Baker’s Law Read Free Page A

sure it was truly locked. It didn’t budge. Why would
     a teen break in to simply eat and do homework? Trouble at home? Or could it be something
     more? A kid with no place to go. He hadn’t heard of there being any homeless kids
     in town. When he got back to the station, he’d ask around and see if any reports had
     been filed. Later.
    Unlike Marissa, though, he needed to get some sleep. In his bed. He was getting too
     old to pull all-nighters.
    Inside the SUV, he called the dispatcher.
    “Ada, Sweets by Marissa is all clear. I’m headed home.”
    “10-4, Chief.”
    He clipped the mic back into place and drove slowly down the alley behind the bakery,
     keeping an eye out for the intruder. While he did believe Marissa Llewellyn, he hadn’t
     seen anyone in the shop but her when she came to the door thanks to the painted advertising
     on the front windows. But he wouldn’t be doing his job if he didn’t at least look
     for anyone hanging around and at three in the morning; folks didn’t just walk around
     Oak Hollow unless they were up to no good.
    Jax snatched up the mic again. “Ada?”
    “Yes, Chief?”
    “Have one of the officers patrol Flower Tree first thing in the morning just to make
     sure all’s well.”
    “Will do.”
    It took less than ten minutes to get from the bakery to the house he’d bought—as far
     away from his mother’s estate as possible, even though it didn’t take long to get
     from any one place to another in Oak Hollow. Despite having a population of just over
     ten thousand, the town was laid out in a close community. A far cry from close to
     a million in Austin.
    Jax was dog tired as he crossed through the kitchen to set down the cupcakes Marissa
     gave him, but the tantalizing smell made him hold off on bedtime just yet. He popped
     open the box and planned to sample only one treat. A few minutes later, he’d eaten
     two of them and was eyeing a third, but the twenty-hour day was creeping up on him.
     He shut the box to save the rest for breakfast.
    A few hours of sleep and Jax would be good. He didn’t even bother to undress, just
     laid on top of the comforter his sister had given him when he moved in. As soon as
     he woke, he was going to head back to Flower Tree, look around a little more and check
     in on Marissa. Maybe buy a few more of those cupcakes. He’d seen strawberry ones in
     the case. It would give him another excuse to see her again—unofficially.

Chapter Two
    “That’s your fourth cup.” Kya set a batch of red velvet cupcakes into the display.
    Marissa’s hands shook slightly from the caffeine. “It’s the only thing keeping me
     awake.”
    “Go home.”
    “Soon.” She’d gotten a little sleep after Jax Carlisle left. But not nearly enough.
     Inappropriate, yet delicious thoughts about the new chief of police had plagued her
     sleep. Just after daybreak, she’d given up and started baking.
    When Kya had come in around noon, Marissa hurried home and got a couple more hours
     of sleep. She’d finally banished her wayward thoughts of Jax but she couldn’t stop
     thinking about the boy. Who snuck into a business to do homework? And like Jax said,
     the boy could have robbed her several times, but he hadn’t.
    When she woke, she headed back to the shop just before the high school let out. Several
     kids usually came in and she wanted to try and spot the one from earlier that morning.
     Plus she had to meet her oldest brother. She’d called Duff to come look at the door
     and see if he could fix it. He’d promised to be by after he got off work.
    Twenty minutes later, several girls came in giggling and whispering. Marissa recognized
     one of them from down the street. She was about to wave her over when a lanky frame
     across the street caught her eye. “It’s him.” She bolted from her perch behind the
     counter and raced out the front door, flour on her face and apron. “Hey. You!”
    The teen turned. She saw the moment he realized who was