Fresh Baked Bread and Flowery Perfume

Rosalind shifted in her dress as the sound of clicking heels echoed against the vintage checkerboard floor, blending with the lively chatter that filled the room. The jukebox crooned a familiar rock tune that would normally get her to hum the melody, but even the fries she had ordered remained fairly untouched. She cast a glance at her watch for the sixth time. 12:17.

Her date was running late.

This made her anxious. Leo had never been tardy, not like this.

Rosalind let out a sigh, tracing the rim of her empty glass with her fingertip as a wave of unease washed over her. Thoughts raced through her mind—was something wrong? Had he gotten stuck in traffic? Or worse, had he changed his mind about their afternoon?

Just as she was about to take a sip of her drink, the door swung open, letting in a gust of cool air and a flood of light. Rosalind’s heart leaped as she turned, only to find a group of friends entering, their laughter cutting through the noise of the room. Her gaze quickly shifted back to her watch, the second hand ticking slowly around its face.

Come on, Leo, she thought as she picked up a fry and stuck it in her mouth. Please don’t make me sit here alone.

She didn’t turn as the door opened again. She knew it wasn’t Leo.

The man who had walked in said something to the waitress, but she couldn’t quite catch it. His voice was calm and deep, making it pleasant to listen to, even across the room.

Rosalind couldn’t help but steal a glance at him, and her jaw nearly dropped. He wore a gray shirt that hugged his muscles yet remained loose enough to be comfortable. This contrasted with his simple blue jeans and the rich, coffee-toned hue of his skin. His stud earrings and necklace both featured rubies, adding a touch of sparkle.

She shrank a bit as the man glanced in her direction. As the waitress nodded, he began to walk toward her booth. He ended up sitting down, and she couldn’t help but stare helplessly at the stranger who sat in front of her.

She had met a few people like him, and they typically had brown eyes. His, however, were a striking hazel, flecked with bits of green and red.

“I ain’t that scary, right?” He smiled warmly. “Name’s Jessie Rockwell. Or Jay. Whichever one is easiest to remember.”

“Well, I… huh. Hello. My name is-”

“Rosalind Williams. I know.”

She stopped. “… You do? How?”

Jessie grabbed a French fry and examined it with a scowl. “Are you sure you want me t’tell you right now? Don’t want a normal conversation first?”

“I… suppose a normal conversation wouldn’t hurt,” she trailed off as the man stuffed the fry into his mouth. “How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Twenty-five.”

She chuckled. “I’m only twenty-three.”

“What’re you doin’ here all by yourself, in that nice dress and flowery perfume?” The man gestured to the dress she was wearing. “Y’sure do look pretty, but no one’s sittin’ here with you other than me.”

Rosalind felt her face get warm. “I was supposed to be here for a date, but it’s been…” She checked her watch again and swore under her breath. “Almost half an hour. He hasn’t shown up yet.”

“That’s happened to me once. It wasn’t a date, per se, but we agreed to meet up and talk. Never showed.”

“Oh, that’s terrible,” she murmured. “I’m sorry for you.”

“Nah, it wasn’t that bad. Didn’t even really like the gal anyway.” Jessie leaned back and draped his arm over the booth. “Who’d you say was supposed to meet you here?”

Rosalind smiled softly. She recalled her recent memories with Leo— when she first met him at the county fair, when he bought her flowers and treated her to a lovely dinner. When he stayed up until the morning with her, talking like they had known each other for years.

…Where was he now?

“His name is Leo. Leo Harper.”

The man’s face turned cloudy in a instant. “He’s a Harper?”

“Yes…?” Her hands reached her necklace- another present from Leo- and she began to fiddle with the chain. “Is… there something wrong with that?”

“Well, let’s just say his family really ain’t good people if you take a step into their business.”

“What business do they have?” she asked hesitantly. “Leo told me that he helps his mother with her bakery. I’ve even been inside it before. Nothing seemed too suspicious.”

Jessie sighed. “I hate to be the one to tell you this, miss… but the Harpers have a reputation that goes beyond just baking bread. Tell me…” Jessie’s voice was low, his eyes scanning the room as if he expected someone to overhear them. “What happened on the twenty-second of November last year?”

The air in the room grew tense as the question hung between them. The woman across from Jessie shifted nervously in her seat, her fingers still fidgeting with the necklace. “Well, Leo took me to a coffee shop in town. Nothing much,” she replied.

Jessie leaned in closer, his expression serious. “And the day after, what did he do?”

“He apologized profusely— said he had to go to work. That’s usually what happens. He brings me somewhere nice, and then he says he has to leave. I always thought it a little strange.”

“What about February third?”

Rosalind frowned. This man was acting rather suspicious. “We watched the sunset.”

“And what about June sixteenth?”

“Pardon my question, Jessie, but I—”

Jessie interrupted, his eyes narrowing. “No, listen closely, Rosalind. These dates aren’t random. They all tie back to the Harpers. Each date marks a significant event linked to their business.”

Her brow furrowed as she processed his words. “What are you saying, Jessie?”

“I’m sayin’ he’s part of a real bad crowd,” Jessie said, his voice barely above a whisper. “And if you’re romantically involved with him, you could be in danger too. I have some news for you, actually.” He slid a stack of papers across the table and stood.

“Are…?” Rosalind stood up as well. “Are you really just going to leave me with that information?”

Jessie nodded, his expression serious. “I wish I could help you more. All the information I can give you is in that packet. I can’t discuss it further unless I want my boss on my ass. See ya later, Rosie.”

“Wh— Your boss?”

But Jessie was already heading out the door.

—

Rosalind frowned at the papers Jay had given her, which were scattered across her bed. She had crossed out several dates that matched the events on her calendar, but one date continued to puzzle her. March fourteenth was soon— so what could it mean?

She took the pencil out of her mouth, her brow furrowing in concentration. Neither of them had mentioned any plans for the day before her birthday. So why in the world was that date in this stack of papers?

With a sigh, she gathered all of the things off her bed. She could worry about it in the morning; after poring over the dates for an hour or so, what harm could come from waiting?

But right after she slipped into her pajamas and started to brush her teeth, her phone buzzed.

Rosalind glanced at the screen and saw Leo’s name pop up, her heart quickening with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. She finished brushing her teeth and quickly wiped her mouth opening the message.

“you have a good day?”

She paused, considering her response. After a moment of contemplation, she decided to keep it light. “lol yeah just trying to figure some things out rn. wbu?”

Leo’s reply came almost instantly. “busy with work and wanted to check in. u doin anything before your birthday?”

Her breath caught in her throat at the mention of the very date that had been gnawing at her mind. “i’m not. y… u got a surprise?”

“something like that ;)”

Her heart began to race. She knew that Leo never failed to disappoint with his surprises, but this meant, without a doubt, that the date on those papers was true. How could they be so accurate regarding her life so far? Was Jessie’s boss spying on her? “hey, babe. quick q.”

“hm?”

She took a deep breath in and out. “you know abt someone named jessie? he said he knows u.”

There was quite a long delay before Leo replied, the dots bouncing as he typed. “he’s nobody. just work friends ig”

She stared at his message for a long while. ‘Just work friends’ was a very suspicious reason, but at least she had a bit of information about who this Jessie guy was.

“yk… i never asked what u do 4 work. what is it?”

“help with my mom and her bakery. sometimes i gotta go out of town for deliveries”

“can i come with?”

Another long pause. “sure. but u can’t say anything”

After thanking him, Rosalind set her phone down. Finally, this date would make sense! Why was it written down in the first place? Better yet, who correctly guessed every single of the dates she went on with Leo?

A knock on the front door interrupted her thoughts. She padded toward it, but as she reached for the handle, she felt something crinkle under her foot. A letter? But who would send her a letter this late at night? As she picked it up, Rosalind realized it wasn’t even in an envelope. “Miss Rosalind Stephanie Williams,” it read.

We trust that you found your discussion with Agent 45-A2, also known as Jessie ‘Jay’ Rockwell, to be informative and engaging.

It has come to our attention that you have acquired information that may be instrumental to our ongoing investigation. We strongly encourage you to come forward with this information. By doing so, you would play a crucial role in elucidating the circumstances surrounding the Harpers—whom Agent 45-A2 has indicated you have a personal relationship with—and assist us in bringing their activities to a conclusive and beneficial resolution.

Federal Department of Civil Security Enforcement [FDCS]

Rosalind stared at the letter in disbelief, her heart racing. The words seemed to swim on the page as she processed the implications of what she had just read. This wasn’t just any letter; it was from the Federal Department of Civil Security Enforcement.

She took a deep breath and paced her bedroom, the letter crinkling in her hand. The thought of contacting Jessie bubbled to the surface of her mind. He had seemed trustworthy, yet the implications of her sharing whatever she knew felt laden with risk. If she contacted them, would she become part of their investigation? Would she be helping to uncover the truth, or simply putting herself in harm’s way?