CHAPTER 16

DAY 29

Monday

AN: Show me that you guys are ready to get back into the rhythm of daily posting by leaving a review for this chapter. Saturdays chapter didn't get as many reviews, so I figured everyone was busy spending time with family over the holiday weekend and took a break myself. The story is complete and each chapter is just waiting to be uploaded, so it's up to the readers to keep those reviews coming and I'll keep posting.

As Finn drove down the interstate, I kept casting sideways glances in his direction to determine what was wrong. His jaw was set, and his grip on the steering wheel got tighter and tighter the closer we got to our destination. By the time we pulled into the cemetery, his entire body was stiff, as if he was gearing up to do something he dreaded. I put two and two together and wanted to kick myself for being insensitive. The man had lost his entire family, and I let him accompany me to a graveside service. What was I thinking? I should have come alone.

He parked behind the other cars, and I put my hand on his forearm before he could get out. "You can wait here if you want. I won't be long." Our eyes held for a second, just long enough for me to see the hopeless grief that must be a constant struggle, and then it was gone.

"I'm fine," he said, getting out and coming to my side of the truck. I had no choice but to take him at his word.

I hadn't packed clothes for this occasion, so I hoped I looked okay. I had on the same outfit I wore to visit Miss. Odette in her assisted living facility, black skinny jeans, a dark grey sweater, and black low-heeled dress boots. Finn wore black slacks and a black button-down shirt, opened at the collar. Neither of us bothered with a coat since the sun was out. By all accounts, it would be a beautiful day.

I started toward the small group assembled at the top of the hill. Finn followed but stayed slightly behind me. I reached back, offering what little support I could, and touched my fingertips to his. His hand froze, and just when I thought he would pull away, he grabbed ahold. Maybe for a little while, we could be each other's strength.

I recognized Miss. Belle, standing on the other side of the casket. A tall, athletically thin man with closely cropped brown hair was beside her. He had his arm around a petite woman with long blonde hair. They were about my age, so I assumed they were Miss. Belle's grandchildren.

A heavy-set woman began singing acapella. Tears filled my eyes when I realized it was "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." Miss Odette had said The Wizard of Oz was Sharon's favorite movie. Instead of planning a funeral for herself, Miss. Odette had made her final wish a tribute to Sharon. My tears flowed harder. Durant had cheated the poor woman out of so many years with her granddaughter. If I could kill him again, I would.

There wasn't a dry eye around when the woman finished the song. Even Finn swiped at his face. As everyone began to disperse, Miss. Belle motioned for me to wait. She quickly wrapped up her conversation with a woman even older than herself and made her way around the open grave to where Finn and I stood. The younger man and woman followed.

Miss. Belle clasped my hand. "I'm glad you could make it, Stephanie."

"Of course," I said, turning to introduce Finn. "Miss. Belle, this is Finnegan Scott."

He shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Ma'am. The service was lovely."

"Such a polite young man." She smiled adoringly at Finn and grasped the young man's arm beside her. "This is my grandson Cody and his wife, Hannah. They've known Sharon since they were babies. They went to nursery school together all the way through high school."

"It's nice to meet you," Finn and I said as we shook everyone's hands.

"We're serving dessert and coffee back at the bakery. Won't you join us, please?" I looked at Finn to see if he was up for it because I definitely didn't mind going to the bakery.

"We have time," he said, appearing in no hurry to get back on the road but glad to get out of the cemetery, and I didn't blame him.

"You can follow us." Hannah smiled sweetly.

We made our way back to the truck and followed a small line of cars to the center of the town square. The bakery was housed in a quaint storefront with a faded pink awning and large paned windows on each side of an inset door. I didn't have much experience with small-town life, especially in the South. Entering this bakery was like stepping back in time, where everything was slower and less complicated. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply, sighing as I inhaled the sugar in the air. It was like coming home.

Cody disappeared into the kitchen while Miss. Belle went behind the counter and tied an apron around her waist. "I think I'll have a blueberry donut and coffee," Hannah said without hesitation, which I admired.

Miss. Belle put Hannah's donut on a tray and looked at Finn and me. "What can I get you, young folks?"

A bear claw caught my eye, and I bit my lip in indecision. The closest I'd come to eating sweets in the last month was maple syrup on my pancakes. I should probably ask if they have fruit or something healthy. I looked to Finn for input. A sparkle in his eyes made me think he enjoyed my dilemma.

"Go ahead," he said. "We're taking a break from training today."

My stomach growled for joy. "I'll take a bear claw and coffee, please."

Miss. Belle waited for Finn to choose. "I'll take a cherry turnover and coffee."

"Of course, you would choose something with fruit." I elbowed him in the side, and the corners of his mouth edged up a little farther. If he wasn't careful, he'd be full-on smiling.

Miss. Belle gathered our desserts and coffees on a tray and led us to a booth by the windows. She set the tray on the white Formica tabletop, scarred with knicks and apparent signs of age. Finn and I sat on one side of the cracked, red vinyl bench while Miss. Belle and Hannah sat on the other side. I took a whiff and closed my eyes, wanting to savor the bear claw, but ended up tearing into the yeasty pastry as if I had no manners at all. I licked the cream cheese filling that dripped onto my finger and moaned.

Miss. Belle smiled in delight at my obvious enjoyment. "I'm glad you're not one of those women afraid to eat."

"Nope." I shook my head. "That is definitely not me." I sipped my coffee. It was good, but not in the same league as the coffee Finn makes at home.

Home?

My breath caught, and I turned in my seat just enough to see Finn's profile. I was getting attached. To the place. To him. To his dog. A feeling of melancholy washed over me. In two short months, I'd return to my home… my reality. That thought left a sour feeling in my stomach.

We made polite chit-chat until we heard a loud banging sound from the kitchen. "Oh, don't worry about that," Hannah said. "Cody's probably taking his frustration out on the oven. It broke again last night, leaving us with one oven until he can fix it."

Miss. Belle finished her apple fritter and stood. "I'll go see how Cody's doing back there."

"I have a little experience in small appliance repair," Finn said as he finished his last bite of cherry pie. "Would it be okay if I looked at the oven?"

Miss. Belle's eyes widened, and she smiled. "If you are volunteering, young man, I will kindly take you up on your offer." He offered her his arm, and they disappeared through the swinging door into the kitchen.

"That was really sweet of your boyfriend," Hannah said now that we were the only two at the table.

"Oh, no, he's not my boyfriend. He's my trainer."

She smiled big. "Is that code for something dirty?" I laughed. This girl was funny, which made me like her all the more.

"There is plenty of dirt involved but not the kind you're thinking about. Finn's putting me through sort of a mini boot camp."

"Ah, well, that's too bad. He's yummy. Anyway, I'm glad you were still in the area and could make it today. I know Miss. Odette would have appreciated you being here." She reached across the table to pat my hand. "I'm sorry for what you went through." So, she knew who I was. The woman who survived The Curio Killer.

"I'm sorry for your loss," I said. "It must have been difficult when Sharon went missing and not knowing what happened to her for all those years?"

"It was the worst thing that ever happened around here. Sharon and I were best friends. Cody had a major crush on her back then, and I was all but invisible to him."

"Did Sharon have feelings for him as well?"

"Oh, no, she never thought of Cody in that way. It was a good thing he was so shy back then. He never had to experience her rejection." She took a long pause as if recalling the details of her teenage years. "Sharon wanted to become a traveling nurse and work with Nurses Without Borders. She told me once that she didn't think she'd ever marry and settle down."

"That sounds familiar." Maybe I had more in common with Sharon than just a resemblance and the bad luck of attracting a serial killer.

"I'm not sure if you know, but the song Beatrice sang at the funeral had a special meaning for Miss. Odette. Sharon used to sing it all the time. After she went missing—I mean after she was abducted—Miss. Odette would listen to the song and watch The Wizard of Oz over and over. It provided a connection to Sharon that gave her comfort."

I smiled, remembering the picture of Sharon dressed as Dorothy. "I saw the Halloween picture in Miss. Odette's room. She told me Sharon wore the ruby slippers everywhere."

Hannah laughed. "She did. She wore them to school but couldn't play on the playground for fear of scuffing them." There was another loud bang from the kitchen. "I really hope your Finn is a Mr. Fixit. Everything back there is at least twenty years old, and something breaks at least once a week. We put bandages on things and never actually fix them."

"I guess when you run a business, there are all kinds of hidden expenses."

"You've got that right. The entire kitchen needs remodeling and the equipment replaced. We'd be able to grow the business if everything worked the way it was supposed to. I can name ten restaurants who would contract with us right now to make their breads and desserts, but we just can't manage that volume… not with the equipment we have. Cody and I are trying to convince Grandma to let us take out a loan to update everything. The day-to-day headaches and stress will be much less. That's for sure."

"How much would something like that cost." She studied me, and I wondered if I was being too nosey. "Sorry, I don't mean to pry. I'm just curious."

"It's okay. I like talking about the bakery. Cody's passion is baking, and my strength is the business end. I've already devised a business expansion plan, but Grandma doesn't want us to take on any more expenditures until the lease on the building is paid off, and we still owe $40,000. Adding to that, another $40,000 for all new appliances in the kitchen and $20,000 to update the dining and counter areas means a huge chunk of change. It feels like we'll be waiting forever."

"$100,000 is a lot of money. I can see why Miss Belle wants to be cautious." I noted the cracked floor tiles, worn seating and tables, and outdated display cabinet. Everything needed to be remodeled, and I hadn't even seen the kitchen, which Hannah described as desperate. It occurred to me that the money I was going to give Miss. Odette could be put to good use here in the bakery. I smiled because it felt right. This was what I was supposed to do.

Hannah slapped her forehead. "I can't believe I told you all that. Forget I said anything. It's just frustrating because I have a degree in Business Management, and I see all these possibilities, but we can't seem to achieve them."

I liked Hannah. We had a lot in common. "I have a degree in Business Management too. I worked as a lingerie buyer for a while before being laid off. I hated wearing a suit and taking the train to the office every day." I took a deep, appreciative whiff of the yummy bakery smell. "I can see why you love this place. I used to work in a bakery like this one in high school. Coming to work was never a hardship. The smells alone were worth it."

"I know what you mean. It's hard for me not to sample the product all day." She laughed. "I've gained a few pounds since I married Cody. He loves this place as much as his grandma does. He's been baking by her side since he could walk. But we'll figure it out. We'll prioritize what needs to be fixed and make it work."

I looked up as Miss. Belle and Finn made their way back to the table. Cody followed behind with a pot of coffee for refills. "I can't thank you enough, young man, for fixing that oven," Miss. Belle said as everyone took their previous seats, and Cody pulled up a chair at the end of the booth.

"Yeah, man, thanks for helping out. With any luck, that oven will make it through another month or more." Cody shook Finn's hand.

"Enough about kitchen ovens." Miss. Belle turned her attention to me. "Earlier, you said something about training. What kind of training are you getting? If you don't mind my asking."

"Self-defense and other ways to protect myself."

"It sounds difficult," Miss. Belle said. "But I bet you're good at it."

It was sad that these strangers had more confidence in me than some people I've known my whole life. "It's been hard, but I'm learning a lot. Finn doesn't take it easy on me, which makes him a great teacher."

"Speaking of teachers, Odette was touched that you took the time to visit with her," Miss. Belle said. "I think knowing what happened to Sharon allowed her to pass peacefully."

I blinked several times, afraid if I started crying, I wouldn't be able to quit. "I'm glad I could give her some peace. I'm not sure if you know this, but I received a substantial reward for—" The words hung in the air because I couldn't finish, but everyone knew I was referring to the cellar and recovering the remains of the eight women. "I tried to give Miss. Odette some of the reward money, but she wouldn't take it."

Miss. Belle looked down at her hands. "No, I can't imagine she would. She was a proud woman."

I looked at my bag sitting beside me on the bench. "It's just that I can't keep the money."

"Of course, you can." Miss. Belle smiled reassuringly and patted my hand. "You'll find a way to put it to good use."

"That's just it. I think I have." I looked around to ensure we were the only ones in the dining area and reached into my messenger bag, pulling out a zippered pouch. I slid it across the table toward Miss. Belle. "I hope you don't think this is forward of me or that I'm being intrusive, but Hannah told me about her and Cody's plans to update the bakery. Inside that bag is $100,000 to do with what you want."

Miss. Belle turned to Hannah in shock. "You shouldn't have said all that to our guest."

"I had no idea she was going to do this," Hannah cried. "I was excited about our plans, and my mouth got away from me. I certainly never thought this would happen."

"Hannah didn't do anything wrong. I was the one asking nosy questions. She's just a kindhearted woman with a dream." I tapped the bag. "You don't have to use the money on the business. Take a dream vacation or use it on whatever you want. Just don't make me take it back. Besides, something tells me giving this money to you would please Sharon and Miss. Odette. And it would make me happy, too."

Everyone was shocked, silently thinking, I suppose, about the money and whether it was right to take it. For me, there was no debate. I could feel it in my bones that this was the right decision. I wasn't sure what Finn was thinking. I was afraid to look at him. The idea that I'd been walking around with $100,000 in cash in my bag had to be surprising, not to mention that I was giving it away as if it were monopoly money.

In the end, Miss. Belle gratefully but hesitantly took the money. After hugs all around and promises to visit, Finn and I left the bakery and got back on the road. We drove in silence until he finally said, "That was a kind thing you did back there. I don't think I've ever known anyone so generous."

"I never wanted that money, so don't put me on a pedestal." We drove a while longer, and then I turned to him. "You think I'm crazy, don't you?"

"I have to admit, I thought maybe all the sugar from that massive bear claw had gone to your head?"

"Ha, I didn't know you could joke."

He chuckled and said, "We're about forty-five minutes from the cabin. Do you want to stop somewhere for an early dinner?"

I checked the time. It was a little after four. "Sure, I could go for something to eat."

"There's a Mexican restaurant up ahead."

"Fine with me." A few minutes later, he pulled off the interstate and into the parking lot of a restaurant that was little more than a hole in the wall. It was called, La Cocina De Mama'. "If Hector were here, he could translate that for me," I said mostly to myself.

"It means Mama's Kitchen."

I smiled, thinking of Hector's Mama in the kitchen cooking dinner. Lester would probably show up just in time to eat. He was like me in that way. We had an internal radar that could sniff out a good meal. "Have you been here before?"

"No," he said as he parked in the small parking lot that was only half full. "I don't like eating alone in a restaurant." My heart panged in sadness as I watched him get out of the truck and come around to my side.

We were immediately shown to a table. I looked around at the mustard-colored stucco walls and tin-tiled ceiling. We passed tables with intricately patterned motifs painted in bright red, green, orange, and yellow colors. Mismatched chairs were pushed up underneath them, giving the restaurant a traditional Spanish vibe, much like Mama's kitchen back home. We were seated at a booth in a dark corner and given menus. The copper hurricane lamp cast a shadowy ambiance over the table, making our lunch seem more romantic than it was. From how Finn studied the menu, I knew he felt uncomfortable too. The only thing saving this situation from being truly awkward was the upbeat Latin music playing loud enough to be heard but not too loud to drown out conversation. I decided to ignore the odd feeling in my stomach.

"I would have been fine with Taco Bell, but this is nice, too." My attempt at breaking up the awkwardness had the corners of Finn's mouth curving up very nearly into a smile.

The waiter placed bowls of nachos and salsa on the table. "My name is Lance. Can I get you something to drink?"

"I'll take sweet tea with lemon," Finn said.

"I'll take the same."

He left us to look over the menu. I wanted so many things, but I'd already cheated enough on my diet today by eating the bear claw. I waited to see what Finn ordered. A few minutes later, Lance was back with our teas. "Are you ready to order?"

"I'll take the Carne Asada," Finn said, closing his menu and looking at me. "This is still a cheat day, so order what you want."

I bit my lip, knowing that even though I could order whatever I wanted, I probably shouldn't. Tomorrow I would still be expected to take my weekly physical fitness test, run four miles, and ruck march five miles the next day with eighteen pounds on my back. "I'll take the grilled chicken salad," I said, settling on something healthy.

After Lance took our menus and left, Finn asked, "You mentioned Hector before. Is he a friend of yours?"

"A very dear friend. He works for Rangeman now but used to be in the Latin Kings."

Finn's eyebrows shot up. "You're friends with a Latin King?"

"He's not in the gang anymore."

"That's unusual. From everything I've heard, the only way out of that gang is in a body bag."

My heart clenched at the thought of what could have happened to Hector. I took a sip of tea while I let that horrible thought slip away. "I meant to ask you before. You avoid sugar, yet you have no problem drinking sweet tea. That seems to go against your healthy eating vibe."

He was quiet for a minute as if debating whether to share something. "My wife, Deborah, was from Alabama. She introduced me to it."

I hadn't meant to bring up sad memories, so I shifted the conversation to other tops until our food arrived. "That looks good," I said, indicating the grilled sirloin steak, Mexican rice, beans, and tortillas piled on Finn's plate. I focused on my own food, sticking my fork into a grilled chicken strip, a little bit of avocado, and lettuce. It wasn't as satisfying as what he was eating.

We focused on his meal until Lance cleared our plates and offered dessert and coffee. I thought Finn would be in a hurry to get back on the road, so I was a little surprised when he ordered coffee for us. Finn waited until Lance placed the steaming mugs before us and left before speaking. "You were going to give Miss. Odette $100,000 in cash?"

"The reward was for a lot more than that." I sipped my coffee. "I paid all my debts, kept a little to get me through until I was back at work, and was going to give the rest to Miss. Odette, but she wouldn't take it. I brought the money today, hoping to find a way to honor her."

"Why didn't you want to keep it? Most people would."

"It's blood money."

"How do you figure?"

"That money belongs to the women who died… not me. It's not fair that I made it out and they didn't. I keep asking myself why."

He looked down at the table for a minute and then back at me. "I don't think Durant knew the kind of woman he'd chosen when he took you. You were older and had more life experience than the others. Even though you weren't properly trained, you have good instincts, which saved your life."

"Maybe, you're right. Being a bounty hunter is dangerous. I've been kidnapped more than once, and other times I've been used as bait to lure bad guys from bars. A lot of the things Durant did to me didn't faze me. My reactions weren't what he expected."

"Those experiences prepared you to deal with a sociopath like him. From a psychological standpoint, you handled his delusions well. Instead of confronting him with reality, you let him believe what he wanted. That's probably why he kept you alive as long as he did."

"He broke into my apartment, took pictures of me while I slept, and touched my things. He's made it so I can't go down basement stairs or eat peanut butter like a normal person."

"Normal is just a perspective, maybe even an illusion. It means different things to different people."

"How very Zen of you."

He chuckled. "If your new "normal" means that you don't eat peanut butter and cannot descend basement stairs, then you'll manage to live your life just fine. Besides, I've heard that being normal is overrated."

"Sometimes, when I close my eyes, I see the women still trapped in the cellar, begging me for help."

He reached across the table, placing his hand over mine. "You did help them."

"Not the way they wanted."

"They were dead long before he brought you there, and if it hadn't been for your strength and determination, you would have died there as well."

"That's little comfort. They're still dead."

"Your bravery gave closure to their families."

That was true. Even though the outcome wasn't what the family members had hoped for, they were still grateful to know what had happened to their loved ones. "It wasn't bravery that got me out of there. It was self-preservation and anger. I vowed to kill Durant for what he did to the women—to me."

"You're much tougher than you look. When you first arrived, I didn't believe you would train as hard as you have. I thought this was an exercise in futility. But you've proven me wrong over and over again. I'm pushing you far more than I ever thought you capable."

All I could do was stare at him. He thought I was capable? Coming from him, those words meant… everything. My eyes burned, and I looked down, trying to hold back tears before they spilled over. I didn't want to cry like a baby after he'd told me how strong and brave I was. "I know you were an FBI agent, but what kind of agent?" I asked, trying to turn the conversation back to him.

"I worked in the Behavioral Analysis Unit at Quantico, tracking serial killers." I don't know what I expected him to say, but it wasn't that. I thought maybe he'd investigated drug rings or white color crime, not serial killers.

"How did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"You must have seen horrendous things. Hasn't it ever affected you?"

"Sure, but I learned early on to—"

"Don't say compartmentalize."

He smiled. "I was going to explain how my brain organizes information and files it away. In most cases, I can literally close the drawer on the information when necessary."

"Are you saying you have an office in your brain?"

He shrugged. "That's a good way to describe it."

"It's better than my system. I used to lay on my bed and pretend my worries weren't real. If I ignored them long enough, sometimes they solved themselves."

"Used to?"

"Yeah, I'm trying something new these days." I felt proud of myself now that I'd said it out loud.

Finn checked his watch. "It's almost six. Let's get back on the road." He pulled his wallet out to pay the check.

"Let me get it," I said.

"With what? You gave all your money away."

"Oh, right." I laughed and rolled my eyes.