It was 9:40 am and Ellie was sure that Sarah would be alone at the Orange Orange getting ready to open for the day. She grabbed a pile of magazines and a few color swatches. It was time to talk to the girl scout. She pulled up and parked next to Sarah's little sports car. It was kind of flashy for a girl on a yogurt shop salary. Sarah must really be in debt or she had a rich family. Now that Ellie thought of it, Sarah hadn't ever really talked much of her family. Ellie added that to the growing mental check list of questions that she had about Sarah Walker.

Ellie stood at the door, looking thought the glass into the Orange Orange. A sign hung there that read "Closed" in large black letters. She saw Sarah inside, taking chairs down from the tops of tables. Ellie knocked on the door and Sarah's right hand flew to her lower back. Did she have back problems? Ellie smiled and waved. In a moment Sarah was there with the keys unlocking it.

"Ellie," she said, letting her inside, "What brings you by this morning?"

Ellie immediately noticed a cut above Sarah's left eye and a split in her lip. "Oh no Sarah, not you too?" Sarah reached up and touched her eyebrow.

"It's nothing," she said dismissively. "What do you mean 'me too?'"

"I saw Chuck this morning. He told me what you did for his shoulder."

Sarah's eyes flicked past Ellie and towards the door and then back to Ellie. "What did Chuck tell you exactly?" Her words were light.

"You know, he told me about what happened. Did you cut your eye the same way? It's strange that he didn't mention it. "

"Oh, well, I would love to hear the story from Chuck's point of view," Sarah said. "Why don't you tell me what he told you and then I'll fill in any blanks."

Ellie told Sarah the story Chuck had told her about the roller skating and the dislocated shoulder. "He told me you had been a girl scout and that is how you learned to set a shoulder.

Sarah looked down to her hands. "No, I didn't learn that from girl scouts. I learned that from my dad."

"Oh, was he a doctor?" Ellie asked. That would explain the sports car.

"No," Sarah said, standing and grabbing a wash cloth from the counter. "My dad didn't believe in hospitals or doctors. And let's just say, when I was a kid I had a lot of bicycle accidents."

Was that a small hint of bitterness Ellie sensed in her voice? A lot of bicycle accidents? What was Sarah trying to say?

"Anyway," Sarah said, breaking Ellie from her thoughts, "I'm glad I was able to help. How was he this morning?"

"Sore, but I think he'll be fine. I told him to get his shoulder x-rayed, just as a precaution."

"That's good." Sarah seemed relieved.

"And how about you, how did you get…" Ellie gestured to her own face to indicate Sarah's injuries.

"Ah, let's just say that Chuck's reflexes to grab for anything he can when he is falling are quite fast for a computer guy. Unfortunately, I'm not the most confident skater myself and not the best choice for saving someone who's falling."

"So you reset his shoulder while your own eye was cut open and bleeding? That's amazing."

Sarah began wiping off the counter again. "It's not that big of deal really. So what brings you by this morning?"

"More wedding details," Ellie said, showing Sarah the magazines and the swatches. "Would you mind helping me choose a table setting for the reception?"

Sarah's face softened. "Sure, have a seat," she said gesturing to the stools by the counter. "But I thought you already settled that when Devon's mom and dad were here."

Ellie sat down, spreading out the magazines and swatches. "Devon's mom did settle it, but now, with your help, I'm going to choose something I actually like."

"I may have a few minutes before I have to open." Sarah came around the counter and sat on the next stool. "Why don't you show me what you're thinking about."

The next ten minutes were filled with comparing pictures and creating color combinations. They decided on the candle centerpieces, and a less formal place setting. They kept talking about it even after Sarah had to open the store. There were no customers so they continued uninterrupted.

After awhile Ellie closed the magazines and set everything aside. She had finally worked up the courage to bring up the topic that had been on her mind.

"Sarah," she began, "I'm not being totally honest with you."

Sarah looked at her, puzzled.

Ellie continued. "I didn't come down here this morning to talk about wedding plans."

"I see. So what did you want to talk about?" Sarah asked.

"We're friends right?" Ellie began.

"Yes, of course."

"I mean, we're really friends, apart from you dating my brother."

"Over this past year I've grown to think of you as my own family," Sarah said reaching out and touching Ellie's hand.

"Good, because there are a couple things bothering me." Sarah didn't say anything, so Ellie plunged forward. "The first thing is about my brother. He's been pretty distracted lately and I'm worried about him. I think it may have something to do with you. When I asked him about it he said your relationship was 'complicated.' But he wouldn't tell me any more then that."

Sarah took a breath. "You know relationships are Ellie, they can get pretty confusing."

"It's true. Devon and I have our hard times. But then you talk it out and keep working on it."

"Yes, and that's what we're doing –most of the time - but as Chuck may have told you, I'm not exactly great at the whole talking about emotions thing."

"And believe me, neither is Chuck. But you don't always have to use words; I can totally see it when you are together," Ellie said. Sarah looked down at her hands again. "Chuck is crazy about you, I can see it in the way his eyes light up every time he sees you. And you feel the same way."

"Am I that transparent?" Sarah asked.

"Maybe it isn't obvious to everyone, but it is to me. If you guys love each other, there isn't anything confusing about that," Ellie said.

"I guess we'll just have to keep working on it," Sarah said simply.

Ellie paused a moment and then decided to push forward. "There is something else that's bothering me."

"What is that?" Sarah asked.

"Don't be mad but, well, I did some checking around this morning and the only roller rink in town closes at 8:00 pm on weeknights. So what really happened to you and Chuck last night?"

Sarah's eyes grew wide for a moment and then just as she opened her mouth to answer her cell phone started to ring. Sarah pulled it out of her pocket and looked to see who was calling.

"It's my boss," Sarah said standing and walking toward the back room. "I'm sorry Ellie, I have to take this. I'll just be a minute. Do you want something? Why don't you help yourself to a yogurt or a soda or something? I'll be back in a bit."

Convenient phone call, Ellie thought, but a frozen yogurt didn't sound half bad so as soon as Sarah disappeared behind the swinging door Ellie made her way around the counter, grabbed a cup and filled it with yogurt. She looked around for toppings. She and Sarah had been so busy talking that Sarah hadn't gotten any of them out yet. But that was okay, Ellie would just poke around and see what she could find. Nothing wrong with that. And hopefully with a little luck she would find some strawberries.

The area under the counter was filled with various containers. Most were labeled but some were not. She found chocolate chips, bananas, chocolate sauce, blueberry but no strawberry. Determined she saw one last container, a large white plastic one with a twist off lid. It was labeled "cheese sauce." Cheese sauce, on frozen yogurt? Curious, Ellie picked up the container and twisted off the lid.

Ellie didn't know a lot about guns, but she knew a real one when she saw one and very real gun was nestled in some paper towels in the container that should be full of cheese sauce. Not trusting herself to even touch it, she quickly screwed the lid back on the container and placed it back under the counter where she had found it.

Her mind filled with questions. Why did Sarah have a hand gun under the counter? Didn't Sarah say once that she had never been close to a gun before? She knew it must be Sarah's because she had never seen anyone else working at the Orange Orange. Now that she was thinking about it, Sarah must be the only employee. That was odd. How did the Orange Orange even stay in business? They almost never had customers and whenever Sarah took time off the store just closed.

Oh gosh! She had read about this sort of thing in the newspaper. Stores that say they are selling one thing but they really don't sell that thing, they really sell drugs. The Orange Orange could be a drug front. Did Sarah know? Of course she knew, she was the only person that ever worked at the store. But then that would make Sarah…a drug dealer! If Sarah was a drug pusher that would explain the sports car and the handgun.

Ellie started to feel nervous. If Sarah was a drug dealer did that mean that Chuck was involved in some way? Was Chuck using drugs? Is that why he was still at the Buy More in stead of moving on with his life? That would explain why he and Sarah kept such odd, unpredictable hours. And that would explain why their relationship was "confusing." Ellie got a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach.

She could think of only one thing to do. Her frozen yogurt forgotten on the counter, Ellie rushed from the shop into her car. She started the engine and pulled away. She wasn't ready to face Sarah or Chuck with her suspicions. Not yet.

Once she made it to the freeway Ellie picked up her cell phone. "Yes, may I speak to Sergeant Roberts please? Ethan? Ellie. Do you remember that favor you promised me? Well, I need to call it in."