Sloane studies them for half a second, then gives one brief nod.
“No solo hero nonsense.”
“Never,” Cole says.
His look says he absolutely does not believe him. Before he leaves, Cole steps closer to me, not crowding or touching, just lowering his voice enough that it feels separate from the others.
“Stay with Sloane. Keep away from the windows.”
Chapter 6
Kara
Iwant to argue with Cole. Afterall, being instructed by a man I met on a beach this morning should annoy me. In this situation, it doesn’t.
“Alright,” I say.
His gaze holds mine for one moment longer than necessary. “Good.”
Cole and Sheriff Vaughn quickly move out into the evening. The dedication to my safety gives me partial relief as some primitive part of me relaxes.
Sloane turns the tablet toward me. “I’m going to ask you a few more questions while they check outside. Some may feel repetitive.”
“Okay.”
“Have you received any strange messages before this? Email, direct messages, gifts, letters, comments from followers that felt too personal?”
“I get odd comments sometimes. Anyone with an online presence does. But nothing like this.”
“Any recent conflict? Former employee? Former romantic partner? Competitor? Someone upset by a business decision?”
The word competitor touches something in my mind, but not with suspicion. With guilt.
Vanessa in her restaurant office this morning. Vanessa’s tired eyes behind the jokes. Vanessa still grinding while I stare at the ocean. Vanessa saying I needed this break before the break-in, as if she could see me more clearly than I could see myself.
“No,” I say. “Nothing serious.”
Sloane’s gaze remains on me.
“Kara,” he says, using my first name now. “People often decide what counts as serious based on what seems reasonable to them. Unfortunately, the person creating the problem may not be reasonable.”
I look down twirling my fingers together.
“I don’t know,” I admit. “There are always people who want something. Introductions. Endorsements. Money. Help getting a show. A table at a restaurant. A quote for a product. But that’s normal in my world.”
“Normal doesn’t mean irrelevant.”
I nod slowly. My phone buzzes where it sits on the island. I flinch so hard my hip bumps the counter.
Sloane looks down first.
“Vanessa,” he says.
The name sounds different in his mouth. Neutral. Stripped of history. I reach for the phone, then stop. “She’s been trying to reach me.”
“You don’t have to answer right now.”
“She’ll worry.”
