Page 8 of The Case of the Missing Love Stone

“The batch we’re tracking contains compounds tied to wetland environments, and Sweetheart Haven sits close to the swamp. We’re here to follow the connection.”

“What kind of compounds?” the other blonde asks.

Roman accepts his coffee with a quiet thank-you. “Plant material. Mineral residue. Enough to narrow the region but not enough to identify where it was produced.”

The redhead sets her drink so fast it spills over the top onto her hands.

Junie looks at her. “Scarlet.”

The omega shoots her a warning look.

Scarlet. The name is one I know from our research. Roman and I read it in the local material during the drive down. Scarlet Sage is a local historian with an archeology degree and several books on regional folklore. More interestingly, her name keeps appearing around bond failures, usually accompanied by some version of local residents claiming she knew something was wrong before everybody else did. I had filed most of that under small-town superstition.

Despite Scarlet’s warning look, Junie adds, “Scarlet is the best person in town to talk to.”

“No,” Scarlet says. The word is calm, but her scent tightens.

The other blonde slides closer to her. “You do know more than anybody.”

“That has never improved my life or anyone else’s in this town.”

Roman’s expression gentles.

Scarlet catches him looking and seems to resent the fact that he noticed anything.

I step closer to the counter without thinking about it. Her shoulders tighten.

“You know something,” I say.

Her eyebrows lift. “That’s a bold opener for a man standing between me and the exit.”

Junie presses her lips together.

Roman coughs into his fist again.

I look at the space around us, then angle my body to the side and clear the path. “Better?”

Scarlet’s gaze flicks toward the opening and some of the tension leaves her shoulders. “Less ominous.”

“I’m Wes Osprey.” I reach into my pocket and flip open my BESTF credentials long enough for her to see the federal seal beneath the acronym. “This is Roman.”

Roman lifts two fingers in greeting. “The less ominous one.”

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

His smile brightens. “Fair.”

Her gaze drops to his mouth before she catches herself.

Scarlet notices me watching and lifts her chin.

“You’re Scarlet Sage?” I ask.

“How did you…”

“You’re the historian of Sweetheart Haven,” Roman says casually.

Scarlet turns toward him. “And here I thought my mysterious allure was doing the heavy lifting.”