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“Nana will understand. It’s not the first time I’ve had to cancel on her.” Cole placed his hand over hers. The strong fingers encased her smaller ones, making Olivia feel dainty and feminine. Warmth slid up her arm into her belly. Butterflies ignited as a heat crept into her cheeks. “I’m glad I’m here to help. We’ll catch this guy, Olivia. In the meantime, we’ll have plenty of opportunities to work on my speech for Eli’s wedding.”
A laugh bubbled up. “That’s true.”
He squeezed her hand and then released it. “Ready to do this?”
She nodded, feeling like a pile of bricks had been lifted from her shoulders. Her stalker was still out there somewhere, but for the first time since this entire thing began, Olivia was hopeful.
Those positive vibes continued as they crossed Main Street. The sunshine was warm on Olivia’s hair and the air was scented with sugar from the bakery. Mr. Kemp, the town barber, waved in greeting from the doorway of his shop three doors down. Olivia waved back.
“Friendly town.” Cole also lifted his hand in a greeting to Mr. Kemp. “I can see why you enjoy living here.”
“My recent troubles aside, Serenity is a great place to be. The townsfolk take care of each other.” She entered Blessed Events. The front room had a desk for her secretary and a waiting area for clients. Matching love seats were arranged around a coffee table loaded with wedding magazines. Fresh flowers scented the air.
“Morning!” Susan Reynolds rose from her white desk chair. Bangles on her wrist jangled and her long dress fluttered around her legs as she circled the desk. Her curly hair hit just above the shoulders and framed her heart-shaped face. She grabbed a stack of message slips and handed them to Olivia. “There’s nothing urgent in there, but you should return those calls before lunch. You’ve got back-to-back meetings with new clients this afternoon. I need you to look over the Clemming budget and there are half a dozen invoices on your desk for review. Oh, and you have a cake tasting at five.”
The day was off to a jump start.
“Thanks for taking care of everything this morning.”
Olivia hadn’t told Susan about the creepy messages or the attack from last night. Chief Sims wanted to continue keeping things as quiet as possible for now. Eli concurred, especially since Cole was working undercover. The fewer questions about his sudden appearance, the better. Olivia felt uneasy about the decision since Susan worked for her, but Chief Sims assured her it was the correct way to handle the situation. Gossip and rumors could alert the stalker to their plan, which might cause him to go into hiding or escalate in a panic. Neither would be good.
Olivia gestured to Cole. “Susan, I’d like you to meet Cole Donnelly. He’s the new assistant I hired yesterday.”
“Welcome.” Susan’s gaze seemed to assess Cole in a flash, and judging from her broad smile, she liked him.
A relief. Susan had never been a fan of Olivia’s former assistant, David. They’d been too different. Susan was thirty and married. Her husband worked construction, and they hung out with a blue-collar crowd. She prided herself on organization and tidiness. David was mid-twenties, from a wealthy background, and single. He’d been artistic, messy, and a touch snobbish. Eventually they’d formed a cordial working relationship, but it’d taken time.
“Pleasure to meet you, ma’am.” Cole tipped his cowboy hat in her direction. “Olivia said the office couldn’t run without you. I worked in a hotel in Galveston before this, so I’m new to the wedding-planning business. I hope you won’t hold it against me if it takes some time to learn the ropes.”
“Nonsense. You have a smart look about you, cowboy. I’m sure we’ll get along fine.” Susan flashed him a brilliant smile. It wasn’t flirty. More endearing, like he was the long-lost brother she’d dreamed of. “Olivia mentioned you’re a good friend of Elijah Goodwin.”
“Yes, ma’am. We go way back.”
They’d stuck as close to the truth as possible when creating Cole’s cover story. Olivia watched as the two continued to talk. Susan was normally tough as nails and suspicious of newcomers. Cole proved to be an exception. True to his word, he charmed her. Or maybe it was the connection to Elijah and Sienna that convinced Susan to give Cole a chance. She adored the couple as much as Olivia did.
Leaving them to their conversation, Olivia went to her office. The walls were painted a pale lavender. A stack of mail and invoices rested on the corner of her glass-topped desk. She opened her laptop to power it up before shuffling through the bills.
“You’re right.” Cole appeared in the doorway. He glanced over his shoulder and lowered his voice. “Susan grilled me about my family.”
Olivia chuckled. “I warned you.” She gestured to the desk on the other side of the office. It was equipped with a PC, a phone, and a comfy leather chair. “That’s yours.”
“Perfect.” He assessed the mood boards leaning against the wall. “I’ll need a list of your clients.”
“To learn about them? Or to do a background check?”
He flashed her a charming smile. “Both.” His nose wrinkled. “It’s illegal to access law enforcement databases for personal purposes, and since I’m working this case on my own time, I have to be creative. But you’d be surprised what can be dug up using public resources and social media. If I find anyone suspicious, I’ll turn the name over to Eli and he’ll do an official background check.”
Olivia prayed Cole wouldn’t find anyone suspicious among her clients. The thought that one of them was stalking her… a shudder rippled down her spine. “I’ll have Susan get you a list.”
A manila envelope in the stack of mail caught her attention. Her name was scrawled across it, but there were no stamps. It hadn’t been mailed. She picked it up, feeling the weight and unusual shape at the bottom. One of her clients was supposed to drop off a sample of the decorations she wanted for the reception table centerpieces. This must be it.
She unsealed the back flap and glanced inside the envelope. Confusion gave way to horror as she realized what was staring back at her.
NINE
Cole’s stomach turned as Chief Sims lifted the dead mouse out of the envelope. A noose had been tied around the rodent’s neck. The body was stiff, indicating it’d been dead for a while.
It was his first good look at the stalker’s handiwork. After Olivia discovered what was inside the envelope, Cole left everything as it was for Chief Sims. Although he was a Texas Ranger and knew how to preserve evidence, he wasn’t officially working this case. Any improper handling of the contents could damage precious evidence or give a defense attorney an opening to challenge the validity.
