harper

Having a second baker was saving my life. The tiny one was taking a lot of energy. Which made sense. I was growing a person. I’d read an article that described pregnancy as running a marathon every day. No wonder I was tired.

Mila seemed to be settling in. She definitely had a few quirks. She always wore headphones while she worked, and when she did talk to me, her face remained expressionless and her voice monotone. But I was getting used to it and she and Beth appeared to get along. And her baking skills were solid, which was what mattered.

She had a handle on cookies for the pastry case, so I got to work frosting the latest batch of salted caramel cupcakes.

I glanced up just as Garrett appeared in the kitchen doorway out of nowhere, holding a bouquet of red roses. He was in uniform, looking so authoritative and official. I felt like a bit of a hot mess by comparison, with my loose ponytail and Angel Cakes apron covered in flour.

The corners of his mouth turned up in a slow smile. I loved it when he looked at me like that.

“Hey.” I put down the piping bag and walked over to him. “What are you doing here?”

He handed me the flowers and pulled me in for a quick kiss. I set them on the island—they were so beautiful—and by the time I turned back around his smile had disappeared, his expression going stony. This wasn’t Garrett my boyfriend, this was Garrett the cop.