“Thank you, Officer Edwards. We’ll be in touch.”
As I leave the courthouse, I realize my hands are steadier than I expected. The afternoon sun hits me like a wall of heat.
Let them investigate. Let them review every piece of evidence, every statement, every second of body cam footage.
I don't have anything to hide. But something about Morrison's questions—the way she kept circling back to Alice, the skepticism in every word—tells me this isn't over.
Not by a long shot.
Chapter 32
Alice
Imessupthreetransactionsbefore lunch. My fingers fumble the keyboard. The numbers blur together.
Mrs. Henderson’s deposit gets entered as a withdrawal. I give Mr. Peterson the wrong receipt. And I somehow manage to count out two hundred dollars in twenties when the customer only asked for forty.
“You okay over there?” Nora asks during a lull between customers.
“Yeah, I’m just tired.” I straighten the already-straight stack of deposit slips on my counter, then adjust my glasses.
Nora doesn’t buy it. She’s been giving me worried looks all morning, especially after I jumped when the door chime went off. Every time someone walks in, my stomach drops thinking it might be another investigator or my mother or worse.
The police interview yesterday is still fresh in my mind. Detective Morrison's questions, each one designed to make me doubt myself. "How well did you know Officer Edwards before the GPS tracker was discovered?" "Isn't it convenient that he was the one to find it?" "Did you and Officer Edwards discuss what you would say about Lance before filing charges?" Three hours of reliving the worst moments of my life while they made it sound like I orchestrated the whole thing. Like I put that tracker on my own car. Like I wanted Lance to break into my house and hurt me.
“Alice, seriously. What’s going on?”
Before I can answer, the door opens and Mayor Walsh walks in. He nods at Nora but his eyes land on me with something that looks like pity.
“Morning, ladies,” he says, still looking at me. “Alice, how are you holding up?”
“I’m fine, Mr. Walsh. How can I help you today?”
He slides a check across the counter. “Just a deposit. And Alice? If you need anything, you let me know. This whole situation with that officer… well, it’s got the whole town talking.”
My face gets hot. “What situation?” As if I don't know exactly what he means.
“Oh, you know. The investigation. People are saying he might lose his job over all this.” Walsh shakes his head. “Shame when a good man gets caught up in messy business.” I grip the edge of the counter.
I process his deposit with shaking hands. The whole town knows. Of course they do. In Pine Hollows, nothing stays secret for more than five minutes. I was naive for thinking otherwise.
“Have a good day, Mr. Walsh.”
He leaves, and I catch Nora staring at me.
“Investigation?” she asks.
“It’s nothing.”
“Alice.”
“Sawyer’s under investigation because of Lance. Because of me.” The words come out flat. “Happy now?”
Nora’s face softens. “Oh, honey.”
The door chimes again. This time it’s Mrs. Peterson with her weekly deposit, but she barely looks at me while I help her. Usually she asks about my weekend plans or comments on the weather. Today she hands me her slip and stares at the floor.
After she leaves, the bank feels too quiet. I adjust my glasses, but the action doesn't calm me like it usually does.
