Page 51 of The Night Ride
It wasn’t until mid-afternoon that I struck pay dirt.Beth was back in the kitchen, decorating a fresh batch of cookies.The memory of taking her there still fresh enough that I felt my shaft twitch.Until I glanced at the cameras recording the front of the bakery behind the register and watched the blonde sneak a twenty into her pocket.
Then watched her over the next hour filch a few more bills from each register and the tip jar.
Gotcha!
I wanted to march down to the bakery and call the woman out for stealing.But I knew it was the wrong approach.Instead, I texted Beth.
Contact the detective on the case.Ask him to meet you at the bakery after hours.I’ve got the thief on camera.
Beth responded almost immediately.
Who???
Blonde with a ponytail.She filched cash from each register.Not sure of the amounts.Would advise that you don’t say anything to her and contact the detective first.
Tracy?She’s wearing the light blue polo with the white apron?
That’s the one.
Oh.Okay.I’ll contact the police.Thanks for watching for me.
I’ll come in.
Because she sounded desolate even through the text.Betrayal was never easy.I should know.My ex-wife’s betrayal had colored my world for the past fifteen years of my life.
It went down like acid over razorblade cuts.
You don’t have to.I can take care of it.
I’m coming.No arguments.
Woman would argue with me until she ran out of oxygen.
I shoved my feet into my boots.Grabbed my jacket, helmet and keys, shoving my wallet into the interior zippered pocket of my jacket.
I locked Beth’s house before I left.Her nosy neighbor was outside watering her plants in the front yard.She gave me an unamused stare.I simply smiled with a wave and climbed onto my Harley.Her frown only deepened.I would laugh except I didn’t want the old biddy to give Beth a hard time.
The drive to the bakery didn’t take long.It wasn’t quite rush hour so traffic wasn’t horrible.I pulled the Harley into a space in front of the bakery and headed inside.Hooking my sunglasses on my shirt as I entered, carrying my helmet in my left hand, the blonde in question, smiled at me as I approached the counter.
“Welcome to Sweet Dreams Bakery, what can I get for you today?”
“I’m a friend of Beth’s.Would you mind letting her know I’m here?”
Her brows rose as she studied me from head to toe.I knew feminine appreciation when I saw it.I kept my smile in place even though I wanted to throttle the thief.But I didn’t hit women, ever.I’d let the police handle this one.“Oh, can I tell her who’s here to see her?”
“Aiden.She’s expecting me.”
I watched the cunning wheels turn in her head.How had Beth not seen the calculating witch beneath the veneer?Likely because Beth saw the good in everyone.Whereas I had been subjected to the dredges of our society these past eighteen years.Every room I entered I assessed the potential threats.
In the bakery there wasn’t anyone suspicious.A frazzled mom with a few school aged children eating some treats.There was a businesswoman sipping on coffee with a croissant sandwich.And a guy who looked like he might be in college, with coffee and cookies by his elbow as he furiously typed, wearing noise canceling headphones.He didn’t even glance up as I entered.Which meant in the event of the apocalypse, the young guy would be toast.He had zero situational awareness.
“I’ll go see if she’s available.”
“Appreciate it.”
She headed to the door between the front and the kitchen, the swinging door swayed after her.
And because I was feeling rather petty toward the blonde eying me like she wanted to get my number, even with the wedding ring on her finger, when Beth came out, wiping her hands on her apron and barely looking at the blonde, I did something I never do.
