Chris Hart owns the only grocery shop in Nortown, but he isn't exactly overrun by customers. Some days he wonders why he bothers to open the doors at all. Spending his days smiling at the few people trickling in and his nights alone in bed isn't the most interesting life a man could lead. But when Chris suddenly gets the excitement he's been craving, it may be more than he bargained for.<br><br>Gabriel Miller loves his life. He's close to his sister, has a job he adores and is the proud owner of one and a half cats. But all of it is taken away when he witnesses a murder. To keep him safe, the police place him in Nortown, of all possible locations.<br><br>Chris can't believe they're letting someone live in his gran's old cabin in the middle of the winter. It's too cold. When the poor man shows up in his shop looking to buy clothes, Chris's heart melts, despite the freezing temperature. Gabriel notices the way the shopkeeper looks at him, but it can't be right. No one looks at a heavyset man with heat in their eyes. Do they?

Pet Delivery

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he opened the door.


“Erm…yes?” Chris stared at the grey-haired man dressed in a dark-blue jacket with Pet-Express written on the sleeve.


“Yes.” Chris wondered if he was dreaming when the man held out a tablet for him to sign. “What’s this?”


The man motioned towards two cat carriers and a bag standing on the landing. “Your cats are here, sir.”


“My cats?” Chris noticed a caramel-coloured creature move inside one of the crates. “I don’t have any cats.” He shuddered. Cats ate mice, and if there was one thing Chris couldn’t stand it was mice. Vile creatures. He took half a step back.


“Yes, I am, but I don’t own any cats.”


The man took back the tablet and scanned through the text there. “Oh, sorry. Emma Miller is listed as the owner of the cats; she paid for an express delivery here.”


Chapter 18