Page 45 of The Fragile Truth
Madeline was seated beside him on the couch. She placed a hand over his knee. “I’ll explain everything in a minute,” she said silkily before turning her attention to Lizette. “Sadie has an office at the hotel. You should stop by there on Monday morning, so y’all can talk about the party.”
Lizette’s eyes rounded. “She has her own office?”
Madeline didn’t skip a beat. “Yes, ma’am.” She looked at Sadie. “What time is good for you to meet with Lizette?”
“How about nine a.m.?”
Lizette shuddered. “Too early. How about eleven?”
Sadie had to bite back her smile when she saw the annoyance on Madeline’s face. It was good to know that she wasn’t the only one put out by Lizette’s spoiled behavior. “Eleven o’clock will work,” she said evenly. She felt Banks studying her. A shiver ran through her as she met his gaze. His frigid glare was unnerving.
Madeline noticed the exchange. She frowned as she turned to Banks. “Darling, are you okay?”
He forced a smile. “Just tired. It’s been a long week.” His explanation sufficed her as she nodded, relaxing her posture.
“Have a great weekend,” Sadie said as she quickly left.
13
The ferry ride back seemed to last forever. As Sadie leaned against the rail, her face to the wind, a tear slipped from the corner of her eye. She missed Brent. At times, it seemed impossible that she would never see him again. There were times when she half expected him to walk through the door of her house and throw her a mischievous grin, reminding her in his merry, singsong voice that he was destined to be a great detective.
A prayer circled through her heart.Dear, God, please, help me find out what happened to Brent. Help me bring his murderer to justice. Please keep Effie safe and help the authorities find Lina.She paused, the innermost desires of her heart bubbling to the surface.Help me to know how to repair my relationship with Ian. He’s a good man, and he’s been hurt terribly—by a vindictive, cruel woman.She paused, her jaw tightening as she added, And also by me.More hot tears slipped from her eyes as she squeezed her fist.I never meant to hurt him. Please help Ian understand that my intentions were good. Help him to see beyond my mistakes to know that I am trying to be a good person.
When the ferry ride was over, Sadie filed off with the other passengers and went to her car. Just before she reached it, shivers ribboned down her spine. She looked around, getting the distinct feeling that she was being watched. She spotted several of the people that had been on the ferry with her—a woman and her two small children, an older man and woman. They were getting into their cars, oblivious of her. She scoured the area, seeing no one else.
She got into her car, wondering if she was being paranoid. The encounter with Banks had put her on edge. Her next order of business was to get into Banks’s desk. She planned to tell Ian everything that happened today in the hope that he could help her formulate a plan.
Upon arriving home, she pulled into the carport and got out. As she walked from her car around to the side door, she again got the sensation of being watched. Anger surged through her as she looked around. Who was out there? She could attribute the first experience to heightened nerves. However, this time, she was sure that someone was watching. Sadie had not held a gun since she shot Vince Romano. While in prison, she swore that she’d never pick up another firearm, but she wished for one now so she could protect herself if needed.
Her pulse jumped to a frenzied pace as she jabbed the key into the lock, her skin crawling with unease. In a flurry, she pushed open the door, stepped inside, and closed it behind her, locking it. Her knees knocked together. She took in a calming breath, frustrated with herself for getting so frightened. Her mind wrestled with what was happening.
If someone was watching her, did that mean she was on the right track? Banks was home with Madeline, so it couldn’t be him. Another thought entered her mind. Banks could have hired someone to keep tabs on her. Depositing her purse on the kitchen table, she hurried through the house and stood by the front window in the living room. Ever so carefully, she lifted a slat of the blinds and peered out. At first, she didn’t see a thing. She craned her neck to see farther up the street and then gasped when she caught the blur of a black sedan driving away.
* * *
“Areyou sure it was the same sedan?”
Sadie threw her hands into the air. “No!” she exploded. “I’m not sure of anything.” Immediately after seeing the black car, she’d run into the kitchen, grabbed her cell phone, and called Ian. He’d come right over to check on her.
“Take a breath,” he urged.
The irony of the situation wasn’t lost on Sadie. The last time they sat on this couch together, Ian had been having the meltdown, and she was urging him to calm down. A smile tugged at her lips, helping to regulate her breathing.
“What?”
“This is becoming a familiar habit.”
His eyes rounded in understanding. “Yeah, except the tables are turned.”
More than anything right now, Sadie wanted to throw herself into his strong arms. She wanted him to tell her that everything would be okay. That they could start fresh, right here and now. Her gaze traced the lines of his firm jaw, moving next to his even features. His pronounced cheekbones gave even more emphasis to his penetrating ice-blue eyes. Sadie had never seen eyes so beautiful and so piercing. They had the power to see into her soul.
He frowned. “What is it?”
She shook her head, coming out of the spell. “Nothing.”
His brows knitted together. “You were staring.”
“Only because you’re so handsome.”