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Chapter 3
Molly
“Good morning, Sheriff Michaels!” I call out, the bell above the door alerted me that someone entered and I caught sight of hisblack Stetson out of the corner of my eye as I removed a sheet of cookies from the oven. “I’ll be right there.”
“Take your time,” he says, taking his hat off with one hand, while he swipes his other hand through his dark hair. From another quick glance at his face, I can tell he looks uncomfortable.
Getting the cookies sorted, I wash my hands and walk up to the counter. “What can I get you today?”
“Would it be possible to close up for a couple of minutes, so we could talk?” The timber of his voice is so filled with concern that my stomach clenches up and I wonder if someone died.
Without a word, I flip the sign on my door and motion to one of the small tables. Michaels carefully lowers his large frame onto one of the chairs, and it suddenly occurs to me how impractical the seating is, but that’s a problem for another day.
“Gwen Lachman called me to her studio yesterday as she was trying to figure out what type of complaint she can file against you,” he tells me, and I can’t believe she’s so upset over less than ten dollars’ worth of bread.
“Over the gluten-free, vegan bread thing?” I ask him, cocking my head to the side.
“No, about an order of bacon cheeseburgers that she believes you sent her. She’s convinced they’re a threat of some sort,” he tells me, putting his hands, palms facing up on the small bistro table. I can’t make heads or tails out of what he’s talking about, so I just stare at him.
Finally, he lets out a sigh of relief. “Thank God. You didn’t send them.”
“Sheriff, I…”
Just then, his radio squawks and I hear Jessa’s voice saying his name. He holds his finger up, as he reaches for it.
“This is Michaels. Go.”
“Sheriff, Gwen Lachman just called 911 again. Someone delivered breakfast sandwiches, double meat, to her yoga class.” Jessa is my closest friend in town and there’s no disguising the mirth in her voice. I start to laugh, then slap my hand over my mouth before holding both of my hands up in the air to pantomime my innocence.
“I swear, I didn’t, Sheriff. It’s just that Jessa’s tone of voice made me laugh,” I tell him, sounding like a child, as I try not to burst out in laughter.
“You can put your hands down,” he says with an irritated shake of his head. Even a blind person could tell that he’s holding back his own smile as he clicks his mic on. “Jessa, hold a minute.”
“And you absolutely did not send her food at any time, correct?” he asks me, his dark gaze holding my own.
“I promise, I didn’t. Honestly, I’m just trying to pay my bills and build my business. Yesterday we had a little disagreement about a specially requested item that she had placed via my website. I printed the order for my records after she got upset, but I have a very clear ‘no refund’ policy for special requests due to my time and ingredients. Gwen’s request did not mention a vegan requirement, so I made it with eggs. I can take a bad review or two, but if I cave to one person, then I’ll have to make exceptions for others, and I can’t afford to do that.”
“Understood. Did you happen to vent or complain about her to anyone?”
“No, sir, I didn’t. I closed up at three, cleaned, and did my prep work for today. Then, I heated up a frozen pizza and crashed,” I tell him my routine for most days, trying not to sound pathetic. “You and Charlie were here when it happened, but I didn’t speak to anyone about it.”
“Based on what you’ve said, spending that kind of money on deliveries isn’t within your budget.” He lifts his eyebrow in my direction as he gives me a silent hint of what to say if I’m questioned again. “I’m not going to spend any of my department’s time trying to track down the records from the food app, but if you think of anything else, let me know.”
With that he places his customary order with me, and radio’s back to Jessa, asking her to send Deputy Smith over to the yoga studio.
I feel a little bad about reminding him that Charlie witnessed the entire scene yesterday, but being his sister-in-law, I’m sure he knows that she has way too much on her plate to screw around sending meat to a vegan.
*
Sunday morning, I actually sleep until nearly eight and it feels heavenly after the day before. The weather has finally started to turn and yesterday’s rush made it worthwhile for me to stay open later than normal. If the number of people who are out walking around the town square is any indication of what summer weekends are like in Rowansville, I will be changing my day off yet again.
Since I started closing the bakery on Sundays, I’ve had a weekly get-together with Jessa and whoever else is available, but with Shade being held on a murder charge, she has, understandably, cancelled having us over to her aunt’s house.
I was a bit nervous when Bree offered to host it this week, what with my last conversation with her husband.Pull your big girl pants on, I tell myself, getting up to prepare something to bring with me.
Starting with a batch of red velvet cupcakes, I quickly decide to make brownies as well; figuring Flint and that boy they’rehelping out, into the equation. I shoot out a group text to see if anyone needs a ride before I jump in the shower.
My prayers are answered when I get out and see a message from Tabby who offers to pick us up since she’s on the opposite side of town from Bree anyway. I hope that I wasn’t completely transparent. I offered to drive, but since it’s the one day a week I get to drink with my girlfriends, I really didn’t want to.
