Page 54 of Unforgotten

“Uh-oh.”

“We put up forty jam jars of strawberry preserves.”

“Forty? That’s a lot.”

She blew out a burst of air. “You don’t know the half of it. You’d have to know Aunt Dora to get the full effect, butimagine a woman completely unsuited to the kitchen always imagining being an Amish cook.”

He laughed, appreciating her humor. “That bad?”

“Jah. She’s a good sport, though. Honestly, her awkwardness makes every cooking chore more fun. I never know what she’s going to do.”

“Her daughter is Candace, right?”

She nodded. “Our county’s own beauty queen. She came home soon after I got there and ended up helping us.”

“Sounds like a fun afternoon.”

“It really was. Except that she told us she’s been having some trouble.”

“With what?”

She swallowed as worry lines marred her brow. “She thinks a man is stalking her. It’s bad enough that she told Officer Mulaney, the new officer who’s been escorting her to her appearances.”

“Wow. I just saw him. He was at the lumber mill.”

She looked even more concerned. “He was? Why?”

“There was a fire near one of our dumpsters. People are saying that someone set it on purpose.”

“Why would someone do that?”

“Keep this to yourself, but I’m pretty sure the cops think that it was to cover up a theft.” He waved a hand. “That maybe something was taken from the office. I’m not privy to a lot of information.”

“Oh my stars. I hope they find out who did it, and soon.”

“Me too.” Not eager to focus on the craziness at work anymore, he tapped the top of the jigsaw box. “I heard you put this out for us.”

“I did. Um, I thought maybe it would give us something to do while we talk. And if you did decide to come back.” She looked away. “But maybe that was a silly idea.”

He opened the box and scooped a handful of pieces onto the table. “I think it was a good idea. How do you start a puzzle?”

“The same way as anyone else. I put together the edges.”

She sounded so prim and sure. He thought it was adorable. Just to tease her a bit, Jay said, “That’s not how I begin. I collect pieces of the same color. See?” He picked up two burnt orange–colored pieces and showed her that they had to both be pieces of part of the sunset in the picture.

She wrinkled her nose. “You do one part of the picture at a time?”

“What’s wrong with that? It works for me.”

“Only you.”

“Maybe we should see who’s more successful at piecing together a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle.”

Her gaze was warm when she glanced his way. “Obviously, it will be me.”

“Bethanne, I had no idea you were the competitive sort.”

“Only at certain things,” she retorted. “Such as puzzles.”

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