The bakery door opened in slow motion, or maybe it just felt that way, and Broadrick took his first step inside. Pearl didn't notice right away because she was still giving me the "Pearl eyes," waiting for me to say something or argue with her.

"Pearl, this is Broadrick. Broadrick, Pearl," I said, pointing between them when he was far enough inside he couldn't run without causing a scene.

Broadrick froze halfway to the register. "Nice to meet you, Pearl." He nodded once at her.

She scowled at him and narrowed her eyes. "You're the imaginary boyfriend?"

He glanced down at his body. "I don't think so. Vonnie?"

Oh, that man was not getting any help from me. If I had to put up with Pearl, so did he. I turned around and made myself super busy pouring him a coffee.

"You're the guy who dumped our precious Vonnie on the internet?" Pearl was so not done with him.

I bit my lips and poured a few more splashes of coffee into the cup.

Feet shuffled behind me, and I imagined they were Broadrick's. "It was technically email."

Poor, poor, Broadrick. Who knew when Pearl switched to team Vonnie, but I was here for it. If it was wrong to enjoy him struggling, call me a criminal.

Pearl inspected Broadrick from head to toe while she sipped her tea in her favorite chair. The pink walls of the bakery clashed with her blue velvet track suit and I squinted as the sun cut in from the large front window. You never knew what she'd say next.

"I really didn't believe you existed. Vonnie had all these boyfriend stories, yet we never saw a boyfriend. Then one day," she said and waved her hand at him, "he magically dumped her through the internet. It was convenient."

I wouldn't use the words magical or convenient to describe our breakup.

"Frankly, it made the boyfriend sound like a moron. Are you a moron?" she asked Broadrick and then did the thing where she wouldn't break eye contact until he answered.

Broadrick wasn't one to back down either, but he visibly flinched at being called a moron. I felt a little bad for him as I watched it all happen from behind the register while holding his coffee. But you just didn't step in Pearl's way while she was on a rant. And Pearl was on a rant.

The big beefy SEAL glanced around the bakery, searching for an escape. His eyes were wide with worry or panic. He'd probably faced an untold number of enemies without a cringe, but Pearl had him balking.

"I try not to be," he finally said.

Pearl smacked her lips after a sip of tea and then gave me her attention. I did not like being on the hot seat. She had the worst angry mom stare. Like you'd disappointed her at her wedding or something. "I liked him better when he was imaginary."

I snorted and laughed at the same time and gave her a nod. He'd never been imaginary, but I liked him better in person.

Pearl's comment left Broadrick standing in the middle of the bakery with his mouth hanging open. I'd never seen the SEAL seem so lost. It was as if she'd broken half his brain. I almost felt bad for him.

Almost.

Okay, fine, I did.

I rounded the counter, gave him a pat on the shoulder, and handed him the coffee. He turned to me with a ghosted expression, as if he didn't recognize me for a full beat. "That's Pearl. She's a hoot," I said.

Anessa turned away from her cookie display. "And enanny."

"A real hootenanny," I deadpanned with a small grin.

Broadrick didn't laugh at our coordinated joke. He didn't even move, so I forced my smile bigger. It didn't help.

Another full minute passed where I worried about him and considered the possibility he'd need therapy after being in Pelican Bay this long. And he hadn't even been here that long. He finally gave the ceiling one quick glance, shook his head, and turned to me with a generic expression.

The ringing of the bell above the bakery door silenced my question of whether he needed medical assistance. Susan Keene walked into the bakery with her dark brown hair in a tight bun on top of her head. She resembled exactly what you'd expect of an up-tight reporter with too much ego. Sometimes she even wore a hat.

I loved her. Susan always had good gossip.

"Susan, how are you today?" I greeted her with a super sweet smile and left Broadrick's side. He'd been to war. He'd be okay managing Pearl.

"Just a coffee today, Vonnie. I'm headed over to meet the mayor and see if he'll dish on the shooting suspect."

Anessa turned to pour the cup of coffee with two sugars and cream, like Susan always ordered. "Have they found the shooter?"

I almost corrected with shooters but kept that information close to the vest for the time being. I didn't want Susan's good gossip to be from me.

Susan leaned over the counter when she spoke, and my body leaned in with her to not miss anything. "The word at the station says Anderson is bringing in the shooter now and the chief is scheduling a press conference for early evening. Some dude named Todd Hunt."

A press conference? In Pelican Bay? Interesting. Normally, people just read the gossip on Facebook or the paper once a week. A press conference meant there'd be coverage of the event. Like the local news station out of Portland. Think of the glory if I solved a murder covered on Portland news?

"What do you know, Vonnie?" Susan's steady gaze turned to me as she collected her coffee and two napkins from Anessa.

"Me? Nothing." I had a lot of theories, but this was my case, and if I gave anything to Susan, she'd give it to Anderson. And then the entire state.

Her eyes narrowed. "Really?"

I shrugged. "It's only been a few hours. I haven't had time to do much research."

"Once you have something, send it my way, and I'll do my best to make sure your picture is the one on the front page when the paper prints."

She hit my weak spot, and I nodded in agreement. It wouldn't kill me to give her a few clues if I had anything extra.

"Well, ladies, I'm off to see the mayor," she said before heading out the bakery door like she was going to save the world.

The wind whipped inside and spread the scent of Anessa's freshly baking bread. It caused my stomach to rumble, and Broadrick glanced down at the sound.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

Duh.

"It's fine. I'm in a bakery."

Anessa giggled behind the counter, and then she bit her lips together and stuck her head back in the cookie display.

"I have to go," he said but then hesitated, turning toward the door. He'd never told me why he came. We'd parted ways at my new place, and then he'd magically showed up here right after me but never got around to the why. "Just promise me you won't leave the bakery and do anything on your new case with the mayor and this press conference nonsense..." I didn't like the way he emphasized the word case. "...without me."

I shook my head. I didn't have enough leads right now, anyway. "Of course not."

"Vonnie..." he dragged out my name. Something about how I said it must have tipped him off, and he didn't believe me. Maybe I agreed too eagerly.

I held up my left hand. "The only way I'd ever talk to anyone involved in the shooting is if the mayor or someone came into the bakery."

He tipped up his left eyebrow, and the corner of his lip twitched.

"What? It would be weird if they came here, and I didn't greet them or ask questions. I'm still me."

He stared at me for another second and then nodded.

Sucker.

With no warning, Broadrick leaned over, grabbed me around the waist, and kissed me right on the lips. He sucked the breath from my lungs and left me shellshocked as he walked out. So now we were kissing?

Pearl chuckled. "Maybe he's not so bad."

Anessa watched as the door closed behind Broadrick, and then she popped up from behind the counter with a huge grin. "Customer of the week?"

"Yes." I glanced back at Broadrick's retreating form as he walked to his motorcycle and then made my way to the counter, looking as inconspicuously as possible. Another day at the bakery for me.

Just doing my job.

Nothing suspicious at all going on here.

Nope.