Temptation Trails (The Haven Brothers #3)

I kept my eyes on the dough, but my heart soared. “I don’t know about that. I’ve been making him work.”

“Apparently he doesn’t mind, if he keeps coming back.”

“He called me bruh.” I lifted my gaze to meet his.

“Wow.”

“I know! That means he likes me, right? I’m cool?”

“Definitely means you’re cool.”

I smiled. “I texted him a picture of the creepy bear. He said it was sus.”

“He’s not wrong. That reminds me, can I see it?”

“It’s in the garage.” I nodded toward it. “I put an empty moving box over it.”

His brow furrowed.

“Don’t judge. Your son put the idea in my head that it might come to life at night and go on a murderous rampage.”

“Sounds like Owen.”

I finished the quiche filling while Garrett went out to the garage to inspect the bear. He came back in a moment later, carrying the gift bag with one finger, as if he didn’t want to touch it.

“Worried about getting your fingerprints on it?” I was half-joking, but maybe that was a concern.

“Sort of. Also, habit.” He set it down on the counter. “Do you have gloves?”

“I do, actually. There’s a box of disposable ones in that cupboard.” I pointed to where he could find them.

“Thanks.”

“So what are you going to do? Dust it for prints or something?”

He pulled a pair of gloves out of the box. “Probably not, although I’m tempted. But there’s no crime involved and our forensics lab is already overworked.”

“That’s fair.”

His brow furrowed as he lifted the bear out of the bag. I watched while he thoroughly inspected it. He went over the seams and pressed every bit of it, looking for evidence of something hidden inside.

“I think it’s just a bear.” He brought it closer to his nose and sniffed. “An old bear.”

“That’s why it’s so creepy. It’s weird enough that someone left it without a note. But who digs an old stuffed animal out of their basement or whatever, puts it in a gift bag, and leaves it on someone’s car?”

“That’s a great question.”

“I keep hoping it was a mistake and meant for someone else. Although I feel bad for thinking that. Then someone else was supposed to get the creepy bear.”

He tilted his head. “Maybe it was meant for someone else but there’s a reason that someone would want an old bear. Some nostalgia behind it.”

“Oh, good point.” My voice brightened. “Maybe it’s a cherished childhood memento. I wonder how I could figure out who it was meant for. I’ll ask Aunt Doris. She might have some ideas. Oh! Or maybe someone will report it missing.”

“A missing stuffed animal?”

“I mean, they might think it was stolen or something. Who knows, you might hear about it.”

“It wouldn’t be the weirdest call we’ve ever had.”