A Penny for Your Thoughts Read Online Free PDF Page B

morning, Cliff,” Matt called out to Cliff’s retreating back, before he turned to stare at the bank, seemingly lost in thought.
    “I’ll be right back. I need to talk to Brad for a minute, and then we’ll go.” Penny followed his gaze to Brad, visible now inside the bank behind the counter.
    “Okay,” she murmured.
    She watched Matt enter the bank. How well she remembered that walk, a relaxed gait with an extra lift at the end of his toes. She turned away to watch the crowd of onlookers who seemed to swell at times and ebb to only a few ardent crime drama fans.
    One man caught her eye. A tall man, he leaned against a dark car, just out of reach of the lights of the photographers and police cars, arms crossed over his chest, some sort of dark ball cap on his head, unmoving except for a slight rotation of his hat visor as he turned in her direction. She looked over her shoulder to follow the direction of his gaze, but the bank was to her right. There was nothing behind her but a blank concrete bank wall. Was he staring at her? She turned back. He opened his car door in a leisurely fashion and climbed in. Penny strained to catch a glimpse of his face until she realized that the inside light of his car had not come on when he opened the door. Expecting him to drive away, a vague sense of unease crept up her spine as she realized that he wasn’t leaving, but just sat there...watching.

Chapter Three
    Penny spun around, turned her back to the crowd and gave herself a quick shake. She reassured herself the man was simply a bystander and that her imagination was working overtime given the startling events of the day. Matt and Brad came out of the bank, pausing just outside the door, deep in conversation. Penny inched toward them. With Matt in grabbing distance, she found the courage to sneak a quick peek over her shoulder. The man and his car had disappeared. She relaxed, and shook her head at her foolishness.
    “Well, I’ve got to get something to eat and get Penny back to her car. I’ll be back in a while.”
    “Okay, Chief,” Brad said and nodded in Penny’s direction. She gave him an overly bright smile.
    “Are you ready?” Matt put his hand behind her back and urged her toward the parking lot, lifting the police tape for her to pass under. She scanned the onlookers for the man who’d caught her attention, but she couldn’t pick him out of the crowd. His car was gone. She shook off the lingering sense of disquiet. In Matt’s safe presence, that was easy to do.
    “Are you going to be out here all night?” Penny asked. She turned to survey the intense activity at the scene.
    Matt’s lips lifted at one corner. “Yeah. I have to come back out. I can’t just hop into bed and let the guys handle this all night.”
    Acutely aware of his hand on her back as he guided her back toward his SUV, she wondered helplessly if she would see him again. The town was small, but she had little excuse for looking him up again. What would she say? Hey, I think I still love you. Ask me to give up my life to be with you...and I will...in a heartbeat?
    But she bit her lip and climbed into the SUV.
    “How about waffles?” Matt buckled his seatbelt and threw a sheepish grin in her direction. “I know it’s not much of a dinner but I’ve got the craziest desire for breakfast right now.” He glanced at his watch. “We’ve got some all night waffle joints around here.”
    Penny let loose the breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. Yes! Yes! She still had more time with him.
    “Oh, sure...if you’re still hungry. Sounds good.” She took a steadying breath and tried a nonchalant response.
    “Great!” Matt backed out of the parking lot and turned onto the main road. He headed toward the beach highway. Within minutes, he pulled into the parking lot of a small, well-lit eatery that reminded her of pictures she’d seen of old diners. Wall to wall glass windows provided a look into the coffee shop with its orange booth