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At that, I snorted. “Some crazy person left you a mysterious gift, and you don’t think you should be worried?”
She shrugged. “It wouldn’t be the first time it’s happened. It’s probably something unpleasant but not illegal. Dirty photos, a bottle of wine, a love letter—you know what I mean.”
I frowned at her cavalier attitude. “You get that kind of stuff?”
“Oh yeah, all the time. But my assistant has always intercepted it before now.”
Anger began to simmer low in my gut. What kind of world did we live in that assholes thought it was all right to harass people simply because they’d seen them on TV?
“I’m sorry you’ve had to deal with that.”
She glanced at me, her eyes widening. “Thank you.”
It almost seemed like she might add something more, but at that moment, a car pulled up, and Constable Shaun Trafalgar led an excited Snuffles down the path. Shaun was wearing shorts and a T-shirt with cartoon reindeer printed on the front, suggesting he’d also been summoned from a casual Christmas event.
“Thanks for coming,” Nate said, then turned to the rest of us. “Please keep your distance so Snuffles has space to work.”
I watched with interest as Shaun and Snuffles did their thing. It only took a few minutes.
“No indication of either explosive materials or drugs,” Shaun announced.
My shoulders relaxed. “Good.”
“Do you want me to hang around, boss?” the constable asked.
“No, get home to your family.” Nate scratched Snuffles behind the ear. “I’ll take it from here.”
“Thanks, Sarge.” The younger cop took the dog and left.
“I told you so,” Desdemona said smugly.
“Aunt,” Grace hissed.
Desdemona sniffed. “Well, I did.”
Nate approached the box cautiously. I followed behind him, Kennedy keeping pace with me. She looked ready to bolt at any second but also seemed determined to see whatever was inside. Nate donned a pair of latex gloves from the emergency kit he kept in his car, then pulled a pocket knife out and used it to cut through the top layer of wrapping. It fell away, revealing a plain brown box. He sliced through the second layer and eased the cardboard open.
“It’s safe,” he called out.
We clustered around as he reached in and pulled out a small gift basket containing body lotion, soap, a bottle of perfume, and scented bath crystals. The fear that had been plaguing me loosened. Nothing dangerous, just an over-the-top gift, as Kennedy had said. But when I looked at her, her mouth had fallen open on a gasp.
“What is it?” Nate demanded, instantly on alert.
She raised a trembling finger. “That’s the soap I use. My favorite perfume and body lotion. The bath salts I buy when I want to treat myself...”
Ice settled in my veins. Not a random gift, then. A very specific gift from someone who must have intimate knowledge of her preferences.
“He knows what I use,” she whispered to herself. “He’s been in my home.”
“Hey, now.” Nate’s voice was calm and firm. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Have you spoken about the products you enjoy publicly? Perhaps had an endorsement deal?”
Kennedy was shaking her head. “For the perfume, yes. But the others…. Only someone who’s been in my house, or whom I’ve spent a lot of time with, would know about them.”
Nate said what we were all thinking. “Fuck.”
“Have you noticed anybody in or around the cottage?” I asked, my heart hammering forcefully in my chest.
“No one.” Her eyes were still locked on the basket. “And there haven’t been any signs of an intruder. Besides, no one knows I’m here.”
