21. Jayne

I'd say that our visit to the police station had made me hungry, but everything made me hungry these days. And while we'd eaten at the funeral reception, we hadn't had breakfast before that and nothing after. Pralines only held a person so long.

Thankfully, Commissioner Tyson was happy to recommend a nearby shop that did po'boys, which was exactly the thing I'd been craving.

We sat at one of the umbrella-covered picnic tables outside Luzie's, waiting on our order. I'd gone with roast beef with debris, which was basically a meaty gravy made from pan drippings when the roast beef was cooked. Sin had decided to take a walk on the wild side in ordering the fried alligator po'boy. Both of them came with fries, something I was really looking forward to. I'd ordered cheese sauce on the side to dip them into.

Being pregnant had brought out the carb monster in me.

"Good meeting," Sin said.

I finished the sip of Dr Pepper I'd just taken. "It was. I like Darryl. He was open-minded. He could have read us the riot act, but he didn't."

"I'm sure Birdie had a lot to do with that."

"Probably. I should send her a quick text and let her know everything went well."

"Better than well. You were amazing. The way you figured out Charlie's password? I'm surprised the commissioner didn't offer you a job."

"Thanks." Grinning at his praise, I sent the text to Birdie, then set my phone aside.

When I looked up, Sin glanced toward the takeout window and sighed. "I can't help but think Matt is worried sick about this evening."

I nodded. I knew exactly what he was talking about. The drop-off. Matt had been on my mind since we'd left him at his house. "I'm sure he is. I would be. I guess we have no choice but to hide a tracker in the bag and follow whoever picks that money up."

Sin was quiet for a moment, giving me a pensive stare.

I could practically see the wheels turning in his mind. Serious thoughts were going on in that head of his. "What is it?"

He frowned. "I think you should let Matt and I handle it. It might turn dangerous. If I have to be worried about you and him, I might be the one who ends up getting hurt."

"I don't want that." I also didn't want to stay home, but it was hard to argue when I knew my mobility was being affected by my bulging belly. "I could stay in the car."

"And what if we end up chasing after this guy? I just don't think it's a good idea. I know you want to be there. You deserve to be, but I just don't think it's the smartest thing."

I frowned and finally admitted, "I know. You're right."

His brows twitched up. "Did you actually just say that?"

"Don't make a thing out of it, you silly man."

Smiling, he reached across the table and grabbed my hand. "I won't. But thank you."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Crowe? Order up for Crowe," the girl at the takeout window hollered.

Sin jumped up and got our food, coming back with a tray laden with two overflowing baskets. The smell was overwhelmingly delicious, making my mouth water. He set the tray down and put my basket in front of me.

The po'boy was stuffed with roast beef and glistening with gravy. I'd asked for it dressed, so that meant lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayo. Alongside the loaf of bread that was my sub was a golden-brown pile of french fries. I ate one immediately. Crispy on the outside, soft in the center, and all-around delicious. I took it as a good sign. Bad fries rarely boded well for the rest of the food.

Sin sat and pulled his basket to his place. He'd asked for his po'boy dressed, too, but his had also been drizzled with the shop's special sauce, something we'd been told was their version of a remoulade. "This looks pretty good, huh?"

"I am so excited about this right now."

He laughed and set the order of cheese sauce between us. I spread a napkin over my belly, for what that was worth, then picked up one half of my po'boy and took a bite.

He did the same, and for about a minute, all we both did was chew, make happy faces, and groan softly.

When he'd swallowed, he shook his head. "We should bring one of these back for Matt. This fried alligator is really good. Kind of like chicken, but the sauce really makes it."

"Let's bring him one then. And maybe get another one for my dinner. Since I'm getting left home and all." I stuck out my lower lip in a pretend pout.

Amusement danced in his eyes. "Another po'boy seems the least you deserve. And probably a slice of that peanut butter Oreo pie that's their dessert of the day, too."

"What?" I looked toward the takeout window, but I saw nothing proclaiming a dessert of the day. "Are you being serious, or did you make that up?"

"Completely serious. I know better than to kid you about such things." He took another bite of his po'boy, swallowed, and said, "I already ordered two pieces."

"Even you couldn't resist, huh?"

He laughed. "No, they're both for you. One to eat here, one to take home."

"You're literally the best husband ever." I meant that. He was. "Aren't you going to have dessert?"

"I am. I got a slice of the pistachio pie."

"Pistachio pie? Never heard of it."

"Me either, but she said it's like a pecan pie but with honey and pistachios."

"Hmm. I might need a bite of that."

"I'm sure you will."

We ate the rest of our meal, and I was happily full by the time we finished. Not too full for the peanut butter Oreo pie. It only took one bite for me to realize I was obsessed. "You know, this would make a great fudge. Peanut butter fudge with hunks of Oreo in it? Come on."

He nodded, a mouthful of pistachio pie on the end of his fork. "It would be a pretty good doughnut, too."

I loved when he talked about doughnuts. Despite selling his shop to Archie Tingle, a winter elf and retired baker from the North Pole, Sin hadn't lost his creative edge. "How would you do it?"

"Peanut butter-filled doughnut with a chocolate iced top, heavily dusted in crushed Oreos."

"Oh, man. That sounds amazing. You should send Archie that idea."

"Maybe I will." He cleaned his fork off. "Might be a good pancake, too."

"Now you're just playing with me."

He laughed. "No, really. A nice peanut butter pancake with Oreo pieces mixed in? You'd be all over that."

"The more you talk about it, the more I'm actually going to want to eat them."

"I'll get to work on the recipe right away." He held his fork out to me, a nice bite of the pistachio pie on the end.

I ate it, nodding immediately. It was reminiscent of baklava, but instead of being flaky, it was chewy. "That is good ."

"Isn't it?" He shook his head. "I'm starting to wonder why I never made a pistachio and honey doughnut, either."

I studied his handsome face. Sweet fancy Christmas, I loved him so much it made my heart hurt. "Do you miss the shop?"

He opened his mouth, then closed it and seemed to think about his words. "If I'm honest, sometimes, yes."

"I miss working at the toy store in Nocturne Falls, too, sometimes. We had a lot of fun. We have a lot of fun now, but life has gotten … well, it's changed. And it's about to change again. We're going to be responsible for another life."

"I know." There was a solemness about him. "I think about it all the time. Being a father. A parent. The weight of that sometimes makes me feel like I'm not going to be enough."

I couldn't bear that idea. I grabbed his hand. "Sinclair. Don't you ever think that. You're going to be an amazing father. You're already an amazing husband and a great cat dad. This kid of ours might not have the most normal parents, but he's not going to be short on love and attention."

A smile lifted the corners of Sin's mouth. "No, he's not." He pushed his plate toward me. There were two or three bites of pie left. "Here. I'll go order yours and Matt's sandwiches. You want the same po'boy for your dinner as you just had?"

"Yes, it was really good, and I think it'll reheat well. Just maybe ask them to put the lettuce and tomato on the side?"

"Will do."

"Oh, and maybe an order of those sausage balls?"

He grinned. "You got it."

The warm, savory aroma of our takeout order filled the SUV. I hoped Matt didn't mind, although it would probably dissipate quickly. Sin had had Matt's bagged separately, so after he parked, he took Matt's po'boy to the house for him and I took my food to the RV.

We'd been gone a lot today, so I expected two less-than-happy kittens when I came in. I got what I was expecting. Spider and Sugar were both on the back of the couch looking out the windows.

"Hi, babies. Mama's home. I missed you."

Spider barely acknowledged my presence with a flick of his ears. Sugar just sighed and flattened her head down on the couch.

I rolled my eyes. We were in trouble. "Dad and I have been gone too much today, I know. I'm sorry. But I'll be home with you all night."

Still nothing. The stinkers.

"All right, I guess I'll throw these treats out if no one wants?—"

"Mama," Spider cried as he jumped off the couch. Sugar followed, and soon the two of them were rubbing against my legs.

"Oh, you remembered who I am?" I scooped them both up with considerable effort and kissed their faces. "I said I was sorry. I can't help that we have to leave sometimes."

"Spider miss Mama."

"I know, baby." I kissed him again.

"Momlady stay home?" Sugar asked.

"Yes, I'll be home all night." I set them both down and gave them some treats. I was pretty sure I was forgiven now. I put the food in the fridge and went to change into leggings and a T-shirt. I wasn't certain what time Matt and Sin were headed out, but it probably would be soon.

Sin came in as I was scrolling through our streaming services looking for something to watch. "Matt appreciated the po'boy. Said he doesn't have much of an appetite, which I understand, but he'd try to eat some of it."

I nodded. "That poor man. So you're going forward with the drop-off?"

"Yes." Sin put his hands on his hips and sighed. "We have no other choice."

"And the tracker?"

"Matt has some small, high-tech ones that he uses in his business. He's attaching one under the pocket inside the bag."

"What if they ditch the bag and put the money in something else? Might not be a bad idea to hide another in one of the bundles of money."

"That's a good point." He pulled out his phone. "I'll text him and see if that's doable."

My phone vibrated just then. I could hear it rattling on the nightstand where I'd left it charging. I went in and picked it up. A text had come in from Darryl.

As I was reading his message, another text came in from Birdie. I went straight out to the lounge as I read Darryl's first. "You're not going to believe this."

Sin glanced at me. "What is it?"

"Commissioner Tyson got the prints run just as quickly as he said he would. He also got ahold of the guest book from the funeral home. Tony is Anthony Cipriani, and he was the third person in Charlie's apartment."

"Wow." He raised his brows. "Darryl came through."

"He did." I pulled up Birdie's text and glanced at it.

"Molly said it was something like Ciabatta. She was close."

"She was, but that's not the most unbelievable part. Birdie texted me right after Commissioner Tyson. Brace yourself. She got a match on that partial print from the back of the photograph."

"Excellent. Who is it?"

I looked at Sin. "Matt's blackmailer? Is also Tony Cipriani."