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“I was going to give myself a month or so before I looked for something, but I went into the coffee shop one day, and Melanie was there with the old owners.” Sadie laughed. “She looked completely overwhelmed and joked, asking if I needed a job, and I said sure.”
“Good to know.” Officer Carl turned off the screen. “I’ll be in touch if I have any other questions.”
We all nodded and followed the officer back out front.
I glanced at Sadie and knew there was something she didn’t tell us.
Chapter Nine
Sadie
“How are you doing?” Elena asked, stretching on the chaise in Zack’s living room. Jaxson was working on the phone with his brothers in another room.
“I am waiting to be able to live a normal life, free from kidnappings, break-ins, heartbreak, and general malaise.”
Elena chuckled, and I felt immensely better. There was something about having my sister here that helped. I didn’t feel so isolated.
But I knew none of them thought I should go back into the coffee shop.
“Thanks for making some coffee,” I told Elena, taking a sip from the mug. The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air.
“So, tell me what you really saw on that screen,” Elena said, eying me over her own mug of coffee.
My stomach tensed, but I knew better.
“What do you mean? I saw the same things you did.”
“You’re not telling us something, Sadie. I can tell. I’m your sister.”
The palms of my hands got sweaty as I thought back to the images. It wasn’t what I saw on there. It was what I didn’t.
But I didn’t want to raise alarm or point fingers until I could make sure I wasn’t losing my own mind.
“It’s nothing. I’m just…” I sighed. “I’m exhausted. I feel like I’ve been looking over my shoulder for the last few weeks, and that was before Carmella even got out of jail.”
Elena nodded. “Zack filled me in. It’s got to be scary and probably pulls you right back to being held in that warehouse.”
A shiver ran through me as I thought back to those days. The cold dampness of the floor. The constant chill in the air. The hunger and thirst.
“I’m so tired, Elena. Tired of always feeling like I’m going to do the wrong thing and wind up in a similar situation.”
She nodded and didn’t press. I appreciated that about my sister. She knew the answers would come and didn’t push me to reveal anything before I was ready.
Zack was the same.
“How has it been being with Zack again?” she asked.
I let out a groan. “I think I’d rather talk about being kidnapped again.”
“That good, huh?”
I smiled and nodded. “Actually, that’s the problem. It has been good. It feels like we’ve never been apart. We picked up right where we left off. Things are just so easy with him. He makes me feel things I’ve never felt.”
“Do you regret breaking up with him?” she asked.
“I don’t know. But I did it, and here we are.” I shook my head slowly. “I doubt I’ll ever find someone like him again. He’s so level-headed, intelligent, funny, loyal.”
“And extremely good-looking.”
