Page 19 of Secrets at Dawn
He held an envelope in his hand.
When Griffin unlocked the door, Dad entered, telling Griffin to lock it behind him again. And then he stared at the envelope with Toby’s name on it.
“I found this on the sidewalk.”
The envelope was sealed, so Iven didn’t open it. He also wore gloves.
“Did you see anyone drop this?”
“I haven’t been outside the bakery since around seven. I went to my truck to get a tape measure. My old one broke, and I had a spare in my toolbox.”
“Do you know who this is?”
Griffin nodded. He refrained from saying Toby was his mate. He wasn’t sure if things would work out between them, and he didn’t want to hurt Riley and Toby’s friendship if it didn’t. “The only Toby I know is Riley’s friend.”
“Was he here today?”
“No. Although he was supposed to work this afternoon.” That was when it occurred to Griffin that Toby might be injured or that something might have happened.
Griffin’s heart pounded in his chest, and for a moment, he forgot how to breathe. But he pulled out his phone and called Toby.
His dad raised his eyebrows. He knew who Griffin called without being told. He was the sheriff after all. He seemed to read people’s thoughts, including Griffin’s.
Griffin would have to explain himself, but it took a backseat. Making sure Toby was safe was more important.
When Toby answered, he sounded sleepy. “Griffin. What’s wrong?”
Griffin tried not to let Toby’s worry go to his heart, but it warmed him like a soft blanket. “I’m fine, baby. I’m making sure you’re okay. You didn’t come into work today.”
Toby sighed. “Yeah, sorry about that. Something happened and I… Anyway, that’s a conversation we should have face-to-face. While I’m not half asleep.”
Dread twisted his stomach in a knot. Griffin was pretty sure he knew what conversation they needed to have face-to-face.
Instead of dwelling on it, he got to the point. “Someone dropped an envelope off here with your name on it.”
Toby sucked in a breath. “Where are you?”
“At the bakery. With my dad. Who now knows we’re mates. Just a heads up.” Griffin thought he’d kill the curiosity within his dad and tell Toby what was going on, too. Two birds, one stone.
“Did you open it?” Toby must have been getting dressed, because Griffin heard rustling on the phone.
“It’s sealed.”
“Ask him either to come here or we’ll go to him. But either way, I want to talk to him.” Dad wasn’t talking to Griffin like a father. Rather, he was acting like a sheriff. Thank the gods for that.
“I heard. I’m on my way.” Toby ended the call.
Griffin put the phone into his pocket and met his dad’s gaze. “He sounded scared.”
“Yes. Which tells me he knows who dropped it off. But they didn’t care about him finding it. They cared about you seeing it. The question is why you and not him.”
“Maybe the person who sent it knows we’re mates.” The only problem with that theory was that Griffin couldn’t see how that was possible. They had given no sign, at least not in public, that they were anything to each other. “But we just met. And we haven’t spent more than one night together. And even then, it was just talking. We haven’t bonded.”
“It could be a jealous admirer or even a lover.” Dad had to know what it did to Griffin to think that Toby had a lover somewhere.
It took everything he had not to let the green monster take over his thoughts. “Maybe. We don’t know each other very well yet. Anything is possible.”
“When he gets here, I’ll question him. But this is most likely a threat to you, so I want you to be extra careful from now on. No more working into the night.”
