Page 73 of Bear Creek Valentine
Aiden glanced outside to see a dozen pink-cheeked patrons waiting to get in, and he unlocked the doors with a flourish. Some were regulars from Bear Creek, while others were new customers who’d never been to the shop before. While they were being helped, DeeDee Tillman arrived, carrying an enormous flower arrangement and a card. Aiden waved her up to the counter and accepted the gift.
“Congratulations, one and all. What you’ve accomplished here is amazing, and on behalf of the town council, we are excited to have you back. On a personal note, Sunny’s been a growly mess without Bear Brownies. Give me a couple dozen and a variety box of Nut Bombs. My mate isn’t the only one havingDeliciouswithdrawal.”
DeeDee sidled over to speak to Serena while Aiden filled her order. The two were working on a marketing strategy for Valentine’s Day—something which involved all the businessowners in Bear Creek. They weren’t quite ready to announce it yet, but what he’d heard so far sounded good. After all, if the town could draw in area shoppers for Christmas, why not other holidays too?
Many of Bear Creek’s other shopkeepers stopped by, both to get a glimpse of the new location and to offer their congratulations. Business remained steady all morning, though not the crowds they expected later in the day. Their busiest time would be from five to nine p.m. after work let out and people were free to shop. In order to keep his experienced workers in-house, Aiden sought a few older teens to pass out the brochures and samples in the afternoons and evenings. A quick call to Tri-County’s High School principal, Matt Langtree, brought immediate results.
“I have just the thing for you, Aiden. Have you ever heard of DECA?”
“I don’t think so, Matt. What is it?”
“DECA stands for Distributive Education Clubs of America. It’s an association of marketing students who encourage the development of business and leadership skills in high schools and colleges around the globe. The work you need done is a perfect example of real-life business marketing, which will reinforce what they’re learning in the classroom. They certainly won’t mind making some easy Christmas cash, either.”
Matt ended up sending him six senior students who were happy to help, neatly solving his immediate problem. Meanwhile, in the shop, online orders were so heavy Blanche couldn’t handle them alone. She ended up drafting one of the temp workers, or anyone else who could be spared. Given the volume of packages they were shipping, the post office agreed to make two pickup stops each day, saving Hudson or Cooper the time and trouble of shuttling them over.
Leo’s production team carried on without pause and having the shop in the same building saved a lot of loading, unloading, and delivery time. Though they were only separated by a couple of walls, the production team rarely saw the shop crew except during breaks. It would be much the same when the other buildings were finished, and they were next door to one another. Health code regulations required everyone in the kitchen to wear a hairnet, gloves, and an apron. Aiden and Toby were the only ones who worked in both areas since they were responsible for making Bear Brownies, Swirls, and a few other items the machines couldn’t handle.
Around lunchtime, Dash called Aiden to check on him and see how things were going. His mate had been so supportive during this entire ordeal, doting on him and arranging everything for the restoration at the shop. Ryder hired some of the same local construction firms who worked at the resort, eager to take on a job during the slow winter months. They got started on Monday clearing out all the ruined equipment and then stripping the shop down to the studs. A separate company was brought in to replace the damaged roof, made more difficult by daily snowfall.
With so much going on, Aiden was often on edge and stressed out—his attention needed in three places at once, or pesky issues popping up at the most inopportune times. Serena and Leo lightened his load considerably by handling all the smaller issues. With the temporary storefront now in operation, things returned to quasi-normal, but Aiden missed the shop and its familiar surroundings. In a few months, they’d all have to adjust to yet another new normal when they returned to the original location.
Around three in the afternoon, Aiden was working in the kitchen with Toby when Serena poked her head through the swinging door to tell him that Glen Wahl was waiting for himin the back parking lot. Aiden removed his gloves on the way to the receiving area and opened the service door. Like everyone else today, Glen was bundled up for the cold and snow, leaning against the back of the building.
“Glen! Come on in. It’s good to see you.”
The private investigator removed his hat and gloves and gave Aiden an icy handshake.
“My apologies for not coming sooner, but there were some details to nail down first. Are you free to talk?”
Aiden gestured towards the nearby office.
“No problem. You caught me before the evening rush. Have a seat.”
They settled quickly, and Aiden eagerly awaited the man’s news. Wahl got right to it.
“Heather Novak is dead.”
Aiden blinked; his mind trying desperately to understand the simple words. Wahl noted the response and continued.
“I had a hunch she and her boyfriend, Rafael Delgado, might try something on Thanksgiving, but they’d moved and I hadn’t located them yet. After she torched the shop, they were involved in a high-speed crash on Interstate 476. Delgado was killed on impact, and Heather died two days later in the hospital.
“There were drugs in the vehicle, so the police assume they were either on a delivery run or heading back home. They found a backpack in the car with tools and gloves that she must have used to break into the shop. I shared all of my evidence with the authorities, but since she’s dead, there isn’t anyone to sue for damages.”
Aiden fought back tears, uncertain how he was supposed to feel. Relief that his tormentor would never bother him again? Well, yes. Disappointment that the authorities or Wahl hadn’t been able to stop her in time? Perfectly natural. Grief over Heather Novak’s death? That’s the one he wasn’t sure how toprocess. Had he wanted them to catch her and put a stop to her crimes? Of course! Who wouldn’t? But he’d never wished for her death, no matter how frustrated and angry he’d been.
Glen watched Aiden’s face while his mind battled with the information, noting the absence of triumph and the watery eyes. He’d seen this type of reaction before, though only rarely. He reached across the desk to give Aiden’s forearm a squeeze.
“You already know this, but I need to say it anyway. You aren’t responsible for Heather’s actions or death. Guilt won’t bring her back or change the past, and it’s an unfair burden to place on yourself. The good news is that you no longer have to worry about future attacks. Don’t allow misplaced feelings to steal your peace of mind.”
Aiden wiped the tears from his face—a curious mix of sorrow and rejoicing.
“Thanks, Glen. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I always hoped they would catch her, and then she could get some help with her problems. This was... I didn’t expect... sorry, I really don’t understand what I’m feeling right now.”
Wahl nodded sagely as if conversations like this were par for the course. Perhaps they were in his line of business, but not in Aiden’s world. Glen moved to stand, and another thought suddenly occurred to Aiden.
“Before you go, I want to make sure you’ve been compensated for your time. Judge Becker said nothing about your fees, so I’m not sure where we stand.”
Wahl offered a small smile, along with his explanation.
