“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. It might’ve been late.”

“I didn’t notice anyone, but you know I go to bed early. Give me a sec. I’ll wake Carl. He’s the night owl.”

The sound of Carl’s name was like nails going down a chalkboard. “You don’t have to bother him.”

“He’s supposed to be up by now, anyway,” Uriah said. “He’s got work to do.”

Tobias wondered how many more days Carl would tolerate having his father drag him out of bed to do what he was supposed to do. But, fortunately, when Uriah asked him, Tobias heard no arguing in the background.

“Carl didn’t see anyone, either,” Uriah reported when he came back on the line.

That was actually good news. If it was Harper who’d come by, Tobias didn’t want Carl anywhere near her. “Is there anything on the security feeds?”

“Hang on, let me check.”

While he waited, Tobias got up and put on a pot of coffee.

“Looks like a woman hurried down the drive to your place at about ten thirty,” he said when he came back on the line.

“How long did she stay?”

“She didn’t. Ran right back.”

“Can you tell who she was?”

“You must not realize how blurry these feeds are.”

“She must’ve had a car.”

“There was no vehicle in the frame. I’m guessing she left it out by the road, beyond the range of the cameras. The way she crept down the drive, eyeing my place as though someone might jump out and grab her—she definitely didn’t want to be seen.”

She’d probably been afraid that Carl would be lurking about. Tobias was wary of that himself. “Shit.”

“What’s going on?”

“Nothing big,” he said. “Someone brought me a gift. That’s all. I just wanted to know who it was.”

“Well, I can tell you it was a woman, but that’s about it.”

“Thanks.”

“Are you sure you don’t want any of this zucchini bread?” he asked before Tobias could sign off.

Tobias figured he should probably make himself walk down, even if Carl was there. “Sure. Just let me have a shower.”

“Oh, wait. Never mind. Carl’s got an appointment with his attorney—and I’ve got to drive him. I’ll just bring you some when we leave.”

Tobias guessed Carl wasn’t too disappointed about getting out of work. “Sounds good.”

Uriah came by a few minutes later, as promised, and then left right away to get his son to the attorney.

Tobias was enjoying the zucchini bread when he heard another knock. Assuming Uriah had forgotten to give him something else, and was trying to do it before he took off, he swung the door wide without checking to see who it was—and found Susan Brooks standing on his stoop.