Chapter Twenty-Two
Cassie waited for Dom and Gray inside one of the Hopewell Springs Police Department’s vacant offices, albeit reluctantly. The last thing she wanted was to run into Mike, but her brother and partner had insisted on meeting with him to get an update and pick up any reports relating to the shooting and the explosion, and they didn’t want to let her out of their sight. Immediately after the meeting, they’d drag her to a safe house God knew where.
The morning’s edition of the Hopewell Springs Gazette sitting in Cassie’s lap bore two stories, one about the explosion at Effinger Park, the other regarding a botched home invasion—at Cassie’s house. At least that was the story given to the reporter, as per Mike’s orders. Among the Gazette’s photos was one of the coroner removing the body of an unidentified man the chief of police allegedly shot and killed.
Cassie watched the minute hand on the wall clock creep along at a snail’s pace. It was nearly five in the evening. The Nest would be closing any minute now, the staff cleaning up and prepping for the next day. At that thought, a lump formed in the back of Cassie’s throat. The Nest was where she should be.
At Mike’s direction, Jimmy had given Rose a cryptic explanation as to the story in the paper and that, due to the ensuing stress and shock, Cassie would be taking a leave of absence from the Nest. Rose would be up a creek at having no head chef, but at least Chuck had returned earlier than expected. Turned out his father wasn’t as badly hurt as originally thought.
Still, Cassie owed Rose an explanation, and to give that explanation over the phone didn’t sit right. Rose was not only her employer but a close friend.
Cassie glanced again at the clock. The Nest was close enough to walk to, and she could make it back before Dom and Gray knew she’d ever left. They’d be pissed, but she’d risk it. She was done lying to those she cared about.
Quietly, she slipped out of the office and headed to the lobby. Mike’s dispatcher, Maddy, was tied up at the front desk taking calls related to the shooting and explosion and didn’t notice her escape.
Within minutes, Cassie walked in the front door of the Nest.
From somewhere in the kitchen, glasses clinked. The lingering aromas of the daily specials teased Cassie’s nose. Creamy pasta primavera and raspberry streusel pie. She’d know the scents of her own recipes anywhere.
“Oh, honey!” Rose came rushing out of the kitchen. “Are you all right? We couldn’t believe what happened at your house last night. Jimmy said you were fine and staying with Mike, but that I shouldn’t call. I’ve been worried sick about you.”
“I’m fine. Really,” she said as she accepted Rose’s warm hug.
Rose pulled away, then her mouth dropped. “What in the world happened to your eyes, and your jaw? And is that scarf covering a bruise?”
“It’s nothing.” Cassie touched her fingers to the lavender silk scarf she’d tied around her neck. Apparently it didn’t cover enough of the rope mark that was turning more purple by the hour. Colorwise, at least it matched nicely with her yellow top. Purple and yellow, just like New York State’s official colors. “I just had…a rough night.”
“The dead man in the paper…” Rose grabbed a copy of the Gazette off the front counter. “He hurt you. The bastard.”
Cassie glanced around the dining room, relieved to see there were no more customers. The only sounds in the restaurant came from Sue, Chuck, and Danny as they cleaned up the kitchen. More than likely, Rose had given Ginny time off to be with Leo.
“I can’t stay long.” She cleared her throat, preparing for Rose’s reaction at what she was about to say next. “My brother and partner are waiting for me.”
“What do you mean, your partner?” Rose narrowed her eyes. “And are you getting a cold? You sound terrible.”
The ache behind Cassie’s forehead rivaled her sore throat, but there was no sense putting this off any longer. “Rose, we need to talk, and everyone might as well hear this.”
Cassie led the way into the kitchen. Immediately, she was inundated with questions from Chuck and Sue concerning her well-being and the dead body taken from her house. Only Danny remained silent, but he stopped sweeping the floor to listen.
“I’m fine, everyone.” Cassie held up her hands for silence. “But I have to say something, and you’ll probably hate me for it.” Confessing to a priest had never made her feel as nervous as she was at this very moment.
“Honey,” Rose’s voice softened, “the only thing that matters to us is that you’re really okay.”
“Hear me out first. You might think otherwise.”
Here goes.
“The truth is, when I showed up in town I already had a job. I still do. I’m a New York City police detective, and I came here to hide out because a professional assassin is trying to kill me.” She paused to let her words sink in, but all she got were blank stares. “The blast that hurt Leo and Ginny last night was meant for me. When that didn’t work, he attacked me at my house.”
Cassie untied the silk scarf and slid it from her neck. “If Mike hadn’t killed the guy, he would have succeeded.”
“Oh my God,” Rose said as she put her hand to her mouth.
Sue gasped.
“Damn.” Chuck’s eyes went wide.
Danny pointed to Cassie’s neck. “The dead guy did that?”
Sue took a step closer and stared at Cassie’s throat. “That looks like it hurts.”
“It doesn’t matter. What matters is that Leo and Ginny and Mike getting hurt was my fault.”
“Doesn’t matter?” Rose squeezed Cassie’s upper arms. “Someone tried to kill you. Of course it matters. You matter. To me, to Sue, Chuck, and Danny, and everyone else in town. Don’t ever think otherwise.”
Sue kissed Cassie on her cheek. “We love you like family. You’re part of our little community now.”
“No, I’m not.” She shook her head. “I’m a cop, and I lied to you. I’m sorrier than you’ll ever know, and I should have told you sooner. More than anything else, I’m sorry for what happened to Leo, and I don’t blame you if you can’t forgive me. I can’t forgive myself.”
“You were doing your job,” Rose said firmly. “I’m sure you had good reasons for not telling us who you are. We don’t hold that against you. And Leo’s going to be fine.”
Sue dropped her plump arm around Cassie’s shoulder. “Whether you’re a police detective or a chef, you’re still one of us.”
Cassie swallowed the lump in her throat, touched beyond words at their unexpected acceptance. “You’re going to make me cry.” Both women hugged her fiercely. “You’re the first real friends I’ve ever had who weren’t cops.”
Chuck grunted. “Is Cassie even your real name?”
She nodded. “It’s Cassie Yates.”
“You got a gun?” Danny asked.
Cassie chuckled. “Yeah, Danny. I got a gun.” She patted the handbag slung over her shoulder.
“You’re really a cop?” Danny grinned. “That’s so hot.”
Rose pursed her claret-red lips. “I always knew there was more to you than just a pretty face and the best cuisine this side of the Adirondacks, but please don’t tell me you’re about to go back to chasing bad guys. With Leo still recovering, I need you here. And soon I’m going to need you to be head chef at my hoighty-toighty new place outside of town. Did I tell you I finally bought that vacated restaurant property I’ve had my eye on for years? The one I dreamed about making into a stylish high-end eatery?”
“I can’t stay. Every minute I’m here puts you all in danger, and that’s something I can’t live with.” Rose opened her mouth to object, but Cassie held up her hand. “I’m only here to say good-bye.”
“I can’t believe this,” Rose said. “You’re actually leaving? Does Mike know?”
Cassie sighed sadly. “He knows.”
“Honey.” Sue gave her a sympathetic look. “You have the most gorgeous man in the world who’s so obviously in love with you. You can’t leave.”
“I have to.” Cassie fought back the unexpected tears. She really would miss her newfound friends.
“But why?” Rose tilted her head. “I thought you said Mike killed the hit man?”
“He did, but the guy who ordered the hit will just find another one. Being around me may not be the safest thing.” At least until they figured out who really financed the hit. “I need to get back to the police station before my jailers realize I’m gone.”
“Maybe when this is all over you can come back,” Chuck said hopefully.
Cassie smiled. “Maybe someday,” she lied. She didn’t have the stomach to say it was over between her and Mike and that was the real reason she could never consider coming back.
“Good-bye everyone,” Cassie said as she turned to leave.
Three hesitant, smiling faces stared back at her.
“See ya, Cass.” Danny waved, but his young face was somber in a way she’d never seen before. As if he, more than anyone else, understood she was never returning.
“Bye, Danny.” Cassie shoved down the rising wave of regret. She would forever relish the days she’d spent as head chef at the Nest.
When Rose began to follow her, she nearly lost it and burst into tears. “Please don’t. I hate long good-byes.” She fully expected Rose to object. When she didn’t, it made it even harder to go.
With a deep inhale, she left the kitchen and headed to the front door, pausing by the register to admire Joey’s newspaper doodling for the last time. Yesterday’s Gazette had a photo of senatorial candidate Joshua Mosely, now sporting a blue crayon beard.
God, how she’d miss everyone in town, including Joey and his artistic renditions of everything and everyone that made the front page of the Hopewell Springs Gazette. Sighing, she tucked the newspaper under her arm, taking it with her for nostalgic reasons.
She walked to the front door and, out of habit, flipped the closed sign to face the street. It reminded her of the one good thing that had come from all of this.
La Femme had permanently closed its doors.
As Cassie shut the door behind her, a vivid image flashed before her eyes, one from the night of the takedown at La Femme.
The bearded man she’d literally slammed into moments before the NYPD raided the bar.
Her eyes widened. “No! No way.”