“I was asking Tracey about trends,” said Valerie. She turned to Tracey. “Penny mentioned you used to make friendship bracelets back in the day.”
“Me?” Tracey laughed. “I hate crafting. That was you, Pen. You gave them to everyone.”
Penny’s jaw worked. “I don’t remember it like that at all.”
“You had all that free time because Roger was always disappearing with his secret girlfriend. God, it drove you nuts that you didn’t know who she was.”
“Penny suspected it was you,” said Valerie, remembering what she had said on the dock.
“Me? No, Penny knew I had a boyfriend.” Tracey shrugged. “Husband now.”
“We’ve had enough of talk about the past,” said Penny brightly. “Valerie, you should get back to work.”
“Come on.” Tracey rolled her eyes. “How about you worry about you? Valerie and I were having a nice chat.”
Penny stared at her, but Tracey was already rooting in her bag for her sunglasses, which she slid on with a single, incredibly unbothered motion.
“You heard me, Valerie.”
“You really said that out loud.” Tracey lowered the sunglasses, sounding amused. “Penny, you can’t possibly think it’s appropriate to order another adult around like that.” She paused. “Do you?”
Penny left without replying and Tracey stared after her with a complicated expression.
“Poor Pen,” she said softly. “So insecure. It’s like watching one of those little dogs yap.”
“Penny?” asked Valerie in astonishment.
Tracey laughed. “She’s always been concerned about controlling everyone. It’s like autonomy personally offends her. Ah well. Some self-awareness would help her, but that’s a pipe dream.” She pulled out another cigarette, then made a face and slid it back in the package. “I should head in. Helena would have been thrilled with what you’ve pulled together. You should be proud.”
She left and Valerie stayed behind, gazing at the boats and thinking.
“What’s up?”
It was Nico, holding out a lopsided ice cream. “Here,” he said. “They let me take a few of the rejects. I gave some to Mickey and Dalia.”
“Thanks.” She took a minty lick. “Guess who I just met?”
“Batman.”
“No.” He wasn’t going to believe it.
“Tracey Jefferies.”
Valerie frowned. “How did you know? You wrecked the surprise.”
“Heard someone call her name inside. What did she say?”
Valerie gave him a quick summary. “Penny was caught in two new lies.”
“Making the bracelets and saying she suspected Tracey of dating Roger,” said Nico.
“Exactly.” The former supported the idea that Penny had given Yvette the bracelet, showing they had been closer than Penny wanted them to believe. The latter meant Penny would have known about Tracey’s real boyfriend and might have said that as a way to cover up knowing about Yvette and Roger.
He handed over a serviette. “It’s not enough. We need irrefutable proof to help Roger fully accept Penny was involved.”
“He suspects it though, otherwise I wouldn’t be in the Mariposas.”
“I think deep down, he can’t bring himself to believe it.”
