Page 18 of A Dash of Wolf

Adeline tried to focus on the next customer walking up, but her mind kept circling back to one thing. He’d said he didn’t think she’d tampered with the bulldozer.

He believed her.

She wasn’t sure why that mattered so much. But it did.

8

“Going to be a long day today,” Pyper Lindenberg said. “How about three peanut-butter-chocolate-chip energy balls, and an Orange-You-Glad muffin?”

“Coming up.”

Adeline quickly bagged the order, rang her up, and slid down to the display case for the next customer. Friday mornings were one of her busiest mornings of the week. She kept up the rigorous pace for over an hour before things finally started to slow down.

“That Ivan Johansson had some nerve last night,” Herschel said as he took his Time-Twirl cinnamon roll from her. “That new chief should have arrested him.”

“You should just hex him next time, Adeline,” a selkie shifter suggested.

Adeline reached for a tray of Zest-for-Life lemon scones on the pass-through window when the overhead bells chimed. She looked over and saw Chief Wolfe standing in the doorway.

He did not look happy.

“Good morning, Chief,” she said carefully. “You here for another non-magical chocolate-chip cookie?”

He didn’t smile. Just walked toward the counter, not bothering to acknowledge the others inside the bakery.

“Looks like we’re about to get arrested,” Princess Muffin Top said from her pillow. “Who wants to take bets?”

“Can we talk?” Chief Wolfe asked, ignoring the cat.

Adeline wiped her hands on her apron and glanced around the bakery. Half a dozen customers were scattered throughout...Mrs. Patterson and her daughter sharing a table near the window, two young witches from the candle shop on their break, Herschel in his usual spot, and two waiting in line to order. Every single one of them had stopped eating or talking and was watching the exchange with wide eyes.

“Is this about the battery on the bulldozer?” she asked. “Because I told you yesterday that I had nothing to do with it.”

“No. Someone spray-painted ‘Stop killing the squish-squids’ all over the bulldozer in glitter paint. And the battery cables were tampered with again.”

Adeline’s mouth fell open. “You’re kidding.”

“I’m not.”

“Glitter?” Princess Muffin Top’s ears perked up. “What color?”

Chief Wolfe looked at the cat. “Does that matter?”

“It matters to me.” Princess Muffin Top picked up a paw and examined it. “I have standards.”

“It’s some kind of magical disappearing glitter from what I understand,” Chief Wolfe said. “But that’s beside the point.”

Adeline ignored her cat and held Chief Wolfe’s gaze. “It wasn’t me. I went home after the market, had some wine, and went to bed.”

“And I can vouch for all of that,” Princess Muffin Top announced. “I was right there the entire time. I had water, by the way. I’m not a lush like Adeline.”

“You’re not helping,” Adeline hissed to her cat.

Chief Wolfe sighed, and she could tell he wasn’t happy. “I’m sorry, Adeline. I’m going to have to take you down to the station and question you officially.”

“Are you arresting her?” Herschel stood up from his chair so fast his Soother Scone went sliding across the table. “Do I need to call a lawyer?”

“He’s not arresting me, Herschel,” Adeline said quickly, even though she wasn’t entirely sure that was true. “Besides, it’s not like I haven’t been arrested before.”