Page 42 of Matthew
“Think he’s legit?” she asked quietly.
“Think he’s hiding something,” Matthew said. “Not necessarily dangerous, but shady. His story was loose, and he kept glancing at the office door.”
Callie’s lips pressed into a line. “You think he was looking for something?”
“Maybe. Or maybe he’s checking if anyone else was watching.”
They stood there for a moment longer, Sammy at their feet, his head tilted toward the empty drive, gaze alert, no doubt making sure the man was gone.
Matthew glanced toward the office. “We’ll check security footage. See which way he came in and out. I want Carter to run that plate.”
Callie nodded once, then blew out a breath.
“He didn’t get anything,” she said.
“Not today,” Matthew agreed.
But in the back of his mind, something itched.
It wasn’t always the obvious threats that did the damage. Sometimes it was the ones that didn’t quite belong. The ones that drifted in with polite smiles and half-baked stories.
And this one had stirred the dust.
They stood there for a moment longer, Sammy still alert, head tilted toward the now empty drive.
Callie crossed her arms tighter. “Weird timing.”
“Too weird,” Matthew said, glancing back toward the path the truck had taken.
She exhaled slowly, the tension in her shoulders not fully releasing. “I’ve got a supply order coming in tomorrow. Same route. Same delivery window.”
That flicked something sharp and immediate in his gut. “You confirm it yet?”
“No. Was planning to this afternoon.”
“Mind if I take a look at the manifest?”
She led the way into the office, flipping open a slim binder on the counter. Sammy flopped onto the cool floor nearby with a grunt.
Matthew scanned the printed order, his brow furrowing. Pallets of topsoil, mulch, and seedling trays. Normal. Expected.
Then his gaze snagged on something tucked near the bottom.
“Citrus blend?” he asked, tapping the line with his finger.
Callie leaned in. “I don’t use citrus blend. Never have.”
“It’s only one pallet,” Matthew said quietly. “Easy to overlook. Easy to slip in.”
Her frown deepened. “You think it’s another break in?”
“I think someone’s testing the water. Seeing what gets noticed.”
He straightened, tugging the page loose from the clip. “Mind if I do some checking?”
She didn’t hesitate. “Please do.”
As he folded the manifest and slid it into his back pocket, something cold settled at the base of his neck. Whoever was behind this was reviving more than old ghosts.
