Her heart and emotions were drained, but that didn’t matter. She had to finish reading this diary in case someone else got to it and stole it from her. She thumbed through to the end ... the sight stole the oxygen from her.
What? No. No, no, no...
Cressida stared long and hard at the ripped pages. Just like her father’s notebook. The pages were there before the fire. If they’d already been torn out of the book, she would have noticed. Why not take the entire diary?
And where was Braden? Cressida tore her gaze from the diary and stared at the manor. The window to the library was dark now rather than lit up by flames. How many volumes had been destroyed? What would Evelyn’s reaction be?
Cressida needed to talk to Evelyn, but the woman had a mild heart attack already. How was she going to talk to her and get the information she needed for Diggins now that her library was destroyed, which would only add to her stress?
Deputy Riker strolled toward the vehicle, and Cressida swiped at the errant tears on her cheeks, then sat up taller. He got in and started the vehicle, as if his intent was to drive away from the manor.
“Where are we going?” she asked. “Where’s Braden?”
She wanted out and opened the door to step out.
“Ms. Valentine ... or is it Dane?”
Did she detect a bit of snark in that question? “Deputy Riker, where’s Detective Sanders?”
“He radioed that he’s on the beach in pursuit,” Riker said.
“Are you going to help him?”
“He instructed me to take you to the Cedar Trails Lodge. I’ll take your statement as well.”
“But all my things—”
“Will be brought to you.”
“Look, Deputy ... I can just get them now.”
“It’s a crime scene. Someone set fire to Mrs. Monroe’s Driftwood Manor, with you inside.”
She wasn’t going to win this argument, and she shut the car door.
Cressida had the feeling the fire hadn’t been intended to trap them inside, but it was set to destroy whatever Cressida might learn.
Deputy Riker steered out of the estate. Cressida couldn’t do anything to assist the firefighters, nor could she stay in the house now like Evelyn had wanted. She sat back in the seat and stared out the window at the black night, and Deputy Riker drove her back to the Cedar Trails Lodge.
After taking her statement, he escorted her inside, where she was met by—no surprise—Hawk and Remi, concerned expressions on both their faces.
Remi rushed forward. “What happened? We heard there was a fire.”
Cressida’s shoulders sagged with exhaustion and grief. “Someone set fire to the library to burn all those journals and possibly the answers I was searching for.”
Remi covered her gasp, her own eyes filling with tears as she pulled Cressida into a hug. Cressida had already shed enough tears, and now she felt stone-cold numb. Except that wasn’t true. A newer, stronger passion kindled inside. Whoever was trying to bury the truth didn’t understand who they were dealing with. This only made Cressida more determined.
I’m going to get those answers.
She stepped from Remi’s embrace.
“I’m so glad that you weren’t trapped or caught in the flames,” Remi said.
Who else had known that Cressida was there? Everyone here knew, including her mom’s “dog” she sent to watchCressida. “I’m tired. I just want to go to my room—it’s still available, I hope.”
“Of course!” Remi gently pressed a hand on Cressida’s shoulder.
Cressida glanced at the deputy. “You said you’d bring my stuff. I hope that’s not going to take long.”
