Temptation Trails - Page 148

The back of my neck tingled and the hair on my arms stood on end. A chill ran down my spine. Was it cold? Maybe the air conditioning had just turned on.

“So, how has Garrett been lately?” he asked, his gaze still on the case. “I talked to Sheriff Cordero a bit ago and he said Garrett is taking some leave.”

“He’s taking a few days off, yeah.”

“Good. I’m glad to hear that. He’s been working too hard.”

“Yeah. Big case and everything.”

“Right, the Joyner cold case. So much scrutiny. The whole town has been buzzing about it.” He looked up. “Will the intrepid detective catch a killer?”

“Let’s hope so.”

“Indeed. A guy like that? We don’t want him on the loose.”

“No, definitely not.”

He pointed to a row of double chocolate chunk cookies. “How about one of those.”

“Is that going to be all, or would you like more than one? I’m just wondering if I should get you a box or not.”

He put his hands on his middle again. “I’m afraid I need to pace myself. One will have to do. For today, at least.”

I put a double chocolate chunk cookie in a bag and handed it to him, then rang him up. He gave me cash and as I was taking out his change, the door opened again. And in walked Matt.

My eyes widened and my already jumpy stomach did a leap. It was the weirdest thing. He looked so… nondescript. Not even that, he was almost bumbling. Maybe the contrast between him and Phillip was so stark—the sleek lawyer versus the rumpled awkward guy who drove a white van—it made it more apparent. But could I really believe Matt was a savvy thief? An expert at breaking and entering, and possibly responsible for much, much worse?

Phillip took his change and glanced over his shoulder. Was that a flicker of frustration in his eyes? Even anger?

Maybe I was the one who was getting paranoid.

He turned back to me. “Make sure Garrett takes those days off. I think he needs the break.”

“Yeah,” I said absently, looking toward the front window, hoping to see Stan and Russell circle around the block. “He was just going to follow up on a lead, then he’ll go home. Take a break.”

A timer went off in the kitchen. I’d set the one on my phone, but it wasn’t chiming. Why did my bad luck love to mess with timers so much? I pulled my phone out of my pocket and checked. Sure enough, the timer wasn’t even running.

Oh well, that was why I always used more than one. I set it on the counter. “Excuse me, I have to run back to get something out of the oven.”

“No problem. It was nice to finally meet you. I’m sure I’ll see you soon.”

Another chill ran down my spine. I glanced between him and Matt, then out the window. Still no Stan or Russell.

“Be right with you,” I said to Matt and ducked into the kitchen.

The scent of figs and honey filled the air and I hoped the feta would be a nice counterpoint to the sweetness. I took the perfectly browned cookies out of the oven and set them on the island. At least I hadn’t burned them.

But I still had to deal with Matt.

Wishing Phillip hadn’t left, or that Stan and Russell would come back, I went out front. Matt stood in front of the pastry case, hands shoved in the pockets of his baggy jeans. His beard was slightly less scraggly than usual, but his hair was matted down on top, like he’d been wearing headphones.

I pondered for a second while he looked over the selection. Garrett and I had wondered if Matt was behind everything. But him? Was he an expert lock-picker? A man with an uncanny ability to blend in, go unseen, and get in and out of someone’s house without leaving a trace?

He scratched his backside. I was really starting to wonder.

Although, for all I knew, the guy I was seeing was an act, and all those true crime stories weren’t things he’d heard on a podcast. They were stories of things he’d done.

“What are those?” He pointed to the case.