Page 57 of One Kind Soul

Nicole caught up to him and gasped at the utter disaster. All the Mason jars of canned fruits and veggies had been smashed, their contents smeared over the shelves and dripping on the floor. The candle section was decimated with chunks of sweet-smelling wax strewn about like gravel. Two windows were broken and the computer cash register was tipped on its side, the keypad ripped from it and the screen gouged. The display case which Christian had told her held baked goods looked as if it had been hit with a baseball bat. Multiple times. Glass crunched under their feet and maple syrup slicked the floor where there had been bottles for sale. When Christian neared that mess, he skittered back from it.

“Bees,” he said.

Nicole looked over his shoulder to see a few bees investigating a pool of syrup. “C’mon,” she said. “Anaphylactic shock is not something you need right now.”

“Who would do this?” He followed her away from the bees. “Everybody around here has shopped at this store. They wouldn’t engage in this type of destruction.”

“And it doesn’t look as if anything is stolen, does it?”

Christian shook his head. “No. Just destroyed. As if this is a message or something. I don’t know what it says though.” He stalked outside and headed for the barn, Nicole scurrying after him. He checked Zip and Clover, but they appeared to be fine as were the pack cats who meowed loudly from a corner of the barn. Christian crouched in front of them. “What did you see, guys?”

“If only they could talk.” Nicole picked up Tibbs when he ventured toward her.

“If only I put in security cameras like Donovan told me too.” Christian headed upstairs to the loft, but everything was in order there. “Let’s check the house.”

Nicole prayed his hard work on the farmhouse had not been ruined by whoever attacked the store. Nothing was amiss outside that they could see in the dark, and thankfully, after a full search, the inside was deemed untouched as well.

“I don’t get it.” Christian tapped his phone screen. “I’m going to give Rada, Ben, and Jared a quick buzz. See if they know anything.”

Nicole nodded, Tibbs still in her hold and the other cats milling about their feet. “Then call the police.”

While he was on the phone, Nicole petted Tibbs, the feline’s presence soothing her. This night was supposed to be about rejoicing that she had more time in Vermont. It wasn’t supposed to involved breaking and entering or destruction of property. She and Christian were supposed to be in his bed by now, getting completely lost in each other. She didn’t want to be cheated of time with him because some asshole trashed Christian’s store.

She was glad, however, that she’d come to the farm with him tonight. The thought of him arriving here alone—at his home—to find that mess all by himself . . . well, thank God that hadn’t happened. At least she could console him, help him clean up, take his mind off it.

Christian returned from making his calls a few minutes later. “All three of them don’t know anything about it, but they’ve volunteered to come here first thing tomorrow to clean up.” He rubbed his jaw. “I called the police and they’re sending someone out to have a look.”

“Good.” She wrapped her arms around him, sadness welling up inside her when he lowered his head and rested it on her shoulder.

“Not how I pictured celebrating you staying with me.”

She rubbed his back. “At least nothing else is damaged. It could have been worse.”

He nodded, his scruffy cheek scraping against her neck. “Yeah. All that stuff in the store is fixable. Not replaceable though. Those canned fruits and veggies were supposed to last through the summer.” He backed up from her. “Good thing the apples bring in a ton of money or I’d be in panic mode right now.”

“Let’s go make some coffee and wait for the police.”

As they walked from the farmhouse toward the barn a set of headlights zipped into his driveway.

“Christian?” Donovan jogged toward them. “Are you guys okay?

“Yeah, we’re fine.” Christian motioned to the store. “That’s trashed though. What are you doing here?”

“My partner Randall called me from the station. He heard your call come in. Why didn’t you call me?”

“Because you’re on vacation still. You just got married, dude. Remember?”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t call me for something like this.” Donovan marched over to the store, donning gloves as he went.

“You should be home with Tessa.” Christian followed his brother.

“Tessa’s not home,” Nicole said, seeing a second set of headlights.

“Oh, this is awful,” Tessa said as soon as she hopped out of her SUV and sprinted toward them. She hugged Nicole right away then glanced toward the store where Donovan had the lights on again. “What is wrong with people?”

Nicole shrugged. “Some of them just have a mean streak.” She’d grown up with one such person.

Chapter Ten