“Excuse me for not knowing the etiquette in a town where I’m being kept against my will,” I shot back before taking another sip of my coffee. “And maybe you should be glad I didn’t just ask her.”
He winced openly. “Don’t ever do that. Marjorie is one of the sweetest ladies I know, but she’s touchy about her heritage. Most of the women in her family are witches and they haven’t always been nice to her because of the whole banshee thing.”
I frowned. “Well, that’s bullshit. She was born that way, right?”
He nodded.
“It’s not like she asked for it, then. They need to get over themselves.”
He studied me in silence for so long that I finally asked, “What?”
“Nothing.”
Daniel carried the box of pastries over to a small table in the corner of his office and sat it down. “Help yourself to whatever you like in the box. I’d do it pretty fast, though, because my assistant, Poppy, will be in here sniffing at the pastries as soon as she gets back from the post office.” He cleared his throat. “Also, she’s Kent’s sister. She might complain about her brother, but she doesn’t like it when other people do.”
I wanted to turn my nose up at his offer, but I was pretty darn hungry despite the sandwich he’d made me last night. Probably because I hadn’t been able to finish it.
I was also grateful for his warning, because I wasn’t feeling too warm and fuzzy about the police chief at the moment.
I waited until he moved back behind his desk before I walked over to the table and flipped the lid on the box. My mouth began to water immediately as the rich smells of butter, chocolate, and sugar filled the air. He really had gotten one of everything.
Biting back a hum of pleasure, I grabbed a chocolate croissant and bit into it. The warm dough nearly melted in my mouth.
Holy cow, I didn’t care if Marjorie was the Anti-Christ, her baked goods were amazing and I was now half in love with her.
As I polished off the croissant, I heard the main door open with a ding, followed by the rapid click of heels down the hall.
A tall, shapely woman appeared in the doorway, her head tilted back as she seemed to sniff the air. She didn’t look much like the police chief except for the fact that she was really tall and blonde. She was a whole lot prettier than him too.
“Do I smell Marjorie’s goodies?” she asked, her voice rich like velvet.
She looked and sounded like a sultry dame from a noir film.
Absently, I wondered if she and Daniel had a thing going. I shot a glance at him, but he was focused on his computer screen.
Without looking up, he answered, “Yes. But don’t eat it all. Carina didn’t get to finish her dinner last night and I don’t think that chocolate croissant is gonna be enough.”
I scowled at him over my shoulder, but he still didn’t look up.
When I glanced over at the woman who had to be his assistant, Poppy, she also wore a scowl on her face.
“Carina?” she asked.
“Yes. She’s my guest this week.”
She eyed me as though that statement pissed her the hell off. I wondered again if maybe she and Daniel had a thing going. I wanted to tell her that she had nothing to worry about from me and that I would greatly appreciate it if she could talk him into letting me go, but her expression changed before I could.
The scowl morphed into a friendly smile so quickly that I took a step back.
Oh, this one would bear watching. If she could hide her emotions so easily, I couldn’t afford to turn my back on her, or she might stab me in it.
“Hi, Carina. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Poppy, Daniel’s assistant.”
“Hello, Poppy. Please call me Cari.”
“Of course,” she said.
I knew by the tone of her voice that she had no intention of doing anything I asked her to.
