Series: Little Cakes Series by Pepper North
Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44040 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 220(@200wpm)___ 176(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44040 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 220(@200wpm)___ 176(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
“They’ll figure it out. Garrett’s not going to let his Little work this hard for too long,” Daisy observed.
“Speaking of working too hard,” came another stern voice from over Daisy’s head, “it’s your bedtime as well, Daisy.”
“Hi, Daddy,” Daisy greeted him as she sprang to her feet and moved to stand in front of him. She couldn’t believe how much she enjoyed calling him Daddy. Was this what the other Littles felt when they found their perfect match?
“Hi, Baby girl.” He leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead before wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her close. “Do you want to bring your picture with us? I’d love to put it on my fridge.”
“You don’t have to do that,” she protested as she moved to tear her page from the coloring book. “It’s not very good.”
“I love it. Want to know my favorite part?”
When she nodded, he continued, “I like the silvery stars in the night sky.”
“I put those in myself,” she said in awe.
“The perfect touch. Say goodnight to Riley,” he prompted.
“Bye, Riley. I’ll see you soon!”
“Definitely,” the tattooed woman answered as she waved a crayon to say goodbye.
As Daisy’s Daddy steered her through the lobby, she watched people note they were together. A couple called their congratulations. She thought her cheeks would crack from smiling so big as the dungeon master accepted their well wishes smoothly.
Once outside, he directed, “We’ll go get your car. You can follow me home.”
“I’m over there.” Daisy pointed to the far end of the row.
They walked a few steps quietly before Daisy looked up at him to ask, “What’s the surprise you have for me?”
“It won’t be a surprise if I tell you, Baby girl.”
He turned back toward her car. “Did you leave something on your windshield?”
“No…” Daisy sped up as she spotted something clumped in front of the driver’s wheel. “They’re daisies. That’s sweet. Someone put my name flower on my car.”
“I don’t know if I like that, Daisy.”
As they took the last few steps to end up next to the hood of the car, she noticed the flowers were wilted and soiled. Daisy traced a finger over the dirty, yellow center before something caught her attention. She pinched a tattered red ribbon between her fingers. There was no mistaking it. The same ribbon Blooms by Daisy had used for years.
“Oh, no!” she cried, dropping it and stepping back from the car to hide her face against Teddy’s broad chest.
Immediately, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her away from the car. “What’s wrong? Talk to me, Baby girl.”
“Are you sure those guys who broke in to my shop are still in jail?” she asked urgently, leaning away from the shelter of his body.
“As far as I know. What’s going on?”
Words tumbled from her mouth in a waterfall of fright. “I found one of the bouquets that those guys destroyed Sunday night on the concrete in front of my back door on the day Little Cakes opened. You had put everything in the trash after the police took their pictures. I figured those jerks had come back to cause more problems and left me a warning.”
“Baby girl…” Her Daddy started, but she interrupted him.
“I didn’t tell anyone because they were caught, and I didn’t think I had anything to worry about. But that ribbon,” she pointed at the bedraggled piece wrapped around the wilted flowers. “That’s the same ribbon I used for the wedding bouquet. It was missing from the flowers I found scattered on the ground.”
“That means if they’re still in jail, someone else is leaving you flowers.”
“Yes,” she wailed.
Bear pulled his phone from his back pocket and selected a number. “Detective Hazelton, this is Tarson Kirkwood. We met when four men invaded Little Cakes.”
Daisy leaned forward, trying to hear what the police officer said in reply.
With a touch, Bear put his phone on speaker mode so she could listen. “I have Daisy from Blooms by Daisy here. I’m calling about those thugs who were terrorizing the strip mall. They had invaded her business and destroyed some floral arrangements last Sunday. She found one of the bouquets scattered back on the ground by her door yesterday morning but didn’t report it because the men were later picked up. Are they still in jail?”
“Yes. They’re being held until they appear in front of the judge. I think that’s scheduled for tomorrow. I can call to double-check. Why? Has something else happened?” the detective probed.
“We just found more dead flowers on her windshield. They’re wrapped with a grimy ribbon Daisy believes is the same from those bouquets.”
“I know that’s the same ribbon. I only use it on bouquets, and I haven’t made any more since that day,” Daisy rushed to add.
“I’m on duty tonight. Tell me your location and I’ll be there. Leave everything alone until I get there,” Detective Hazelton directed.