Page 2 of Tangled Up In You

"I'm fine. You should watch where you're going."

"I know, but I think someone stole something from my store. There was a crash, and the door was open. I ran outside to see who it was and knocked you over."

He frowned at her words. "You're saying there was a shoplifter?"

"Maybe. I'm not sure. One display was knocked over. Did you see anyone run out of the store?"

"No. I just came around the corner and collided with you." His gaze narrowed. "Did you say this was your store? You're the new owner?"

"Yes. I inherited the store from Phoebe Haller. I'm Molly—Molly Trent. You are?"

"Adam Cole. Detective Cole," he added.

"Oh. You're a police officer?"

"Temporarily on leave." He tipped his head toward his injured foot. "Do you know what was stolen?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. The store is packed, and I'm not even a tenth of the way through the inventory. I just arrived last night." She paused. "Maybe the person didn't steal anything. They might have just knocked over the display and ran so they wouldn't be charged for the broken items."

"Seems possible," he murmured, but his frown made her nervous.

"What are you thinking?" she challenged.

"There was an attempted break-in here a couple of days ago. The alarm went off, but no one was caught."

"Really?" she asked in dismay. "I didn't know that. Although Phoebe's lawyer gave me a new set of keys and said the locks had been reinstalled. I guess that was the reason."

"The store doesn't have a working security camera. You should replace that as soon as possible."

"I will." She paused. "Is your foot broken?"

"Hairline fracture and a twisted ankle. Apparently, I just need time to heal."

She had a feeling this wasn't a man who appreciated patience. "Massage can help stimulate healing circulation. I also have some lotions that can offer a similar effect."

"Spoken like someone who manages a wellness store. I'm not a big believer in mystical lotions. I prefer evidence-based facts."

It wasn't the first time she'd heard that kind of skepticism. "Natural healing has plenty of evidence-based facts behind it. I'd be happy to share them with you."

Before he could reply, a woman came out of the shop next door, a high-end clothing boutique. Jackie Hunt was dressed in a sleek, red sheath dress, wearing her usual Botox-tight expression of unhappiness. Jackie was somewhere in her early fifties, and she'd already stopped by with pointed questions about whether she'd be selling CBD products and suggesting that she might want to sell the store to one of the other merchants on the street who was looking to expand.

"What is going on out here?" Jackie asked. "Is there a problem, Detective Cole?"

"There's no problem," Adam said. "Everything is fine."

"I don't think it is fine," Jackie said, with a sharp shake of her head. "Phoebe sold marijuana products, and that's why someone probably broke in last week. I'm worried about what kind of clientele this store will draw if this woman continues in the same vein."

"You don't need to worry," Molly said. "CBD products are legal, and they are used for medicinal purposes only."

Jackie crossed her arms, giving her a haughty look of irritation. "Of course you'd say that."

"It's the truth."

"Why don't you show me that lotion you were talking about?" Adam said, tipping his head toward the door.

For a moment, she stared at him in confusion. He'd just said he had no interest in her lotions. Then she realized he was offering her an escape. "Oh. All right." She opened the door and walked into the store, Adam following close behind. As the door shut behind him, she said, "You don't really want to see any lotion, do you?"

"No. But you didn't need to hear anything further from Mrs. Hunt."

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