“Yeah, that’s the name. Another thing. There’s a woman. She owns the bakery.”
He paused, eyes flicking up at him. “Vera.”
“Yeah. She stopped by after the cops came.”
“Not surprising. She’s the town gossip.”
“I caught that. She told Felicity she might be in the market for a new location so her bakery’s in a better spot.”
“And she wants Felicity’s space.”
“Seems that way.”
“I said a lot of people in Willowbrook wouldn’t know how to scramble the camera feeds, but we can’t be too careful. Willow had trouble with that guy from the feed store.”
He raised his brows. “I missed that.”
Carson took a moment to fill him in about the veteran who couldn’t get into the Black Heart therapy program and how hismind twisted Willow’s being nice to him—Willow being Willow—into her being in love with him. He sent gifts that escalated to a kidnapping. And Decker and her brothers had gone to war to get her back.
Gabe swiped a hand down his face. “We can’t let it go that far. We need to look ateverybody, including those in the area with a criminal history.”
Carson returned to his computer. “Honor had a nightmare with her ex. Any chance he’s sending someone to do his dirty work?”
“Anything’s possible. All I know is it feels focused, and this person knows Felicity.”
“Or knows of her.”
His lips tightened across his teeth. “I’d like to see the person who tries to get any closer to her.”
Carson watched him for a moment. “What’s your angle here?”
He didn’t pause to answer. “I’m going to do everything in my power to protect Felicity. Make sure she’s safe.”
“I don’t think your only objective is protecting Felicity.”
“What are you getting at?”
“You’re circling something. Perhaps…a new purpose?”
Gabe leveled him in his stare. “Meaning my plans for the future.”
“Yeah.”
He thought of how to respond, mostly because he didn’t know himself. A few days ago, he got in his truck for a drive and ended up states away on the Black Heart.
He shifted in his chair and his coat crinkled. He placed a hand over his pocket, feeling the stiff outline of a square. As he pulled it out, it crinkled again.
Carson watched like he was pulling out a bomb instead of a note with his name in neat lettering across the front.
There was only one person who could have slipped a note in his pocket.
He flipped the envelope over and ran his thumb over the red wax seal bearing anFencircled by flowers.
“Felicity wrote you a note.”
He glanced up at the amusement in Carson’s tone. “How do you know it’s from her?”
“I saw one of those seals on a card at our wedding. And again at Layne’s baby shower.”
