Page 50 of The Fragile Truth
“Pestering is something that I can certainly do,” Callie teased.
He rolled his eyes. “Trust me, I know that firsthand.”
“Hey,” she protested, but Ian could tell from the amusement on her face that being labeled a pest didn’t bother her in the least. She looked thoughtful before scrunching her brows. “On another topic, who do you think is following Sadie?”
“I have no idea. I offered to send one of our deputies over to watch her, but Sadie refused, saying that she could take care of herself.”
“She’s probably right. The woman was a detective in Las Vegas. She spent three years in prison and lived to tell the tale. I’d say if anyone can take care of herself, it’s Sadie.”
Callie’s words were comforting. And yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen to Sadie. His unease had started when he first learned that Sadie was being followed. This past week, he’d intended to stop by Sadie’s house every evening to get a report as they had been doing previously, but she informed him that she didn’t have any new information and that they could speak over the phone instead. Being apart from her was torture. Was that why his senses were on high alert?
Callie seemed to be reading his thoughts. “Do yourself a favor. Don’t procrastinate making up with Sadie. None of us is guaranteed a tomorrow.”
Chills rose over his arms. “Do you think Sadie is in danger?”
“It can’t be good that someone was following her.” She pressed her lips together. “There are lots of loose ends. I’m not sure how they all fit together. It would help if the US Marshalls could capture Lina. At least then, we could wrap that up, and we won’t be worried sick that she’ll do something to Effie or someone else.”
“Amen,” he punched out.
“You’ll see Sadie tonight at the party.”
“Briefly. My main focus is to provide a distraction.”
“I know,” she said easily, like she was calming a child. “But you’re a resourceful man. I’m sure you can find a way to talk to Sadie.” Callie stood. “I’m out of here.” A wry grin crossed her lips. “I can’t spend my entire Saturday cooped up in this infernal office.” She pinned him with a look. “I’ll see you and Sadie tomorrow at church. I’ll save you some seats on our pew.”
A smile slid over his lips. “You don’t give up, do you?”
Her eyes flashed with determination. “No sir. I don’t. Especially when it comes to the meaningful things.”
15
Sadie had gotten to the Chasing’s house at eleven a.m. to give herself plenty of time to put together the dinner for Wesley’s birthday party. The items on the menu were prosciutto-wrapped cantaloupe and an olive and cheese platter for the appetizers. Next would be homemade baguette bread, minestrone soup, and a spinach and berry salad, followed by broiled salmon and roasted potatoes and veggies for the main course. For dessert, Sadie planned to make a three-layer devil’s food cake topped with dark chocolate shavings and strawberries dipped in white chocolate.
As she worked to assemble the dinner, she couldn’t help but feel a tremble of excitement. Cooking had always been her passion. Even when she worked full-time as a detective, she took cooking classes on Saturdays for fun. There was something rewarding about creating an elaborate dinner that would be enjoyed by others. She looked forward to the time when she could work as a personal chef, for real.Soon, she promised herself. It was interesting how often she’d felt Brent with her today. Did that mean she was on the right track?
The plan was for Sadie to text Ian right before she served dessert. He would be waiting nearby and would come to the manor to address the issue of a “prowler.” Sadie would then slip away to the study. While Ian hadn’t voiced his objections aloud, Sadie could tell that Ian was a by-the-book guy. It couldn’t be easy for him to bend the rules. She was just grateful that he was going along with the idea of providing a distraction so she could break into Banks’s desk. That, in and of itself, was indicative of how desperately Ian wanted to catch Brent’s murderer.
Sadie, on the other hand, had always been a spirit of the law person rather than a letter of the law person. Her years spent as a detective had taught her that sometimes it was necessary to bend the rules for the greater good. Of course, she’d taken that mantra too far when she shot Vince Romano but picking a few locks on a desk could hardly be equated with that. It was ironic that Sadie was here all day in the Chasing’s manor, but she couldn’t search it because Ingrid was here. Today was worse than normal. Ingrid had shifted into high gear to get the manor in tip-top shape for the party tonight. Two additional housekeepers had been called to assist Ingrid. Also, two waiters were coming this evening to help Sadie serve the meal.
Sadie knew that Ian still had his doubts, but her instinct insisted that the key to solving the mystery of Brent’s death was connected to Banks Chasing and whatever contents were in his desk. She could only hope that she was right. Feeling Brent’s presence today so strongly gave her a sense of fortitude, reminding her of the need to keep pressing forward. A prayer went through her mind as she asked for help from on high. Tears prickled her eyes when a glow of warmth settled straight into the center of her heart. The peace was so strong and pure that it could have only come from above. She felt a rush of gratitude for the impression as she gave silent thanks for it. A thought drifted through her mind.Heaven favors a righteous cause.
She turned her mind to the food prep as she removed two sticks of butter from the microwave and placed them into a mixing bowl to whip up the fudge frosting. The cake layers were now sufficiently cool and ready to be iced.
By the time five p.m. rolled around, Sadie was exhausted. Cooking was a lot of work! She got her second wind when the waiters arrived, and she commenced giving them instructions. Both guys were in their late teens and seemed to know what they were doing. She got another jolt when one of the guys introduced himself as Brent.
The guests were due to arrive at six-fifteen. At a quarter to six, Madeline traipsed into the kitchen in a flurry of excitement, infusing the kitchen with a subtle wisp of her light floral perfume. She looked magnificent in a red blouse and matching slacks that were wide in the legs. She wore strappy red sandals with wedge heels made of cork. Her toenails were painted red to match. No detail was left undone, as evidenced by the dainty daisy flowers hand-painted on her big toenails. Sadie was struck by how flawless Madeline was, not only in her looks but also in her demeanor. She was the epitome of grace and refinement.
“How’s it going in here?” Madeline asked, her dark eyes shimmering with anticipation.
“Everything is under control,” Sadie announced as the servers nodded in agreement.
“Good,” Madeline sighed. She threw Sadie a glowing smile. “Thank you for everything that you’re doing for our family.” Her eyes deepened with intensity, expressing all that she couldn’t voice in front of the servers.
“You’re very welcome,” Sadie replied, feeling a curious catch of guilt in her stomach. If her hunch was correct, she would soon be exposing Banks Chasing as not only a thief but possibly a murderer. Madeline wouldn’t be thanking her then. The sad part was that Sadie liked Madeline Chasing a lot. From her research, she’d learned that Madeline was from a small town in Arkansas. She’d worked for Banks as his secretary before the two of them fell in love and got married. Even before everything happened with Lina, the Chasings were constantly under scrutiny. It would be tough to be under a microscope all the time. Sadie had felt the sting of the public interest that followed her after she shot Vince.
One question that had been rolling through Sadie’s mind all day was why Madeline would agree to host a birthday party for the man who’d had an affair with her son’s wife.
Then again, the Chasings and the Laramies were tight. Banks and Carter were business partners. Madeline and Lizette had hoped their children would end up together. Sadie supposed it would be tricky to navigate the situation with Wesley. If Madeline and Banks ousted him, then it would hurt their relationship with their closest and dearest friends.