Page 84 of To Catch a Thief

Carolina tucked the bills in her wallet. Good, maybe she had enough tip money to pay Sage for the paint he’d bought.

“Do you have time to come up to the apartment?” Ella asked. “I miss you.”

“I need to talk to Abby.” Her stomach tightened. “And then I have to relieve Sage.”

“He sure is a keeper.” Ella gave her a hug. “See you tomorrow.”

Carolina changed shoes and searched for Abby. If she was lucky, maybe Abby had already left for home.

Unfortunately she was in her office reviewing a printout.

“Do you have time now?” Carolina asked.

Without smiling, Abby waved a hand at the guest chair.

Carolina perched on the edge of the seat.

“We had a great crowd tonight.” Abby grimaced. “You played a big part in that.”

Was that a compliment? “Thank you.”

“What’s up?”

“Do you remember when my mother was having all her seizures?”

Abby nodded.

“The doctor told me stress could be causing the seizures. That I needed to keep her as calm as possible.”

“Okay.”

“She kept ranting and raving about one of our family heirlooms. Something that my great-grandfather had given my grandfather when he left Spain.”

“And you’re telling me this because…”

“The heirloom was the blue globe.” She paused. “Mamá wanted the globe back.”

Abby’s face went blank. “The globe that was in the music room?”

Carolina nodded. “She stressed out so much she had another seizure. So… I took it.”

Abby’s green eyes were like pinpoint lasers boring holes into her body. “You took it.”

“My great-grandfather gave it to Poppy. It was the only thing he had from his family.”

“And you stole it.” Abby’s words were as sharp as a knife.

“I took back what belonged to my grandfather.” She threw up her hands. “The plaque is in Spanish.”

“But…”

“It worked. My mother stopped having seizures. When she got the globe, she stopped having them.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you wanted it?” Abby blew out a breath that brushed her hair back. “Instead of stealing it?”

“What could I tell you?” Carolina shifted. “That my mother gave it to our father?”

“Did you even know him?” Abby snapped.

“He would come over every few days. I was five when he died. I don’t remember much.” She wrapped her arms around her stomach. “My mother swore me to secrecy. I wasn’t allowed to talk about my father. Ever.”

“I can’t believe my father…did what he did. To my mother.”

Our father. And my mother, too. But Carolina couldn’t say that aloud.

“Why are you telling me about the globe? I knew it was missing, but why now?”

What could she say that didn’t make her look more devious? “I…” promised Sage. “I needed to tell you.”

“I don’t know how to process any of this.” Abby’s chair squeaked as she leaned back. “You and I being related is too strange.”

Related. They were more than that. Carolina picked up her tote. “I need this job, Abby. I need the money. Mamá…”

Abby swallowed. Her sister’s laser-green eyes drilled back into hers. “I understand. But I have to worry about my mother. Having you here, even with business being so good, hurts her. I don’t ever want to hurt my mamma.”

“But it’s okay to hurt mine.” She grabbed the doorknob. “Thanks, sister.”

Out of the corner of her eye she caught Abby’s jerk. Hadn’t she processed they were sisters—half sisters at least.

She couldn’t think anymore. As she drove home, the moonless night closed in around her. She was as alone as she had ever been. Why was this so much harder?

Because she’d had Sage. Her chest ached just thinking his name. And she and Abby had had a good relationship before Abby knew the truth.

And her mother was dying.

It wasn’t fair. But her life never had been fair.

* * *

CAR LIGHTS FLASHED OUTSIDE. Sage shut off the TV, planning to make a quick getaway. He would ask if Carolina had talked to Abby about stealing the globe, then he was gone.

Although, even if she said she’d told Abby, would that be the truth? How could he trust her after what he’d learned about her ethics? Their moral compasses weren’t calibrated the same.

Hesitant footsteps climbed the outside stairs. He steeled himself, then pulled open the door and stepped aside.

“Thanks.” Carolina walked in and dropped her bags. “And thank you for coming down for Mamá.”

---