The Baker's Touch Read Free Page B

They kept very little cash on the premises. The previous day’s deposit had been dropped in the night drop at the bank, so she wasn’t concerned about that, but there were other things. Equipment, heavy and expensive, or the smaller items which were just as valuable. And product. What if any of the cakes or other candy creations had been damaged. Some of the pieces could not be duplicated in a matter of hours.
    “Can you tell if someone has been in the shop, James?” She couldn’t keep the anxiety from her voice.
    “Not from here, Miss. Did you call Avery?” James turned off the car, exited and came around to her.
    Penelope shivered in the sudden blast of air, but was ready for it when James opened her door. “He’ll probably be upset that I’m here and didn’t wait.”
    “He takes his responsibility seriously. He knows how much this shop means to you.” James gripped her elbow as she stepped from the vehicle. “Hold tight to my arm Miss Penelope. Doesn’t look like they’ve gotten out to shovel and salt the walks yet.”
    She gripped his arm as they carefully moved forward. Snow crunched and skittered over her feet. A gust of arctic air cut through her thick layers and she ducked her head.
    “This is the worst part about being a baker. Getting up in the middle of the night to get bombarded by frigid air,” she muttered.
    James chuckled beside her. “Yes, ma’am, much agreed.” He paused. “There’s a bit of glass here. Don’t touch anything.”
    “Okay.” She allowed herself to be maneuvered around the trouble area and into relative warmth. The hum of refrigeration units was loud in the silent shop. A hand gripped hers.
    “Miss Bishop. Officer Rogers here,” a soft almost feminine voice said.
    “Oh. Hello.”
    “My partner is with your assistant. It appears most of the damage was to the door and no one actually entered the shop, but they’re checking to make sure.”
    “Okay. That doesn’t sound too bad,” Penelope said.
    “Other businesses have been vandalized in the area over the last several weeks and we’re not quite sure as to why.”
    She could only nod at the information. Her shop wasn’t in a bad part of town; on the contrary, it was in downtown Ann Arbor. The bakery drew patrons from the surrounding office buildings as well as the few hotels and local college. Lots of people to keep the businesses going.
    “I thought I heard you out here.”
    Penelope sucked in a gasp. Every time she heard her assistant’s voice she was reminded of aged whiskey, smooth and mellow. And a man with that type of dulcet tone had to have a body to go with it. For a moment she squashed the fantasy of running her hands over his sinewy flesh.
    “Yes, I’m here.”
    “I was telling Officer Buck we’re missing a couple of blocks of chocolate and, of course, the door.”
    She scratched her head. “Did you say chocolate?”
    “Yeah. One dark, one milk and two white.”
    “Give us a moment to get you a claim number and we’ll get out of your way.” That had to be the other officer. His voice was gravelly, like he was a heavy smoker.
    Clothes rustled and static crackled as the officers moved around the shop. Wind whipped against her ankles as they exited. Throat clearing had her turning to her left.
    “If you don’t mind, Miss Penelope, I’ll help clean things a bit and make them safer for you to navigate,” James said. “Everything else looks good around here.”
    A smile creased her lips. “Thank you, James.”
    “I’ve already called our insurance and someone to fix the door.” Avery grasped her hand and threaded it through the crook of his arm.
    She hesitated, unused to the jolt of awareness sizzling up her arm.
    “Something wrong?”
    “I, uh…no.” She allowed him to lead her forward. Their footsteps echoed and were muffled on carpet. Only one place in the building contained carpet and that was the corridor leading to the consultation rooms. “Any particular reason you’re dumping