“I’m trying to help.”
“You always are,” Rachel said. “It’s occasionally the problem.”
Captain Pancake placed his chin on the counter.
Hank scratched behind his ears.
Ellie looked at Rachel.
“What happens if she refuses to leave?”
“She can refuse. I’m her manager, not a corrections officer.”
“Comforting distinction,” Hank said.
Rachel ignored him.
“But staying means more attention here. It also means Savannah will spend the next several days hiding inside acottage while Sophie tries to control a story that will keep growing.”
“I don’t have to hide,” I said.
Rachel gave me a look.
“You wore a golf hat to breakfast.”
“It was a good hat.”
“It had a resort logo on it.”
“No one recognized me.”
“Until they did.”
Ellie rubbed her thumb over the yellow thread in her bracelet.
“What do you want?” she asked me.
The question stopped me.
I looked at her.
Not Rachel.
Not Hank.
Not the phones or the road outside.
Ellie.
“I want yesterday morning,” I said.
Her expression softened.
“So do I.”
“I want to stay.”
“Even with the photographers?”
