Page 102 of Stay With Me

I crinkle up the paper to throw in my back seat, but then I think better of it. If he continues harassing me after I’ve already told him no and I need to get a restraining order, I’ll need proof for the courts. So instead, I flatten and fold it up and then set it down next to the rose so I’ll remember to take it into my apartment with me.

As I drive through town, the sheriff’s SUV and fire department’s truck block the corner of Main and First Street. It’s usually blocked off for the farmer’s market, but that should be over now. This looks like something else completely.

I reroute and go down another street toward Sage Meadow Homes. It’s been a month since I’ve visited and no matter how often or not I come, I always feel a bit nervous.

“Hi, sweetie.” Dad opens the door, smiling around his long salt-and-pepper beard that matches his shaggy hair.

“Hey.” I walk in and give him a hug. “How’re things today?”

He shrugs with a frown, closing the door behind me. “She no ’s in a depressive cycle.”

I nod, understanding what that means. It’s the version I saw of her the most growing up. Sometimes we’d just sit together while she watched TV and she’d randomly talk to me about the characters in her show as if they were real people. I’ve seen randomGrey’s Anatomyepisodes, never in order, but I could tell you every single main character’s name and what their specialty is based on how much my mom talks about them. Alex and Meredith are her favorites. And according to her, screw Dr. Burke.

“I put a pot on. Want some?”

Considering I haven’t had an ounce of caffeine, that sounds perfect. “Yes, please. Do you have?—”

“Sugar-free hazelnut creamer? Just grabbed some from the store for ya this mornin’.”

I smile as I sit down at the little kitchen table. “Thanks, Dad.”

He brings over two mugs and the creamer. Then he sets out a little platter of strawberry Fig Newton’s with a scoop of peanut butter for dipping. It’s been our thing for as long as I can remember. It tastes like a mini PB&J.

“How come you didn’t work downtown today?” He takes the seat across from me, dips his cookie, and then dunks it into his mug.

“I was sick last night and slept in.”

“Are you feelin’ well now?” he asks.

“Better, yeah. I ended up eatin’ popcorn, candy, and a slushie in a two-hour period, so it upset my stomach. Guess I’m not twelve anymore.” I laugh, stirring in my creamer.

The scanner Dad always has on goes off and makes me jump. “Holy crap, that scared me.”

“Sorry.” He lowers the volume. “Been going off all mornin’. Brinkley’s Jewelry got robbed last night.”

My jaw drops. “That must be why Main Street was blocked off.”

“Yep, they smashed a brick through the window and broke through all the glass cabinets. Must’ve been a speedy fella because the alarm company got the deputies out in seven minutes and they were already gone.”

“Wow. How sad for the Brinkley family.”

“Second robbery in town this month,” he tells me. “The pawn shop got hit two weeks ago.”

My brows shoot up because it’s already uncommon to have one robbery in Sugarland Creek, but to have two? Nearly unheard of.

“Sounds like it coulda been the same person, then,” I suggest.

“That’s what I think, too. The guys at work and I were talkin’ about it earlier this week, and it sounds like there was only one workin’ camera in the pawnshop. But whoever it was kept their head down and had a mask over their mouth. We’ll have to wait and see if there were any similarities with the jewelry shop, but considering the window got smashed in with a brick at the pawnshop, too...someone’s on a robbery rampage.”

“Well, that’s concernin’. I park my trailer in the parking lot a few blocks away. Not that I keep cash inside the register, but they could break in thinkin’ I do and trash it. Or take my expensive espresso machine.”

“Not sure how valuable that’d be in terms of the black market resale. Sounds like they’re hittin’ the stores with bigger markups.”

My mouth gapes open. “That machine cost nearly four grand!”

“Really? My coffee maker was on sale for thirty bucks.” He smirks around the rim of his mug.

I snort. “Totally the same.”