Page 39 of Bear Creek Valentine
Aiden made the call to his ISP, but the best they could do was send a technician by noon. There were no other reported outages in Bear Creek, so it must be something withDelicious’equipment. The disruption in operations was bad enough, but losing sales at the end of the month wouldn’t help his bottom line. They seemed poised for a frustrating day, and Aiden chalked it up to the sometimes-dubious joys of owning a business. He returned to the kitchen while Blanche and Serena answered phone calls and assisted walk-in customers.
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“What? The line’s beencut?”
Warning bells chimed in Aiden’s head when the technician revealed the reason for their service interruption.
“Yes, Sir. Let me show you what I found.”
Aiden followed him to the far end of the building, facing the back alley. Since there were no gaps between the businesses,each of them sported a cluster of utility hook-ups attached to the rear wall, including gas and electric meters, and lines for the phone and internet. Aiden’s teeth clenched when the technician pointed out the unprotected cable, sliced through in two places.
“There’s no doubt it was deliberate, and we see this kind of thing all the time. Usually, it’s vandals with nothing better to do. I recommend reporting it to the police before making any repairs.”
Aiden regretfully agreed and called the Sheriff. Fortunately, an officer responded quickly to fill out a report and take pictures of the damage. What he shared with Aiden sent a chill through him.
“Whoever did this must have used a long, heavy blade such as a machete. You can see impact lines on either side of the cable where the blade chipped the brick. Do you have any idea who might have done it?”
A machete? Aiden was horrified at the thought of someone lurking around his shop, armed with a dangerous weapon, and he didn’t know anyone who’d want to target him except... oh, damn. Could this and the other threats be coming from the same person?
“They might not be related, but I’ve had two other incidents in the last couple of months. The first was an anonymous email, and then a bunch of nasty reviews. I haven’t deleted them but hoped they were just pranks or an online troll. Now I’m not so sure. I honestly don’t know who it could be.”
The officer’s raised brow spoke volumes.
“Mister Romero, I believe you may have a more serious problem than you thought. If you come down to the station, we can document and include the other evidence in the report. Today’s incident may represent an escalation that could put you or your employees at risk.”
This wasn’tat allwhat Aiden wanted to hear, but he couldn’t ignore the problem any longer. Before discussing repairs with the technician, he texted Dash.
>Can you come to the shop? I could use your help.
Sometimes it took hours to get a response, depending on what was going on in his world. This time, however, he must have been working from home because an answer appeared almost immediately.
>On my way. Be there in five.
Aiden felt better already, just knowing he’d have his man’s support. The next thing to do was discuss the repairs with the waiting technician. Replacing the cable wasn’t complicated, but to prevent future problems, Aiden asked for it to be placed inside a piece of steel conduit anchored to the brick wall. Fixing this wouldn’t be cheap, and he requested a written cost estimate to take with him to the Sheriff’s office.
While the repairman gathered tools and supplies from his van, Dash pulled up and parked behind the building. Seconds later, the growly shifter made a beeline for Aiden, sniffing madly while wrapping the man in powerful arms. Dash could smell his stress and worry, though he still didn’t know exactly why Aiden needed him.
“Are you alright? What happened?”
Aiden started with a thumbnail sketch of today’s event and then revealed the earlier online incidents. Dash wasnot happyabout someone harassing his lover while he’d been left in the dark.
“Why didn’t I know about this?”
Aiden saw the hurt in his eyes, but he couldn’t go back and fix it now.
“I’m sorry, Dash. You have your hands full with the resort, and I wasn’t convinced it would come to anything. I’m used to handling stuff on my own, so it didn’t occur to me to share thiswith you earlier. Now, the Sheriff’s deputy thinks we could be in danger, and I don’t want to face this by myself. I’m so glad you’re here.”
Dash backed Aiden against the building and pulled his head down for grunty, huffing kisses. This was not a romantic gesture, but a bear shifter in defend-and-protect mode. No one threatened their mates this way without stirring up a hornet’s nest, and Dash’s bear wanted him to claim the man right there in the alley, with or without sex.
Unaware of Dash’s inner dispute, Aiden sought to calm his agitated bear before he got too worked up. Stroking the back of his neck, Aiden changed their kisses to something slow and gentle until Dash finally stopped growling.
“That’s better, love. I’m not asking you to do anything right now except to stay with me while I deal with this. First, I have to tell the staff what’s going on, and then the Sheriff’s office needs some information for the report.”
On their way inside, Dash sent Ryder a quick text message, asking him to come. Once the last customer left, Aiden gathered Leo, Serena, and Blanche into the back for a quick explanation. They were upset, of course, not so much about their personal safety but that someone dared to smear Aiden’s name or threatenDelicious.
Just as they finished, DeeDee Tillman walked into the shop, ready to rend and tear. The woman knew more about the town’s business than she probably should, but Aiden was happy to have her on his side. He’d only seen her in mama bear mode one other time, and it was... impressive. While they talked, Dash slipped out to meet Ryder, waiting for him behind the building. He brought his capable assistant up to speed in short order, and then issued instructions.
“I want motion detector lighting for the back of the building, and a security system installed with interior and exteriorcameras. D2 needs the same treatment, plus more secure exterior doors. This is a top priority, and I want it done soonest. Cost doesn’t matter.”
