This week, it was Hayley’s birthday, so she planned to drop by Pretty Things, the florist and gift shop Emily owned, to pick up a gift on the way. She was across the road when a police car cruised past and stopped right outside Pretty Things. Wondering what on earth was happening, Aria checked both ways and hurried across the road. Sergeant Gareth Wayland got out of his car wearing a familiar expression. It said Don’t mess with me and was his go-to tool to intimidate lawbreakers.

Aria followed him into the shop, which was oddly quiet. Usually, Emily was bustling around, humming to herself and arranging flowers in complex ways no one else would dream of. Instead, she was standing behind the counter while a teenage girl hovered in the corner, tapping her foot anxiously. Emily’s hands were fisted at her sides and her eyebrows were drawn tightly together. The girl was perhaps fifteen or sixteen and blonde in that unnaturally white way. She wasn’t familiar. A tourist, perhaps—Aria knew most of the local kids. The girl seemed caught between fear and defiance. Although she was pouting and sneering as if she didn’t care about the trouble she was in, every so often her dark-ringed eyes stared at her toes and gave her away.

“What’s going on?” Aria asked. “Gareth?”

The sergeant, a handsome man standing several inches over six feet tall, crossed his arms and glared at the girl in the corner. His strong jaw moved as he chewed on gum—a habit he’d picked up when he quit smoking. He scratched his head, ruffling caramel-colored hair. She would have found him attractive if years of friendship hadn’t made her immune.

“Emily caught this young lady shoplifting,” Gareth replied.

No wonder poor Emily looked overwrought. The nicest woman in town, she wasn’t equipped to deal with dishonesty.

Ever curious, Aria persisted, “What was she trying to steal?”

Emily gestured towards a palm-sized wreath of daisies. Aria almost laughed, but she knew it was a serious matter. Itirangi didn’t take kindly to troublemakers.

“What’re you going to do about it?” she asked.

“I don’t want to press charges,” Emily replied. “But I thought a chat with the sergeant might be a good idea.”

“You were right to call me, Em,” Gareth said. He turned to the girl. “You’d better come with me.”

Aria laid a hand on Gareth’s shoulder and tried to smile encouragingly at the girl. “Hold on a moment. What’s your name, honey?”

“Teri,” the girl said, jutting her chin out. “What’s yours?”

“I’m Aria.” She watched the nervous up-and-down movement of the girl’s foot. “Things might be easier for you if you explain why you did it.”

Teri didn’t reply.

The sergeant pulled away from Aria. “You want me to take her to the station for a while, Em?”

Emily looked undecided.