Page 124 of Riptide
"For what it's worth... I understand why you did it. I don't agree. But I understand."
Something shifted in Jessica's shoulders—not quite a flinch, not quite relief. She glanced back, and there was something almost like peace in her eyes.
"That's more than I expected," she said softly. "Thank you." She smiled sadly. "Maybe pray for me sometimes. I think I'm going to need it."
And then she was gone.
The door swung shut. The kitchen fell silent.
Cara sat alone, wrists bound, the USB drive a small warm weight against her hip, listening to the distant sound of a car engine fading into nothing.
43
The instantthe back door of the bakery opened, Cara started yelling. “In here! Diane, I’m in the office! Help. ”
Purse slung around her, Diane turned immediately toward Cara’s voice. “What happened?” She raced into the cramped little room. “Are you hurt?”
Her purse hit the floor as she reached Cara’s side. “Who did this?”
"They’re gone. I'm fine." Cara's voice came out steadier than she felt. "There are scissors in the drawer by the sink."
Diane found them, crouched behind the chair, and went to work on the zip ties without asking questions. The plastic gave way and Cara's arms came forward, stiff and aching. She pressed her hands flat against her thighs and waited for the circulation to return.
"Who did this?" Diane's voice was controlled, but her hands weren't quite steady as she set the scissors down.
"It wasn’t a robbery." Cara flexed her fingers. "I'm okay, Diane. Really."
Diane looked at her for a long moment with the expression of a woman who had learned not to push, then straightened and filled a glass of water without being asked.
Cara accepted it. Took one long breath.
Then she reached into her pants pocket, closed her fingers around the USB drive.
She'd deal with it later. Alone.
"I need to call Gabe," she said.
Diane didn't move immediately. She set down her own glass, folded her hands, and looked at Cara with the particular patience of someone who had raised children and outlasted hard things. "Is this going to be a problem for the bakery?" she asked. Not nosily. Just practically.
"No." Cara met her eyes. "It was….” She didn’t want to say, “a murderer.” Not yet. So she simply shook her head. “It had nothing to do with Sugar & Salt, and it's over now. Gabe needs to know what happened, and then it'll be over officially."
Diane studied her for another moment. Whatever she was looking for, she seemed to find enough of it.
"I'll be out front," she said.
Cara rubbed her wrists. "Thank you, Diane."
"Don't thank me. Just drink your water."
The door swung shut behind her.
Cara pulled out her phone and called Gabe.
He picked up on the second ring. "Hey." Background sounds — wind, waves. He was outside somewhere. "Everything okay?"
"Not even close." She kept her voice even. "Jessica Forsythe was here. In the bakery."
A beat of silence. "Are you okay?"
