“I did,” she squeaked.
“Now did Hank arrest you? Because if he did –”
“No, Granny. He stalled for hours. I got a police tour of the island. He even took me to breakfast.”
“It better have been somewhere good,” Granny said, scowling.
Eliza laughed. “It was.”
“Shall we go inside?” Mom said with a smile.
Mackenzie walked out of the kitchen with a teapot in her hands. “My fugitive sister has returned!”
Eliza took a bow. “Thank you. Yes, I am back.”
“Good.” She set the teapot down. “What do you think you’ll do with the reward money?”
She laughed. “I don’t care about the money. I’m just glad not to be in jail.”
“You certainly deserve to get the reward!” Granny said, taking a seat. “If it weren’t for you, Stacy and that man would’ve gotten away with it.”
Mackenzie laughed. “If it weren’t for you darned kids…” She pulled out her phone. “Look at this! I just got a news alert.”
They leaned in and Mackenzie played a video with the headlineDISGRACED ATF AGENT ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH STRING OF ROBBERIES.
Eliza gasped. Stacy was front and center, arms handcuffed behind her back, making a sour face at the reporters shouting questions.
“I thought they said there wasn’t enough evidence to arrest her?” Eliza said.
“Guess they figured it out,” Mackenzie said airily. “What do you want to do with your freedom?”
She smiled. “I think…I just want to enjoy a cup of tea.”
Mackenzie locked the door to the tea shop and hung a handwritten sign:Closed today for a family emergency.
For the next two hours, they drank tea and laughed and ate cookies. Eliza was about to open the new peach green tea they’d ordered when they heard a banging at the door.
“I’ll get it,” Mackenzie said, leaping out of her chair.
She returned a moment later. “Mom? Granny? I think we’re needed back at the house.”
They shot each other a look and got up without another word.
“Where are you going?” Eliza narrowed her eyes. “What are you planning?”
Mackenzie pretended to zip her lips closed and winked. They disappeared through the back door and Eliza stood, staring at the mess of a table they’d left behind – napkins, half-drunk tea, and crumbs.
Maybe they were making dinner. Or maybe –
“Hey!”
She spun around.
Joey.
The air left her lungs. He was dressed as though he’d stepped out of her memory, wearing the same thing he’d worn the day they met. The black LL Bean bomber jacket. A gray shirt, dark jeans, and white Nike sneakers with a red swoosh.
The only thing missing were his RayBan sunglasses, which he’d left with her at the sea pen site.
