The Beautiful Thief (Stolen Hearts #2)(3)
Toni’s lips tightened and Melody knew before any words came out that her sister was about to shoot her down.
“We’re all working hard on this. Scott Hart wants Sterling caught more than anyone. Austin and Jennifer are off playing the happy couple, but they’ll be back the second Sterling shows up. Even Weston is on call. Take it easy.”
“You don’t think I can help.” Of course Toni doubted her. She’d been out of the game for years.
“I think our mother was just murdered right in front of you,” said Toni forcefully. “This doesn’t have a thing to do with what I think of your abilities. And, for the record, I think you could get away with murder as long as you batted your lashes just the right way. This isn’t a judgment. This is me being concerned for you. Okay?”
Melody ran a hand over her eyes and then back through her hair. Toni was right. There was no need for her to be so suspicious. It was her own doubts in herself manifesting. Maybe if she’d stayed with the family business, she wouldn’t have gotten herself kidnapped. Maybe if she’d kept her mind sharp and her body ready, she could’ve fought off the men who had snatched her when she’d tried to get out of San Francisco.
Maybe Toni should keep her out of the loop. If Melody hadn’t been taken, they would’ve gotten away free and clear with the Dragon Heart necklace and Isobel wouldn’t have had to pay the ultimate price....
Toni snapped her fingers three times in rapid succession. “Hey, you still there?”
Melody blinked a few times to clear her mind from the troubling thoughts. “I don’t know what to tell you. I’m not okay. I wasn’t okay before all of this and now that Mom is gone... I feel like you want me to give you some sort of reassurance, but I don’t have any to give.”
Toni sighed and a deep sadness crossed over her face. Melody really wished she could help. She wasn’t the only one who had lost a mother that night, but at the moment, she didn’t think she was capable of giving Toni the comfort she deserved.
“Okay then,” said Toni. “I’ll leave you alone, but you know that I’m here for you if you need me, right?”
Melody nodded. “I know. And I appreciate you stopping by.”
Toni handed Melody a small card. There was nothing on the card except seven numbers in a simple black font. “Memorize this. I won’t answer, but it’s connected to a voicemail I’ll be checking regularly.”
“You don’t have your other phone anymore?”
“For now, but I tend to ditch those on a regular basis. This way you’ll still have a way to get in touch no matter what river my phone is at the bottom of.”
Melody slowly turned the card in her hand. It was such a sudden reminder of the type of life she’d been trying to get away from. The life of burner phones and always looking over your shoulder. “Thanks,” was all she said. Toni was more paranoid than most, and it was nice that she trusted Melody with a phone number. “Let me walk you out.”
Toni shook her head. “No. You get dressed. Throw on some mascara and tight jeans and go out of the house. I don’t care if it’s just to the grocery store. I respect your need to grieve alone, but you need some reminder that there’s a world outside this basement. Fair?”
Melody dreaded the thought of going out. Making small talk with others... giving fake smiles and pretending she wasn’t breaking apart at the seams. “That’s fair,” she finally admitted. No matter how much the idea repelled her, she knew Isobel would be turning over in her grave if she knew what Melody had been doing.
Isobel was never the type to wallow or stand still. She was off chasing the world, no matter the cost. Melody stood and gave Toni a quick hug before her sister left. For a few long moments, Melody fought the urge to crawl back in bed, but she finally forced herself to get in the shower.
The warm water not only massaged muscles sore from sleeping on the old mattress for too long, but helped to wake her up. She felt clean and awake and fresh. A feeling she hadn’t felt in a while. While she ran shampoo through her hair, she thought about where she should go. She didn’t want to go anywhere that required actual conversation. And she didn’t want to go to some restaurant and sit by herself.
If she were anywhere else, that would be fine. But not in this town, where everyone knew her. No one in the town of Huntsville knew about Isobel. If she sat alone and looked depressed, they’d think she was moping about her divorce. She’d already given Ben enough. He didn’t need the satisfaction of thinking she was still hurting over him.
Though, there was one place people went to sit alone all the time. They’d finally put in one of those big chain coffee places down on Main Street. She could take her laptop and plug in while drinking a latté and hopefully, if she put in her earbuds, no one would bother her at all.
Happy with her decision, Melody actually had a little smile as she put on her makeup for the first time since her mother’s rehearsal dinner. From foundation to eyeliner and mascara. It was nothing compared to what she used to wear, but it was enough to make her look human at least.
Upstairs, there was no sign of anyone. Not surprising. Whitney hated to see her husband come home late day after day, so she was always taking the kids out and making excuses to get out of the house. The one time Melody had brought up the possibility of Marcus being unfaithful, Whitney had immediately lashed out. Apparently because Melody’s own husband hadn’t been faithful, Whitney thought she was incapable of being an impartial observer.