Page 32 of The Fragile Truth
“Thank you,” Sadie said.
Ian held up a finger. “Hang tight, and I’ll radio one of the deputies.”
After Grady, his deputy, showed up and escorted Talon and Effie back to the island, Ian turned his attention to interviewing the bearded man and wrapping up his report. Sadie tried to go back to work, but Mike wouldn’t have it. He ordered her to take the rest of the day off. Just before she left, Ian pulled her aside and spoke to her privately, asking if she were truly okay.
“I am,” she assured him with a smile. “Don’t worry about me.” She touched his cheek, her expression achingly tender.
Again, he recounted the blessing of her being okay. Maybe it was time to get his rear-end back to church. He was coming to the realization that he had much to be grateful for. “I’ll stop by your house tonight after I get off work. Maybe we could order a pizza, and I can help you unpack and hang some pictures.”
“Sounds good.”
He watched her go, feeling immense gratitude that she’d not been hurt. The situation with Lina was out of control. It was a crying shame that no one had gotten a tag number or description of the car. The best Ian could do was to put out an APB on a black sedan that looked suspicious. In other words, they didn’t have a prayer of finding the person who’d tried to run Effie over.
He was getting in his patrol car when he heard someone call his name. He looked over as Denise came trotting across the parking lot, her dark hair bouncing on her shoulders. “Hey,” she began with a strained smile.
“Hey,” he answered tentatively, wondering what this was about. He didn’t want to hurt Denise, but she would never be anything more to him than just a friend. The contrast between her and Sadie was startling. Denise’s makeup was too dark, her lipstick too red, and her uniform was a size too tight, proudly displaying her chest on a shelf.
Denise glanced over her shoulder before looking back at him. When she spoke, she lowered her voice. “I know you’re head over heels for Sadie, but there’s something about her that I don’t trust.”
Ian’s head heated up like it had been tossed into an oven. “You seriously came out here to tell me that?” he growled.
“Yes, I did,” Denise spouted, “because I care about you. I’m tired of seeing you get hurt by conniving women. First, there was Lina and now Sadie. If you would just open your eyes—”
“Stop it right there,” he cut in. “You’re out of line.” He pushed out a heavy breath, his hand going to his forehead. “I’ve got enough on my plate without you pitching a jealous fit.” It was all he could do to strip the animosity from his voice. “Look, Denise. You’re a good friend, but that’s all you’ll ever be.”
A hard laugh riddled her throat. “You are such a fool,” she seethed. “This isn’t about you and me.” She gritted her teeth. “I’m trying to keep you from getting duped. If you’ll just shut up and listen for a minute, you’ll realize that I’m right.”
“Fine,” he growled. “Say your spiel.”
“Something is off about Sadie. She’s not the server type.”
He grunted. “What type is she?”The type that has more class in her pinky finger than you have in your entire body?
“She’s well educated, for starters. I’ve heard her rattling on about all sorts of subjects with the customers.”
He grinned inwardly. More reason to be impressed with Sadie. “It’s not a crime to be well-read.”
Denise charged on. “When Grady came in for breakfast this morning, she was talking to him about the time he spent in the academy. And she knew her stuff. One could have almost believed that she was in law enforcement.”
He rolled his eyes. “Are you done now?”
“No, I’m not,” she sassed. “Sadie asks way too many questions … about you, Lina, and even Brent Allen.” Her voice pitched high. “And all that crap about her going out to the car to get her lip balm?” She trilled out a cackle. “Don’t believe a word of it. I saw her watching Talon and Effie like a hawk when they came in. As soon as they left, she got Rachel to cover her tables. Then she scampered out after them.”
A trickle of unease ran down Ian’s spine. “You’re lying.”
“You wish,” she scoffed. “I heard how y’all met. At some sports bar in Wilmington. Don’t you think it was a huge coincidence that you happened to meet a girl who was starting to work the following Monday at a restaurant in your hometown?” She shook her head, a look of pity overtaking her pretty face. “To be so smart, you’re dumb as dirt when it comes to women.”
Ian’s head began to spin, running through the list of everything that Denise had mentioned. He could understand Sadie asking about him and Lina, but Brent Allen? That was strange. Was Denise telling the truth about Sadie watching Talon and Effie? And then taking off after them? His heart began hammering in his chest. He felt both blisteringly hot and ice cold. “I don’t believe you.” Even as he spoke, he thought back to the night he and Sadie met. He’d attributed their happenstance meeting to fate, pointing to the fact that they belonged together.
Denise pulled a folded piece of paper from her pocket and placed it into his hand. “You don’t have to take my word for it. You can check her out. Here’s a copy of her application. It has her social security number, last address, references. Yadda, yadda, you get the idea.”
He flinched. “Does Mike know that you sneaked into his office and took Sadie’s personal information? That’s a crime.”
Her expression turned sour. “It would be a crime to watch you suffer any more than you already have.” Her voice went whisper soft as she trailed a finger down his cheek. “We could’ve been so good together,” she said wistfully as she turned on her heel and walked away.
Suddenly, he was fighting mad at Denise for filling him with insidious doubts. “What makes you think I won’t march back into the restaurant and tell Mike what you did? Or arrest you, for that matter?”
She didn’t bother turning around but flicked her wrist as she strutted away with rapid, jaunty steps.