Cutting Ties Read online

  I couldn’t answer his questions.

  Because I was still hung up on his response.

  He hadn’t done anything to Anne’s car, at least according to what he just told me.

  The only thing he’d confessed to was being a former stripper.

  I glanced back at him. He was still staring at me, wide-eyed, waiting for a response.

  Bleakly, I nodded my head, a silent answer to his questions.

  “Wow,” he breathed. “Who would do something like that?”

  I could only shake my head in response.

  But in my head, a voice muttered, “Clearly not you.”

  THIRTY THREE

  I stared at my computer screen.

  It was dark. I hadn’t turned it on.

  I hadn’t done anything after returning from my confrontation with Bryce.

  An hour had passed and all I’d managed to do was park my butt in my chair and stare dejectedly at whatever object happened to come into view.

  Right now, it was my computer.

  I was holding a pen, which I jabbed repeatedly into the desk calendar. It was capped but I knew it was leaving indentations that would still be there months from now, even after I peeled off several layers of paper.

  I didn’t have the foggiest idea how was I supposed to proceed after what had just happened in Bryce’s office.

  He’d confessed to being a stripper, not to being the one responsible for Anne’s car accident. It was also the first time he’d gotten wind that there might be a criminal element attached to the incident, so he was obviously taken aback by that development.

  But mixed in with all of that was the tension and awkwardness that had suddenly developed between us.

  Because I was now privy to one of Bryce’s deepest secrets.

  And he knew that I knew.

  I’d told him I would keep it quiet. And when he asked how I found out, I told him that, too. His jaw twitched when I told him and I knew it was one more nail in the coffin when it came to Anne’s job. If she really had been harassing and bullying him before, this was more ammunition he could use to ensure she would never step foot in Oasis Ridge again.

  If he told corporate.

  I shifted from stabbing the desk calendar to tapping the tip on the edge of my desk.

  I wondered if he would tell them.

  Maybe not, I thought. Because doing so might damage his standing, perhaps jeopardize the job he supposedly wanted here at Oasis Ridge.

  A knock at my door startled me.

  It was Aidan. “Hey,” he said. “Any chance you can get the cabinet unlocked at the pool? We need the beach balls.”

  I nodded.

  He started to smile, then stopped. “What’s wrong?”

  It wasn’t the first time he’d asked.

  When I didn’t respond right away, his expression hardened. “Got it. We’re back to that again.”

  He spun on his heel.

  “Wait.”

  He didn’t turn back around but he didn’t leave, either.

  “How much time do you have?” I asked.

  When he turned to face me, the smile was back. “As much time as you need. But after we get the beach balls. Water aerobics is about to start.”

  I grimaced, realizing I’d forgotten yet another activity I was responsible for getting set up. At this rate, I might end up like Anne, without a job to come back to. Because I was doing terrible at performing mine.

  I got to my feet.

  “We can talk while we walk,” I told him.

  It might be easier that way. He wouldn’t be sitting across from me, watching me as I told him about seeing Bryce’s almost-naked pictures. I swallowed. Part of me felt bad betraying Bryce’s trust, but I also knew I needed to spill everything that had happened.

  I knew Aidan was a good listener.

  And I knew I could trust him.

  We walked down the hallway and, in a low voice, I filled him in on my conversation with Anne from the previous day. I hesitated when I got to the part about the photos, but I realized I would have to tell him that part. The rest of the story wouldn’t make sense if I didn’t. I stole a glance at him when I finally mentioned them but all he did was arch his eyebrows.

  I had just started to tell him about my conversation with Megan as we headed down the hallway that led to the pool. Connie was standing in an alcove nearby, her head bent as she spoke to a guy standing next to her.

  I barely glanced at them; just long enough to know that I should probably adjust the level of my voice so she wouldn’t overhear snippets of our conversation. I didn’t know if Connie was a gossip or not, but I didn’t want to take any chances.

  Aidan looked Connie’s direction, too, scowling as he did so.

  “Is something wrong?” I asked in a whisper.

  He shook his head. “Nothing important.”

  I nudged him with my shoulder. “I’m sitting here spilling my guts. I can at least return the favor and listen to you.”

  “I’m just frustrated,” he said. “It’s nothing big.”

  “Tell me.”

  He glanced back at Connie. “She’s just angling for more hours and I know Anne is willing to give her however many she needs. And with my schedule getting kind of screwy next semester, I know Connie’s ready to swoop in and take them.”

  It was the first time he’d alluded to his scheduling woes for next semester; I’d never brought it up, even when I’d mistakenly accused him of being the one responsible for Anne’s car. At that point, I’d just focused on the fact that he could be counted as one of many staffers who simply didn’t like her.

  “Anyway,” I said, when it became clear that Aidan had shared all he wanted to. I wasn’t going to push him.

  I looked toward Connie once more, making sure she hadn’t picked up on any of our conversation. She was still talking to the guy, a tall, youngish-looking man dressed all in dark blue.

  I turned away, then stopped.

  Literally froze in my tracks.

  Because there was something about what the man was wearing that suddenly registered with me.

  I looked back at him to confirm what I’d seen, but my heart was already pounding.

  I knew what I would see.

  A man in a dark blue uniform.

  A mechanic’s uniform.

  The same uniform the mechanics wore at Ace Motors.

  THIRTY FOUR

  I didn’t stop to think.

  I reacted.

  “Hi,” I said, walking up to Connie and the mechanic.

  She gave me a puzzled look. “Uh, hi.”

  I gave the guy a good once-over. He was not the man Bryce had spoken to at the auto shop. This guy had dirty blond hair nearly as long as Connie’s, but his was held back with a ponytail holder. His chin and cheeks were clean-shaven, but acne scars pocked his skin.

  “Who are you?” I tried to keep my voice friendly.

  His eyes were the color of green grapes and he didn’t hide the fact that it was his turn to look me over.

  “Derek.” A single word response.

  “He’s my boyfriend,” Connie added.

  “Why is he here?”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Why are you asking? It’s not like we work in a secured facility. Anyone can come visit, can’t they?”

  I was tempted to point out that Oasis Ridge did in fact have visitation rules. None that would prevent Derek from coming onto the property, but still. I wasn’t sure why she was acting so defensive about having him there.

  “I’m just curious,” I said, keeping my tone as light as possible. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him before.”

  Her features relaxed a little. “We’re going to lunch.”

  It was a perfectly good reason for her boyfriend to be there.

  And it might have been the truth.

  But I didn’t care about that.

  Because something else was setting off a five-alarm fire in my head.

  I fixed Connie with a cool stare.


  Pieces of the puzzle were slamming into place and, for the first time since Anne's accident, I thought I was actually seeing things pretty clearly.

  Better to just come right out and say it.

  “You’re the one who did it.”

  She frowned. “Excuse me?”

  “It was you. You and your boyfriend.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Aidan had moved closer, his arms folded over his chest, his own stance defensive. This wasn’t surprising considering how he felt about Connie.

  “You were the ones who messed with Anne’s car. Her brakes.”

  Connie’s eyes widened.

  “You wanted her out of the picture because you were sure Bryce could guarantee you more hours. Since he knows Derek and, by association, knows you. And to top it off, you thought you could frame Aidan for it because then you would absolutely get his hours, too.”

  She sputtered something unintelligible.

  “Sunny.” Aidan’s voice was low with warning.

  I turned to look at him. “Think about it. She was the one who told me she saw you out by Anne’s car. She did that on purpose. To shift the blame to you.”

  His expression darkened and he glared at Connie. “Did you do that? On purpose?

  She didn’t respond.

  Instead, she and Derek exchanged nervous glances.

  And then they both bolted past us.

  THIRTY FIVE

  “We have to stop them!”

  Aidan reacted almost immediately to my words.

  He and I both raced down the hall after them. They were headed for the pool, I realized—probably because there was a gate that led directly the back parking lot. As far as escapes went, it was probably the quickest one.

  And Connie knew it.

  The door to the pool deck had already swung shut by the time Aidan and I reached it. Outside, the pool and deck area were filled with residents readying themselves for pool aerobics. Our instructor was heading out on maternity leave in November and we’d wanted to schedule a few extra classes during October to make up for the fact that there wouldn’t be any for the rest of the year.

  Grace, the instructor, was twisting her hair up into a bun when her eyes landed on us. “Is everything okay?”

  I didn’t respond. I was too focused on scanning the area, looking for Connie and Derek.

  I spotted them almost immediately. They were almost to the back gate, only a few yards away.

  They were going to get away.

  I already knew it.

  But I had to try something.

  “Stop them!” I yelled.

  All eyes turned to me.

  I pointed and screamed, “Stop those two!”

  June was standing at the deep end, her hair tucked underneath a bright pink swim cap. Her floral swimsuit looked more like a dress, with its flowy skirt that almost hit her knees.

  She looked a little bewildered.

  I didn’t blame her. Elderly senior citizens weren’t usually considered the typical line of defense in apprehending criminals, and here I was screaming at her to do something.

  But I was desperate.

  I pointed again. “Those two!”

  June pointed to herself. “Me?”

  Billie was already in the water, her white swim cap and equally pale arms the only things visible. But her voice came through loud and clear. “Yes, you!” she barked at June. I could see her as she dog-paddled her way to the swim ladder.

  June leapt into action as we sprinted toward her. She positioned herself between Connie and Derek and the gate, folding her arms across her chest and spreading her legs to assume a more authoritative position.

  “Stop right there,” she said.

  Derek and Connie looked at each other.

  And then Derek grabbed June around the neck, pulling her up against him.

  Her eyes bulged. “What are you doing?” she managed to gasp.

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out something long and metallic. The handle glinted in the sunlight. He held it to June’s throat and her gasp this time was more of a strangled scream.

  “Nobody move,” he ordered.

  He surveyed the pool deck, making sure everyone stayed put. Aidan and I had skidded to a stop mere feet away but I immediately put my hands in the air. The last thing I wanted was for June to get hurt. For anyone to get hurt, really.

  Nothing was worth that.

  “We’re walking out of this joint,” Derek said. “You hear me? No one is gonna stop us or this lady dies.”

  June’s eyes filled with tears and there were audible murmurs from the crowd of people in and surrounding the pool.

  “You can leave,” I said. “Just let June go and walk away. We won’t stop you.”

  Aidan put a hand on my shoulder. “No,” he said in a low voice.

  I didn’t take my eyes off Derek and June “No what?” I hissed. “He’s threatening to kill her.”

  “He can’t,” Aidan said shortly.

  He took a step toward them.

  Derek immediately tightened his grip on June and pressed the object he was holding into her neck.

  Panicked, I reached for Aidan but he shrugged me off.

  “How are you going to kill her?” he asked.

  Derek stared at him with wild eyes.

  I couldn’t believe what was happening. Why was Aidan challenging him? It was clear that Derek was completely unstable. He’d grabbed a hostage, for crying out loud!

  “Huh?” Aidan asked, moving even closer.

  “Aidan!”

  He needed to stop. He couldn’t endanger June’s life.

  I took a deep breath, ready to make a lunge for him, to bring him down to the concrete.

  But Aidan spoke again before I could spring into action.

  “You’re holding a wrench.”

  My gaze zeroed in on just what Derek was pressing up against June’s neck.

  Sure enough, it was a wrench.

  A closed wrench.

  With not a single sharp corner visible.

  Derek froze.

  Aidan wasted no time.

  He crossed the remaining feet between them in record time, his hands landing on Derek just as the man released her from his grasp.

  Aidan pushed him away from June for good measure. The wrench flew out of Derek’s hands, spiraling upward before it came crashing down on Connie’s head. She immediately crumpled to the pool deck and Derek, still struggling to maintain his balance after Aidan’s not-so-gentle shove, lost his footing and crashed into the deep end.

  I rushed to June’s side. Her complexion was waxy, her eyes wide with fright, but at least she was okay.

  I put my arm around her and hugged her to my side. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded. “I…I think so. My goodness, that gave me a fright!”

  I squeezed her shoulder. “You’re fine. Everything is going to be just fine.”

  “I’m not so sure about that,” Billie said. She’d managed to get herself out of the pool and had walked over to us to help comfort her friend.

  “What do you mean?”

  She pointed at the pool.

  I looked, and saw a bedraggled Derek struggling to stay above the water.

  “I…can’t swim…” he gasped.

  A lifesaver ring hung on the fence nearby.

  All of us looked at it. Me and June. Billie. Aidan.

  No one made a move to grab it.

  “Help.” The word barely came out of Derek’s mouth.

  “Billie,” I said. “Throw him the lifesaver.”

  She frowned. “I don’t want to. He doesn’t deserve it.”

  “He doesn’t,” I agreed. “But we should do it anyway.”

  She sighed and then, after hesitating for a few seconds, hobbled toward the lifesaver. Aidan helped lift it off the hook it was sitting on and handed it to her.

  Billie glared at the man.

  Moving at a snail’s pace, she eventually m
ade her way back to the pool and tossed the lifesaver to Derek.

  THIRTY SIX

  “I think I have everything I need.”

  I nodded. I was sitting in Anne’s office, but a different woman was seated across from me.

  Paula Donnelly, an executive from corporate, had flown into town and was conducting interviews with the staff and residents. I was the first staff person to be interviewed.

  It wasn’t the way I’d wanted to start my Monday morning, but now that it was almost over, I was ready to breathe a sigh of relief and put this chapter behind me.

  After rescuing Derek from the pool, Grace had gone inside and placed a call to the police. By the time they arrived, Connie had come to and she and Derek were both perched on lounge chairs, surrounded by a throng of angry senior citizens clad only in swimsuits and swim caps.

  We’d filed our report and the two of them were led away, and life returned to normal at Oasis Ridge.

  Whatever that was.

  Of course, I’d gone home and spent the better part of the weekend decompressing from all that had happened. Megan had wanted to be filled in, of course, but after giving her the details, I’d tried to switch my brain off and focus on anything but the last two weeks I’d just lived through at Oasis Ridge.

  Now, however, I was right back in the thick of things, and had just finished sharing everything I knew with Paula.

  She finished typing up her notes on the laptop she’d brought with her. “I think that should do it,” she said.

  She took off her reading glasses and smiled. She reminded me a bit of my own mother, with her kind smile and expressive eyes. It didn’t surprise me that she had been tasked with this assignment. Her questions had been specific and to the point—she hadn’t minced words in her attempt to get to the bottom of what had happened—but her delivery and approach were more along the lines of a therapist than an investigator.

  “What happens now?” I asked.

  Paula knitted her brow. “What do you mean?”

  “With the director role. It seems like that’s still sort of up in the air.”

  Her expression cleared. “Ah. Yes, it sort of is, isn’t it?”

  I hadn’t been the only one sharing information during the interview with Paula. During our conversation, she’d told me that Bryce would not be returning to Oasis Ridge, and would not be moving on to Jacksonville, either. When I asked why, she’d told me, in the bluntest moment of our interview, that he had lied to Anne about submitting harassment reports to corporate. It had never happened. Apparently, the documents he’d pulled out of his briefcase and shown to Anne had been faked. He'd gambled that Anne wouldn't challenge him and he'd been right.