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“Okay, but hypothetically, that would be a conflict of interest, wouldn’t it?”

“I suppose,” said Mila. “But I don’t think it would really reflect on me. I mean, Max knows who I am, what I wouldn’t do. I think it would just be one of those things. This is a small town, Tilly. It’s impossible to avoid everyone just because they might be involved in something unsavory. Max has a pint with Old Dave at the pub all the time.”

“The one that had his driving license taken away?” Tilly asked.

“That’s the one,” agreed Mila. She bit her lip, then looked at Tilly. “Is this about Sophie Farmer?”

Tilly spluttered on her drink, almost choked, then managed to swallow. “What?”

“Sorry,” said Mila, holding up her hands. “It’s absolutely none of my business. But…” She blushed. “But like I said, it’s a small town. Billy was in the bookshop yesterday and mentioned something about the two of you making eyes at each other and I just thought… Nothing, never mind.”

With a sigh, Tilly nodded sadly. “It is.”

“She doesn’t like you back?” asked Mila gently.

“No, no, that’s not the problem.” The admission made Tilly’s heart give a quick extra beat. No, she was sure Sophie liked her back.

“So the problem is that she’s a Farmer.”

Tilly nodded.

“She’s a good girl,” said Mila. “Never been in any kind of trouble that I know of, and I would know. That brother of hers can be a handful, and Paul went off the rails a bit when his wife died, not that you can really blame him for that. Sophie’s finethough, she’s a hard worker, went away to college but came back to take care of her dad and that Gio.”

“But I think they might be involved in this car theft ring,” said Tilly slowly. “I’ve got no proof, but I think it’s heading that way.”

Mila shrugged. “I’d be surprised,” she said. “But on the whole, even if they were, I doubt Sophie would know anything about it. The way those two protect her, I don’t think they’d tell her anything, even if they were involved.”

“Be that as it may,” Tilly said. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to get involved. I’ve got my career to think of, after all.” She took another hearty mouthful of her drink. “I think I might go and take a bath.”

“Go on then,” said Mila. “Have a good think. Baths always help with that sort of thing.”

But Tilly didn’t think there was that much more to think about.

Chapter Seventeen

Slowly, Sophie walked toward the cafe. She didn’t know where else to go. She definitely didn’t want to go home. If she saw her brother and dad right now, she might say something she regretted.

She desperately didn’t want to think they were involved in anything, but how could she be sure? With the promises of raises in the new year, and Gio’s shiny new car? She did the accounts. There was nothing on her side that looked fishy. But then her dad waded in sometimes, and, to be honest, if there was anything that wasn’t quite right, he was unlikely to run it through the books.

But car stealing?

She knew that both her dad and Gio had been in trouble with the police before. Her dad after her mum had died. He’d had anger problems, had drunk a bit too much, had got into the odd fight. And Gio, well, Gio was just a big ball of testosterone looking for trouble sometimes. But he’d been good recently, and again, it had been drunken fighting.

She couldn’t put the two things together.

And she supposed she couldn’t blame Tilly for not wanting to get involved. Not when her job was on the line.

Which didn’t make any of it any easier. Yet again, Gio and her dad had ruined a dating prospect. And yet again, she was forced to look after their interests at the expense of her own.

She just hoped that Jules was still at the cafe, maybe even with Amelia and Cass, so that she’d have someone to commiserate with.

Two minutes later, she pushed open the door to find Jules, Am, and Cass sitting at a table with several uneaten paninis in front of them.

“Soph?” Jules said in surprise. “I thought you were singing?”

Sophie opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Then the sobs started and she couldn’t say a thing.

“Wine,” Jules ordered. Amelia and Cass got up immediately and Jules went to put her arm around Sophie. “Come on, love,” she said, ushering her into a chair. “It can’t be that bad.”