A Penny for Your Thoughts Read Online Free

threatened to kill her.”
    “What?” Matt jerked his head back toward Penny. “Sit down. Tell me.”
    Penny gratefully sank back down onto the acrylic chair and gave Patty a pleading look. Patty came through.
    “Someone called her today, Chief. Someone who knows her, called her by name. He said he was the man who was going to kill her.” Patty looked to Penny for confirmation, and Penny nodded.
    Matt’s sharp eyes darted back and forth between them. Penny noticed the beginnings of gray at the temples of his straight, dark hair. He looked more handsome than ever. Was it possible?
    “So, she called the number on the phone, and it was her boss who lives in...” Patty consulted her notes, “Michigan. He said he didn’t make the call. Mrs. Brown believes him, and they’re wondering if the call came from one of those spoof phone cards where they can change the caller ID.”
    Penny nodded and gave Patty a grateful look for summarizing the situation. The shock of the phone call seemed to pale in comparison to the stunning news that the man she’d never stopped loving was now the Chief of Police in a town she’d chosen out of the blue as a healing sanctuary. Had she chosen it out of the blue? Had Jerry mentioned it once? She couldn’t remember. She threw Matt a quick glance and ran a hand to her hair. Had she changed much over the years? 
    “Patty, I’ll take care of Mrs. Brown. I’ll have her fill out the statement. Come on back to my office, Penny.”
    Penny’s face flamed as she saw the startled look on Officer Jenkins’ face. She pulled herself up, smiled her thanks and followed Matt who led the way to an office in the rear.
    He pushed open the door and allowed her to precede him into a somewhat cluttered room which featured a large dark wooden desk overflowing with papers, file folders and several “in” and “out” baskets. Several plain black metal file cabinets stood behind the desk. Penny scanned the room for personal photographs or mementos and found none.
    “Can I get you something, Penny? Some coffee?” Matt touched a dark blue-cushioned chair with wooden arms in front of his desk and indicated she should sit.
    “No, thanks, I’m fine.”
    He sank into the office chair behind his desk and gazed at her with a half smile and a furrowed brow. Penny tried to meet his eyes but failed miserably, settling instead for a perusal of the top of his desk.
    “I can’t believe you’re here in Gulf Shores. How long have you been here?”
    Penny couldn’t believe it either. “Since the beginning of November. I-I’m here through March, another month.” She glanced up at him quickly, but couldn’t read his expression. He often wore a pleasant though enigmatic smile which he hadn’t lost, but she had no idea what he really thought. Not now and not then.
    “How is your wife? Any children?” She might as well get the pleasantries out of the way.
    Matt pressed his full lips together and looked away for a moment.
    “I’m...uh...divorced. No children. We didn’t have any. She’s in Gulfport.”
    Penny’s heart sped up from its already erratic thumping. Divorced?
    “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, Matt.” She tried to be sincere. She wanted to be sincere...but she didn’t want him to be married, and her heart thumped an elated beat to find out he wasn’t.
    His cheeks bronzed under his tanned skin. “Yeah, well, things happen. When did I talk to you last anyway?”
    “I called you about eight years ago...to see how you were doing. You were actually getting married the next day. It was a strange coincidence.”
    Matt gave her a quick startled glance and then rubbed the back of his neck. “Wow, that long...” He shook his head and picked up the statement.
    “So what’s the story with this phone call, Penny?”
    Penny blinked at the sudden change of subject. She hoped he wouldn’t notice the quick moisture that sprang to her eyes. He hadn’t even asked about her, what she’d been doing or what had