Page 18

CHAPTER 18

O live dropped Nova off at the hotel.

Her colleague wanted to examine the camera, plus they’d told Rebecca they’d put together some snippets from today’s interview to share with her. She’d seemed excited, and the goodwill gesture would help them build trust.

But Olive wasn’t quite ready to return to her room yet. She had other things she wanted to do first.

After she dropped Nova off, she headed back toward town.

As she drove, she kept an eye on her rearview mirror, halfway expecting to see Motorcycle Man appear again. He didn’t.

Every time Olive thought about those cameras in Rebecca’s house, she thought about Motorcycle Man. If someone other than Rebecca had planted those cameras inside her home, he made the most sense. After all, he’d been taking candid pictures of Rebecca.

Why stop at photos when he could get videos also? Maybe this person planned on posting them online as a way of exposing Rebecca.

Olive simply wasn’t sure if the man was a friend or a foe. After all, he could have run her over on that motorcycle, but he hadn’t. Yet he was clearly up to something.

She planned on figuring out what.

She pulled into the parking lot of the local elementary school, the place Rebecca had taught first grade until six months ago. Olive imagined Rebecca was a good teacher, the kind kids really liked.

Even though Rebecca had promised to send Olive a list of people to interview, Olive wasn’t only interested in talking to those enamored with Rebecca. She wanted to talk to a wide scope of people to get their feelings on the cancer situation.

She also needed to meet with Mitzi later. Olive had texted her, and the two of them had agreed to meet in the next town over. While they were here in Oasis, they didn’t want to risk being seen together. It could seem suspicious.

Olive also had one or two other places she wanted to visit if she had time. Places from her childhood.

But that was only if she had extra time.

Right now, she strode toward the school. The kids were already out for the day, which worked in her favor since she wanted to chat with teachers and administration.

She stepped inside, knowing full well that security would probably stop her.

Who she didn’t expect to see was Sabrina Novak—Olive’s best friend when she’d lived in Oasis, and a woman she hadn’t talked to in nearly a decade.

“Olive Robinson?” Sabrina’s mouth gaped open as she stepped closer. “Is that really you?”

“Sabrina Novak?” The surprise in Olive’s voice was sincere.

So maybe coming here to the school hadn’t been a good idea. But Olive hadn’t known Sabrina worked here—at least that was what she assumed since her old friend wore a name badge with the school’s name on it.

Sabrina had always been pretty, but she looked even more beautiful with age. Her blonde hair was long and straight, her cheekbones high, and her figure youthful. Back in high school, she’d always been insecure about how she dressed—her family hadn’t had a lot of money—and because her skin was acne prone.

Now her skin was as smooth as porcelain and her clothes new and stylish.

“What in the world are you doing here?” Sabrina let out a squeal before running toward Olive and throwing her arms around her.

Olive reciprocated with equal but more subdued enthusiasm.

Though she and Sabrina had been close while Olive lived in Oasis, Olive had to wonder what people had thought about her family after they’d left town. Had her father scammed people out of money? More people than just Jason’s family?

Did everyone here know he was a con artist? What reputation had he left in his wake?

Olive still had so many questions, and she didn’t like the uncertainties.

“I’m here to do a documentary on Rebecca Hansen.” Olive paused just inside the front doors.

“What?” Sabrina’s eyes widened. “ You’re the filmmaker? Rebecca mentioned something to me about a documentary. I didn’t know you were connected!”

“Who would have thought?”

“Well, I always thought you’d do well in Hollywood, so I’m not surprised.”

Olive paused. What did that mean? She didn’t want to read too much into Sabrina’s words. But . . . did her friend suspect she was a good actress? Olive assumed Sabrina hadn’t meant the words as a compliment.

She put that thought aside and asked, “How about you? What are you doing here? Did you ever leave Oasis?”

“I went away to college, and I was determined I wouldn’t come back here. Now look at me.” She raised her hands and twirled around. “I’m a second-grade teacher at the very school I attended. Can you believe it?”

“Not at all. I thought you’d be the CEO of some big company in New York or LA. Or?—”

“Nashville,” they said at the same time, and then they laughed.

Sabrina had had a major crush on country artist Sam Hunt and had often said she would move to Music City one day so she could track him down and force him to fall in love with her. They’d had a lot of good laughs at her antics.

“That’s what I always thought too.” Sabrina waved her hand in the air. “Then I fell in love with a hometown boy.” Her voice drifted as if she had a mischievous secret to tell.

Olive tilted her head. “Anyone I know?”

“As a matter of fact . . . Ellis Briggs.”

Olive’s eyebrows flew up. “Ellis Briggs? The captain of the baseball team? Two years older than us? Total hottie—although, as far as I know, he doesn’t sing country music.”

“No, he doesn’t. He can’t carry a tune in a bucket, as the saying goes.” Sabrina laughed. “I never thought he’d be interested in someone like me. But after you left—” Her voice seemed to catch on those words, but then she continued. “After you and your family left, everything was different, you know? The two of us really hit it off.”

“How was it different?” Olive wasn’t sure where Sabrina was going with that comment.

It wasn’t as if Olive’s family had made an impact in the area. Not that she knew of. Not a positive one, at least.

“Jason just wasn’t himself, and the group we hung out with fell apart. Plus, my family had to declare bankruptcy.”

Olive’s eyes widened with sincere surprise. “Bankruptcy? I had no idea.”

“Apparently, my dad made some bad business investments, and he lost all his savings.” Sabrina shook her head. “It was really hard on him.”

Olive listened to her tone, but she didn’t hear any accusation there.

Was Olive’s dad connected with the bad business investment? If so, did Sabrina know about it?

This wasn’t the time to ask.

She swallowed hard instead. “I’m really sorry to hear that.”

“It’s old news, I guess. Plot twist—we survived.” Sabrina smiled then glanced at her watch. “Listen, I really want to catch up with you, but I have to get to a staff meeting in a minute. How long are you in town?”

“Only about a week.”

“Can we grab dinner sometime?”

Catching up with Sabrina sounded fun—and it would give Olive a chance to get her friend’s take on Rebecca. “How about tonight? Or do you already have plans with Ellis?”

“Ellis is actually working late. I just need to double-check that I can get a sitter for my daughter. But I think my mom will watch her. Could we do seven?”

Olive grinned. “That works for me. Just name the place.”

“Absolutely. There’s a new Italian restaurant in town that I’m absolutely in love with. I’ve been drooling to eat their chicken carbonara again.”

“Sounds delicious.”

“Perfect. Then meet me at Reginaldo’s at seven. It’s easy to find—it’s on Main Street. Can’t miss it.”

Olive had seen the place earlier. “I can’t wait to see you there then.”

This meeting was either fortuitous or a huge mistake. Olive wasn’t sure which one yet.

But she was looking forward to talking to Sabrina more—for both professional and personal reasons.