Page 78 of Silent Partner (Pine Falls 3)

I hustled to finish up. I locked up the daily deposit, shut down my laptop, and did one more sweep of the restaurant to make sure everything was properly locked up and secure. There was something so magical about being in the restaurant by myself in the dim light. I took a moment to look around. I knew the restaurant needed an update, but I was proud of my little place. Soon this place would be Brant’s and mine, and that thought filled me with immeasurable pleasure. With that thought, I hurried. I wanted to listen to Brant’s message and try to catch him before he went to sleep. It was midnight here, and I had no idea what time it was where he was at. He wouldn’t even tell me what time zone he was in. His client must be some sort of control freak, or in a lot of trouble.

On my way out, I played Brant’s message.

“Kinsley, please call me as soon as you can.” He sounded a bit distressed.

I didn’t like the sound of that. I quickly set the alarm, walked out the door, and locked it. I would call Brant as soon as I got in my car.

I rubbed my arms in the bitterly cold air as I jogged toward my car, the last one left in the employee parking lot. I clicked unlock on the key fob, ready to be out of the cold and anxious to call Brant. I hoped everything was okay. I felt bad I hadn’t kept my phone on me, but it usually became a distraction, so I tried my best to do without it while I worked.

I reached for the car door.

“Kinsley,” a familiar voice that I couldn’t pinpoint called my name like a hissing snake, scaring the living daylights out of me.

I dropped my phone and bag and turned around. From the loud smacking sound, I was pretty sure my phone had cracked. It was regrettable, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it as the voice connected with a name and face.

Jill Copeland stepped out from behind the dumpsters about fifteen feet from my car, wearing a long black coat and carrying a satchel. Even in the dark, I could tell she wore a look of contempt for me. So much so, my heart raced.

“Jill,” I stammered. “What are doing here? We’re closed.”

She gave me a sardonic grin. “You think I came here for your food?”

The answer was no, but I couldn’t think of any other reason why she was hiding behind dumpsters and catching me off guard. Not to mention why she was in Carrington Cove period. Which reminded me, I should pick up my phone. Quite honestly, she was frightening me with the way she slinked toward me.

I knelt and picked up my phone and bag, never taking my eyes off her.

“I’m not going to hurt you, if that’s what you’re worried about.” She stared at my phone.

It didn’t make me feel any better that she’d said that. To me, it meant it was something that had crossed her mind. “Why are you here?” I breathed out; my breath lingered in the cold air.

“I just want to talk to you,” she said, sickly sweet.

“I can’t imagine why. But if you need to talk to me, you can come back tomorrow when we’re open.” And I wasn’t alone.

“Oh, I’m sure you can’t imagine why, but believe me, you’re going to want to hear what I have to say.”

I swallowed hard. “Like I said, come back tomorrow.”

“No!” She lunged forward, making me press my back against the car.

That was it. I was definitely past being freaked out. I was calling someone, anyone. I lifted my phone, but before I could dial, something caught my eye. I noticed that the woman I’d once thought to be mousy looking, yet eloquent, had a ferocious look in her eye and her features had become hardened like cold granite. It rendered me frozen in place.

“What happened to you?” fell out of my mouth.

She laughed a cynical laugh. “So much,” she freely admitted.

This did not make me feel any better.

“If you only knew, Kinsley. You might even feel sorry for me.”

“I doubt that.”

She threw me the dirtiest of looks before she grinned evilly, sending a chill down my spine. “Well, I don’t need your sympathy. You’ll have plenty of your own sorrow to deal with soon enough.” She shoved the satchel toward me. “I brought you a present.”

“No thanks.” I refused to take it. I was beginning to think she was certifiable.

“Fine, I’ll just show you myself; it will be more fun that way.”

I highly doubted that. “I’m leaving.” I didn’t care what she had in that satchel. I was driving to the police station or Dani’s, anywhere Jill wasn’t. I turned to open my car door.

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