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SERAPHINA
“Not a word, Mom,” I said, walking into the house after Noah drove off.
Her eyebrow was raised, but she remained silent. I went into the bedroom, pulled clean clothes out of my suitcase, and walked into the bathroom to take a shower.
As much as I didn’t want any shit from my mother about Noah, I refused to beat myself up about him, either. He was a good man, and I was attracted to him. On top of both those things, I found it so easy to be with him. Maybe it was that my brain had no room to second-guess him or myself with all the worry I felt over my sister. Either way, I had no intention of questioning it.
When he held me as I slept, I felt safer than I had since Luisa went missing. It wasn’t that I believed myself to be in danger; it was more my fear for my sister and what might happen if I let go of the tight grip I had on my emotions.
While I showered, I thought a lot about Noah saying Varilla wanted to make a deal to disclose Luisa’s whereabouts. As an assistant district attorney, I made deals every day of the week. The hardest part was explaining them to the victim’s family. I’d always believed myself to be empathetic to their plight.
Now, though, I was trying to put myself in the interrogator’s shoes instead. He or she walked a fine line between letting someone who belonged in prison off on too little punishment and, in this case, making a deal to find one of his victims.
As much as I wanted to beg Noah to give him whatever he wanted if he’d tell us Luisa’s whereabouts, I knew it was impossible. Before any deals could be struck, the negotiator had to verify whether Varilla actually had the information he was offering. If it were me handling a case like this one, nothing would be on the table until there was proof of life. I had no doubt the person doing the negotiation would demand it, at the very minimum.
In order to get through each day, I had to believe my sister was still alive. I refused to give up hope. However, I couldn’t sit idly, doing nothing. I needed somewhere to focus my attention. Since I couldn’t come up with anything useful to help find Luisa on my own, I planned to research the Vineyard Twenty-Seven Blend, hoping to disprove my mother’s theory that Hewitt Ridge had stolen my father’s formulas. According to my mother, no patents had been filed. Later, I’d do a search to confirm none were held in my father’s name, which would mean she’d have no way to pursue the man criminally. Any lawsuit would be in civil court. In which case, the burden would be on the defendant to prove innocence.
Not that she’d suggested pursuing the matter. She probably reasoned the same way I had that a winery the size of Ridge would be diligent about filing all necessary legal documentation, including patents.
“Would you like to take a walk?” I asked her after I’d finished in the bathroom.
“Where?” Her question threw me. All she needed to do was look out the window to see the options were limitless.
“There’s a meditation room I thought about visiting this morning.” I’d intended to last night but was waylaid by my conversation with Tryst.
“I’m fine here.”
“We could explore other parts of the ranch. The temple is really lovely, Mom.”
“I’ll stay here, baby.”
I nodded and gave her a hug. While I knew I had to do something or my anxiety would skyrocket, maybe for my mom, staying alone at the casita would be her own form of meditation.
It had beena long time since I attended a yoga class, but I remembered enough to be able to do a simple workout. I was finishing when I heard the door open.
“Sorry,” said a man I didn’t recognize when I looked over my shoulder to see who had come in.
“It’s okay. I’m done.” I got up and wiped my face and neck with the towel I was glad I’d remembered to bring.
“I’m Seraphina.”
“Dalton Ridge,” he said, shaking my outstretched hand.
“I see the family resemblance.”
“My brother takes that as a compliment.”
I chuckled. “Noah said you’re a doctor.”
“I am.” He walked to the back of the room and opened the door of a cabinet I hadn’t noticed. Inside were yoga mats and towels.
When he didn’t say anything else, I walked toward the door. “Have a good workout.”
“Hey, we’ll find your sister.”
“Thanks.” I went outside and sat on the same bench I had last night. Rather than feeling energized, I felt deflated. I appreciated Dalton’s comment, yet it left me feeling cold. There were no clouds today, but the sun did little to warm me.
“Good morning, again.”
