Page 15 of Cain
Lo shakes her head. “That’s not what I see. What I see is a woman with no priors, no charges, no evidence against her.”
“Paula and?—”
“Do you know that we found your sister’s and Melody’s fingerprints all over your safe?”
I stop and look at her in disbelief. “What?”
“Yeah. Any reason why their fingerprints would be on your safe?”
I think about it, but…I shrug. “I don’t know, but they come in and out of my office all the time.”
She nods thoughtfully.
My mouth goes dry at her insinuation. I let out a harsh laugh. “Lo, my sister doesn’t need to steal from me, okay?”
“In my station, we need a little more than someone’s bruised pride and imagined grief to prosecute people.” Lo straightens. “This matter is now under internal investigation. And if I were you, I’d tell Kyle to buckle up. It’s going to get bumpy.”
She walks to the door and opens it.
Our conversation is over.
Kyle isn’t outside when I leave.
My steps are slow, sluggish as I get to my truck.
I start the engine and just idle, feelingdoubtchurn in my gut.
Hell no, I decide after a short contemplation.
Faith stole.
Full stop.
The end.
7
HOMELESS
FAITH
The young deputy, Paula’s boyfriend, went through my bag when it was delivered from Ripley’s, so I have it with me when I leave jail. My phone doesn’t have a charge, but I have twenty dollars in cash to get me home by taxi.
I go up to my apartment and find a note taped to the door in red marker:Thieves aren’t welcome here.
Heat rises through me despite how cold I am. I have a coat, but it’s in the diner.
I take the stairs down to the super slash landlord’s apartment. I only have to knock once.
The man opens his door. He is in boxer shorts and a T-shirt.
“My…things,” I manage to say.
He shakes his head at me and goes back inside. When he comes out, he’s carrying a single black trash bag. He throws it on the floor in front of me.
I freeze, like I did when Jamie kicked me in my chest.
The black plastic glints under the hallway light.
