Not my investigation.
Cate ignored the little voice of logic in her head. She was suddenly determined to see this new development in Jade’s case through to the end. After meeting with Kori and her parents, she had now been sucked back in. She couldn’t walk away and go back to baking muffins after interacting with the family.
Exactly what Phillip had wanted in the first place.
Did he know I’d come around after talking to the Astons?
It was a moot point. Cate was emotionally up to her neck in the case. Again.
Nothing was going to tear her away from searching for Kori’s ex-husband and stopping him from ruining another woman’s life.
And her child’s.
“Where is the rest of my baby?” Kori whispered, her eyes searching Cate’s. “What did he do with her? I need to find her . . . I need her with me.”
Cate understood. Kori needed closure.
“I can’t help her anymore,” Kori said softly. “But I can protect her. Help her rest. I need to know where she is.”
“I’ll find her for you,” Cate promised. She’d made several similar promises to Kori over the years, knowing it was a long shot that the FBI would find Jade. But something told her that this time, she could actually do it.
Finding Jade’s remains wouldn’t be the result anyone wanted. But it would allow their long-open wounds to finally start to heal.
6
Cate handed the tourist a cardboard tray with four coffees and a paper bag full of cranberry scones. Her morning had been exceptionally busy, keeping her from dwelling on yesterday’s encounter with Kori and her parents. The hotels were packed with people who had come to the island for the warm summer days.
“Let’s see if a few of Patience’s friends can help out with some shifts,” Cate suggested to Jane as she gathered doughnuts for another order. Tessa’s sister was a good source for extra bakery help.
“I already asked,” Jane said as she handed a peach fritter sample to a young couple. “Two of them jumped at the offer to make some money. They’ll be here in an hour.”
“Good.” Cate eyed the young couple tasting the fritter. They’d already tried two other pastries. Cate suspected they were filling up on samples and weren’t going to order any food. A moment later they ordered two small black coffees.
Yep.
At least the samples were a day old.
She gave them a big smile as she took their card for the small purchase. The man’s eyes had lit up as he tried the fritter, and Cate suspected he’d be back at some point.
Jane’s baking was addictive.
The line out the door had finally died down and Cate was cleaning fingerprints off the glass case when Tessa arrived. The deputy had the same bags under her eyes that Cate did. They’d been up late the night before with a bottle of rosé as Cate had updated her and Samantha about her interview with Kori Causey and the Astons.
The three friends got together once a week with a bottle of wine or a quart of ice cream. They’d been friends since they were young teens. Practically sisters. And Cate looked forward to the quiet but intimately social evenings all week. They had years of being apart to make up for.
“What’s up?” she asked Tessa, who was in uniform.
“Two tourist fender benders, one trespass, and one abandoned baby seal,” said Tessa.
“Busy morning. Did a tourist report that the seal had been left behind?”
“Yes. She got into an argument with some locals who told her not to worry about it. I had to convince her it was best left alone.”