“You’re fine.”
“Okay, but, um…there’s nothing going on between you and Tilly, is there?”
His eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“Because she’s cute and funny, and I’ve been enjoying getting to know her, but I want to make sure I’m not stepping on any toes before I make the next move.”
The next move? Why the hell did that make Kayden feel like ramming his fist into the guy’s face?
“There’s nothing going on between her and me.” The words tasted like acid in his mouth and made the exhaustion that had been pulling at his limbs all morning tug that much deeper.
He stepped onto the deck. Every part of him felt tense and on edge, like a single shove could send him over.
He pushed inside the building to find Pixie smiling up at him. “Hey, Kay, everything all right?”
Did he look as shitty as he felt? “Yeah, just need to get a new shirt before I shower. Is Tilly in there?”
“Nope. She just stepped out to get a coffee.”
“Thanks.”
He entered her office and was pulling a shirt out when his phone rang, Eastern’s name flashing on the screen. “Hey.”
“Kayden, you got a sec?”
“Yeah, what do you need?”
“I just wanted to let you know there was a break-in at the hardware store down the road from the visitors center last night.”
Kayden’s brows slashed together. “A break-in?”
“Yep. Money was stolen from the till, also some spray paint, gloves, and a beanie.”
“What the hell? So they rob the place and steal stuff to help them commit more crimes?”
“Looks that way. And the door was jimmied the same way the visitors center’s was the night Macy was killed.”
Something hard and uncomfortable lodged in Kayden’s gut. “So it might be the same person.”
“It’s possible.” There was a heavy silence before Eastern spoke. “I need to ask you something.”
“What?”
“How was Tilly when she came into work today?”
“Tilly? I haven’t seen her yet. Why?”
“Because there’s a witness who says they saw someone leaving the crime scene this morning at about three a.m.…and they fit Tilly’s description. Even mentioned her name. Now, I know she’s not popular in this town, and they didn’t give me much to go on other than an approximate height and wearing a black sweatshirt with the hood pulled up. That’s why I need to tread carefully here.”
Kayden ran his fingers through his hair. Jesus. He wanted to tell his brother there was no way in hell Tilly would break and enter, much less kill anyone. But did he really know Tilly well enough to say that? And the women at the market yesterday had been right…they didn’t know where she’d been all these years.
He scrunched his eyes, feeling like the ass he was for saying this. “If you think Tilly might be responsible for the break-in, you should question her. I don’t know her well enough to say she wouldn’t.”
A shuffling noise sounded behind him, and he turned to see Tilly staring straight at him from the doorway.
“Here you go,one steaming cup of double-shot latte.”
Tilly smiled at the other woman behind the counter. “Thank you, Elle. You’re saving my life with these morning coffees.”
