Her order came up, and she picked it up, taking it over to a chair in the corner. She sat, taking a sip and sitting back, glancing around. The group was still watching her, making her feel uncomfortable.
Normally, nothing made her feel uncomfortable, but there was something almost menacing about them. She could feel it coming at her in waves.
She focused on her muffin and coffee, trying her best to ignore the group. It was working. Until someone approached her table.
“You’re her,” the person said.
She looked up, unsure who they meant, but feeling threatened because of the way they were standing. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You killed Craig. We texted Pete. He knows where you are.”
Anger whipped through her, and she wanted to tell the lady to fuck off, but she held her tongue, trying to keep from lashing out in fear or anger.
“Pete is coming here,” the woman sniped.
She wanted to laugh at the woman and tell her Pete was in jail, but she didn’t know that for sure. People were released from jail either on bail or the charges were dropped. Anything could have happened.
Ryan didn't live in LA, and she wasn't sure the courts there would keep him informed if Pete was released. Anything could have happened. Now she had to worry about this group.
“Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?”
She blinked at the woman. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t lie. You’re that bitch who did it.”
“Excuse me? Can I help you?” One of the workers, a guy probably in college, came over and positioned himself so he was looking at the woman standing above her.
“She did it. She killed him,” the woman nearly screamed.
“You need to leave,” the guy said, his expression serious.
Relief pulsed through Ansley. It was short-lived, but at least she had a small amount of relief that someone was standing up for her.
A chair scraped, and a man wearing slacks and a button-down shirt who looked to be about forty stood and flashed a badge as he spoke to the woman.
“Excuse me, ma’am. I think you need to step outside.”
Ansley was relieved the officer wasn't talking to her. Instead, he was speaking to her accuser. Her hands were shaking, so instead of picking up her coffee, she clutched them in her lap.
Why was this happening? It had to be that damn podcast. Pete had made that fake video and was flashing it around, lying to people about what she’d done.
“She killed him!” the woman yelled as the police officer led her outside.
The man the police guy had been sitting with came over and sat at the table with her. This was getting ridiculous.
“Sorry, but I couldn’t help but overhear that woman. I’m a detective with the Fayetteville Police Department. She said you killed someone.”
Ansley couldn’t believe Pete was causing such a mess in her life. She shook her head and grabbed her phone, pulling up Ryan Lane’s information. She didn’t need to try to prove to local cops that she didn’t kill her boyfriend in California years ago.
“This is FBI agent Ryan Lane’s information. He can inform you what is going on.”
“FBI?”
“Yes, there is a fraud case he’s working on. The man she was talking about, Pete, was arrested in California for fraud and threats against me.”
“Okay. That’s a lot to take in.”
Ansley shrugged. “It’s a lot to deal with. I knew the crazies were out there, but it’s a lot more than I thought.”
