Page 56 of Whispers of Sweetwater

Brianna waited.

‘There were times Jack said he paid in cash. Lots of it. Too much. Said it was part of “keeping things smooth”. I thought he meant with lenders. But what if it wasn’t just them?’

Brianna instinctively sat up straighter. ‘You think the copper’s involved in something shady?’

‘I think,’ Molly said carefully, ‘Jack was into something worse than gambling. And someone else was making sure it stayed quiet.’

‘I think,’ Brianna nodded, ‘you’re onto something.’

Molly swirled the wine in her glass, eyes thoughtful. ‘You know, I always liked Sharon. Even when she was with Jack. She could hold her own, never let him get away with too much. I was sad when they didn’t work out.’

Brianna glanced at her, surprised. ‘Really? You never mentioned that before.’

‘It was a while ago, and it was complicated,’ Molly said with a shrug. ‘Jack wasn’t an easy man. And Sharon, she wasn’t the type to forgive easily. But when they were good, they were good. And there was history there, more than most people realised. They’d known each other for many, many years.’ She paused, setting her glass down gently on the table. ‘Maybe that’s why she’s come forward now. Maybe she’s finally ready to clear his name or at least point a finger at the people who ruined him.’

Brianna nodded slowly. ‘Then I think we need to listen.’ She placed a gentle hand on Molly’s bobbing knee. ‘Really listen.’

‘Yes.’ As she cleared her throat, Molly’s gaze drifted out into the dark. ‘And start asking questions no one wants to answer, too.’

‘Maybe, if it’s safe to,’ was Brianna’s cautious reply.

‘I honestly don’t think it’s safe for me to stay quiet either, Bri.’ Molly shuddered. ‘Because I have, up until now, and look where that’s got me.’

‘Ransacked. Threatened,’ Brianna replied. ‘Paying back a debt that’s not yours.’

‘Exactly, and just for being a few days late on a payment, they wreck the only way I have to make an income.’ Drawing in a sharp breath, Molly looked to Brianna. ‘Imagine what they might do if I don’t pay at all – one day, god forbid, I might not be able to afford it.’

Lost for words that made any sense, Brianna sipped her wine, her heart knocking in her chest. The threads were tightening.

And this time, they might not snap – they might strangle.

* * *

Chapter One was its usual hum of clinks and chatter when Brianna slid into a seat opposite Tilly two days later. Molly bustled behind the counter, sleeves rolled to her elbows and her hair tied up in a bright scarf, calling orders to the kitchen while expertly balancing a tray of cappuccinos. She caught Brianna’s eye and gave a wink in greeting before disappearing through the staff door, already onto her next task.

Even though Brianna hadn’t been sleeping properly, the sun was warm, the coffee was strong, and it took only minutes to start laughing in Tilly’s company.

‘You should’ve seen Sherlock trying to jump into the bath.’ Placing her cup back on the table, Brianna continued with her story. ‘I’d just run the water, turned my back for one second to grab a towel, and next thing I hear is this thunk and a splash. He’d launched himself from the hallway like a cannonball. Legs flailing. Missed the mat, hit the side of the tub, and slid straight in.’ She laughed, shaking her head. ‘He came out looking like a drowned rat and sulked under the kitchen table for an hour.’ Tilly was laughing too much to respond. ‘He looked like a flying possum with legs,’ Brianna finished with a snort.

‘Oh, my goodness.’ Tilly wiped mirth-filled tears from her eyes. ‘I seriously need that image embroidered on a tea towel.’

Their plates arrived looking almost too pretty to eat. Pumpkin scones with Molly’s house-made strawberry jam and a mountain of fluffy whipped cream for Tilly, and smashed avocado topped with crumbled feta and black sesame seeds on house-made sourdough for Brianna. As they tucked in, the cackling laughter mellowed into comfortable chatter.

Brianna leant her chin on her hand, smiling. ‘So, tell me, how are the kids? And Gavin? I could imagine, with his sense of humour, your household might sometimes resemble a circus.’

Tilly groaned with a laugh. ‘Two toddlers under four? A husband who often acts like a child? Trust me when I say, it’s a full-blown rodeo.’

‘Ha, I could only imagine.’ Brianna shovelled a forkful of deliciousness into her mouth.

Wide-eyed and nodding, Tilly licked the cream from a fingertip. ‘Yesterday I found jelly beans in the washing machine, our little white poodle with stripes of my red lipstick all over it, and a pair of socks in the fridge.’ She chuckled like only a doting mother could. ‘Gavin’s good, though. Keeping busy at Hayden’s place. And always trying to pretend he’s not as sleep deprived as I am.’

Brianna tried to imagine it. ‘And when you actually get five minutes to yourself? What do you do?’

Tilly grinned, sipping her coffee. ‘Honestly? Sit in the car with the doors locked and scroll in silence. Or read a chapter of a book I’ve been trying to finish since the twins were born.’ She paused and wriggled her eyebrows. ‘And if I get wild, I bake.’ Her laughter rippled like a sweet melody across the table. ‘But mostly, I just breathe.’

Brianna laughed softly. ‘That sounds amazing.’

‘Oh, it is,’ Tilly said. ‘Peace is underrated.’