Page 10 of Forget-Me-Nots and Apricots

I shrugged, uncomfortable with the direction this conversation was taking. "Was there anything else, Detective? Because I do have work to finish.”

The Detective gave an amused look before he shook his head, “That will be all Ms. Reed. Have a good day.” He gave me one last look, his eyes flicking over me before leaving me bewildered and wondering what the hell that was about.

Chapter Six

Thebelljingledasthe detective left, and I stared at the closed door for longer than necessary. Something about him unsettled me. Not in the way most Alphas did—with their overbearing scents and domineering attitudes—but in a quieter, more insidious way. Like he could see through the careful walls I'd built.

"Is it safe to come out now?" Jamie's head poked around the storage room door, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern.

"Depends," I said, picking up my scissors again. "Are you going to abandon me again the next time law enforcement waltzes in?"

Jamie had the decency to look sheepish as he emerged fully. "In my defense, that guy was intimidating. Like, top-tier Alpha intimidating." He slid behind the counter beside me.

"So...," he said, sidling up beside me. "What did Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Badge want?"

I handed him the photograph that Collins had left behind. "Remember that Alpha who burst in here the other day? Turns out he's missing."

Jamie studied the picture, his eyebrows rising. "Huh. He looks different here. Less... feral."

"That's what I thought." I moved back to my arrangement, needing to keep my hands busy while my mind raced. "Apparently he was last seen near that funeral home."

"The one where you got tackled?" Jamie's voice asked with a hint of concern.

I nodded, my fingers working methodically at the stems. "The very same. Interesting coincidence, don't you think?"

Jamie frowned, setting the photograph down. "You don't believe in coincidences."

"Exactly." I stepped back to examine my work, tilting my head critically. The arrangement was coming together nicely, yellow roses and white lilies creating a cheerful backdrop for the deeper purple irises. "Something doesn't add up."

"Like what?" Jamie moved closer, lowering his voice even though we were alone in the shop. "You think this missing Alpha has something to do with why that officer tackled you?"

I shrugged, reaching for a sprig of baby's breath. "I think it's strange that a panicked Alpha bursts into my shop one day, and the next I'm being tackled at a funeral home where he was last seen."

Jamie fidgeted with a ribbon, twisting it around his finger. "What are you thinking? That he's mixed up in something illegal? Or maybe..." His voice dropped even lower. "Maybe they did something to him."

"I don't know," I admitted, arranging the last sprig of baby's breath with more care than necessary. "But that detective wasn't just here to apologize. He was sizing me up, trying to figure out if I knew more than I was saying."

"Did you tell him everything?"

I shot Jamie a look. "Of course I did. I don't know anything about that Alpha except that he burst in here looking terrified and then ran out. What else would I have to hide?"

Jamie raised his hands in surrender. "Just asking. No need to bite my head off."

I sighed, setting down my scissors. "Sorry. This whole thing has me on edge."

Jamie's expression softened. "It's okay to be unsettled, you know. Normal, even."

"I'm not unsettled," I insisted, though the lie felt hollow even to my own ears. "I just don't like being in the middle of... whatever this is."

The bell above the door jingled again, and we both turned, Jamie tensing beside me. But it was only Mrs. Reynolds from the bakery, carrying a basket covered with a checkered cloth.

"Good morning, dears!" she called, her cheerful voice dispelling some of the tension in the air. "I've brought you some of those lemon scones you like so much, Vivian."

I managed a smile, grateful for the interruption. "You're an angel, Mrs. Reynolds."

She set the basket on the counter, beaming. "Nonsense. Just being neighborly."

Her kind eyes crinkled at the corners as she surveyed the shop. "Such beautiful arrangements today! You have your grandfather's touch, dear."

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