The woman, whose name tag read ‘Mandy,’ shook her head. “Not at all. I think it’s lovely.”
Blake flushed, turning away from her.
“We’ve just had some new CuddleSafe cooling pads come in,” she said, pointing in the opposite direction. “They’re on the end of the aisle. Everyone’s raving about them. Tell them you’re Mandy’s nephew and they’ll give you a discount.”
Blake let out a breath. “Thank you.”
True to her word, there were a whole host of different products, all of them shaped like different cuddly animals. Blake had absolutely no idea if Pember would have use for such a thing, but he did think the hedgehog one was quite cute, so he plucked it up from the shelf along with a box of refillable cooling pads.
He got a few funny looks as he piled his hoard into a bag, and the cashier looked him up and down before saying, “Wow, Mand sure has a lot of nieces and nephews.” But Blake just kept his head down and tapped his card against the reader.
Seeing the parking warden at the end of the street, he jogged the last fifty metres to the car, threw the bag into the boot and drove back towards West Newton.
CHAPTER 24
TEMPERANCE
Blake
Maverick Couture was an odd shop,out of place amongst the agricultural shops and all-purpose horticulture stores that West Newton was known for. It was immaculately kept, despite there being no customers coming or going. Blake briefly pondered whether it might be a front for money laundering, but remembered he had much bigger fish to fry at that moment in time.
Still, an intel report never hurt.
Pushing through the double doors, a little bell chimed as he stepped into the brightly lit store.
“Be there in a sec!” a voice called from somewhere behind the tills.
Blake sighed, and began drifting towards the section labelled Eyewear, because apparently calling them glasses was no longer fashionable. He tried on a few pairs, but found that they looked absolutely fucking ridiculous on his tired, grumpy face.
He padded around the store, gaze lazily moving over the different clothes on the hangers. He hadn’t come across the coat yet, and was beginning to think it was a fruitless endeavour.However, as his eyes fell upon a familiar inky blue shirt with silver roses embroidered on the collar, he paused. The very same one he’d peeled off Pember less than twenty-four hours prior.
Without thinking, he ran his fingers over the fabric, remembering the feel of it as he pushed it up over the omega’s ribs. Blake swallowed, readjusting his trousers as he started to grow hard.
Not the fucking time, cock.
“Hi there!” someone called, making him jump. A red-haired man, a beta, stared eagerly up at him. “Can I help you with anything?”
Clearing his throat, Blake ran his eyes over the man’s name badge. It read, “My name is Paul.”
“This coat,” Blake said, holding up his phone. “Do you sell it?”
Paul frowned and took a step towards him. “Oh, those? Moncler, right?”
Blake nodded.
“Yeah we have a few. They’re in the back; can’t bloody give them away. Out of the ten I purchased I only sold one.”
“To whom?” Blake replied.
Paul cocked an eyebrow. “Sorry? Do you want to try one or?—”
Blake shook his head, pulling his warrant card from his pocket. “DS Smith, West Newton Constabulary. I’m investigating the murder in the park.”
Paul’s eyes drifted to the card, then back up to Blake. “Oh, shit. Really? Yeah, I saw it in the news. Sorry, you should have said. Is the coat something to do with the bloke that was found in the fountain?”
Blake sighed. “It’s just a line of enquiry I’m following up on.”
Nodding rapidly, Paul ambled over to the door, flipping the Open sign to Closed before ushering Blake into a storeroom.After a minute or so of rummaging around, he pulled out a box that was stuffed beneath piles of other clothing.
