June’s chest tightened as she remembered those days and watched helplessly as her best friend faded away.
“I remember.” June swallowed the lump burning in her throat. That was not a time she liked to remember. Carly’s final days. “The tea party your mother hosted for her was when it was taken.”
He nodded and took a long sip of his drink. June could see he, too, didn’t like dredging up those days.
“But why wasn’t there a public police report?” June asked.
“There was one,” Holt told her. “It was just kept under wraps. It was summer. My grandmother and uncle used the excuse that they didn’t want to incite panic among visitors.”
“Sounds realistic,” June said.
“Then weeks became months, and months became years.” Holt twirled the wine glass on the table. “And the thief vanished after stealing my family’s fake heirloom set, and the jewels never resurfaced. According to the FBI report, the thief was also never seen again.”
June’s eyes widened. “Where is the real set?”
“In a bank safety deposit box with the rest of the family’s valuables,” Holt replied.
14
JUNE
Their food arrived then, and the server set their plates down with practiced warmth. They both thanked her, then waited until she had gone before speaking again.
The food smelled wonderful. Rich, savory, comforting.
For a few minutes, they both tried it, complimented it, and then, without thinking, swapped bites off each other’s plates exactly as they used to.
June only realized what they had done after the second exchange.
By then, it was too late.
Neither of them commented on it.
She set down her fork and looked at him over the table. “Holt…”
“Yes?” He looked up.
“If that’s true, do you think it means Victoria or Tom, or someone in their family, was the cat burglar?” Her eyesnarrowed thoughtfully. “Especially as the bracelet was seen on Sienna.”
“That was my first thought,” Holt admitted. Then his mouth tightened. “But there’s more.”
June was fully captivated now. The case had just stepped sideways into something that felt like a real detective novel, except that this was their town, their people, and entirely too many of the casualties had faces she loved.
“What?” Her eyes held his, and she could see he was battling with something.
“We can’t say anything publicly because Rad was sworn to secrecy,” Holt told her. “But he was called out to a break-in today.”
“Where?” She had a funny feeling she already knew the answer.
“The Morrisons’.” He swallowed and put down his own fork. Her breath caught. “Sienna Morrison, to be exact. Her safe, which was hidden in the pool house where she apparently lives, had been taken.”
“The entire safe?” June gasped.
“Yes.” Holt nodded and gave his head a shake. “The whole safe.”
“That’s not a subtle theft.” June stared.
“No.” Holt agreed. “It’s not. It would’ve also taken more than one person.”
