Page 107 of Sterling Heat

“Anyway, it will be a few other people plus myself at times.”

“What if I stay?” I ask.

Stone’s brows hitch at the suggestion. “What about the bakery?”

Enya answers. “You can’t leave work, and I’m home twenty-four seven right now. I won’t live in fear. I appreciate the surveillance for a while.”

Feeling chastised, I clench my teeth.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t find any fingerprints, which we didn’t expect we would. I wouldn’t say this was a professional job but it’s clear they weren’t looking to rob your place, just scope it out, especially the cellar. The only spot that had been tampered with was the original furnace flue.”

Enya nods, knowing exactly where Stone is talking about. “When I got a new furnace, the contractor relocated it.”

Stone is silent a moment before he asks, “Is there anyone you can think of that might have it out for you?”

I scoff. Enya can’t possibly have an enemy in this world.

“Any suspicious behavior you’ve noticed around your place or people of interest when you go into town.”

I immediately picture the guy who asked Enya out for a drink but wait on her to comment.

“The only enemy I might have might be Rena.”

“What?” I bark.

“She’s always so snippy with me, acting like she doesn’t know who I am. I get it since she’s infatuated with you. I’m the other woman.”

“You’re the only woman,” I grit.

“But it also feels important to mention . . . I think Rena might be your bookkeeping problem.”

“You have a bookkeeping issue?” Stone interjects.

“Enya, that’s unwarranted.” Shifting my eyes to Stone, he gives me a displeased look. He warned me not to hire her despite all his preaching about second chances. He offered to run a background check on her, but I’d told him I believed her story. She’d come forward with her history. She’d done drugs in the past, like me. She didn’t have any arrests or convictions, and I didn’t feel the need to pry deeper.

“Stone is asking about suspicious activity. I saw her slip her hands into her apron while in front of the cash register a few weeks ago. She caught me watching her. I didn’t question it at the time, but that same night you mentioned being short in your daily close outs. I hadn’t put anything together until today when I returned from taking a walk. You weren’t around and the bakery was relatively empty except for one patron. She’d done the same thing in the same way. Slipped her hand into her apron pocket and then glanced up at me.”

“That doesn’t mean anything. So, she was putting her hands in her pocket. So what?”

“She’d just closed the cash drawer, both times.”

I couldn’t believe this. Why were we discussing my employee? What Enya saw happened at the bakery and had nothing to do with her house. Shouldn’t there be an investigation into a real criminal? Plus, this was so fucking embarrassing to discuss in front of Stone who already thought I shouldn’t have hired her.

“I don’t believe it.” Confident, I turn to Stone. “Just because she did drugs doesn’t mean she’s a thief.” Although many people hooked on drugs can beg, borrow, and steal for the next hit. Rena was recovering like me.

“I didn’t say she was a thief,” Enya interjects. “I just think you should look into the shortages and when she works.”

“It’s not Rena,” I snap. Glaring at Enya, I add, “You gave that speech last night to Andy about equality and justice. Be fair. Rena didn’t break into your home.”

“Speech?” Enya chokes. “I was defending you.”

“Well, I don’t need defending,” I grouse.

Enya blinks, shocked by my outburst. She jiggles Adara in her arms, bouncing her once, maybe holding her tighter because of my rising tone.

Stone hisses, “Sebastian.”

“What? This is total bullshit. Move on. Any real suspects?” I stay focused on my brother.