Chapter 53
chapter
fifty-three
Millie slipped into Sissy’s room, her heart hammering against her ribs.
The space was neat. Almost obsessively so. The bed had been made with tight hospital corners. Her suitcases stood in the corner. Georgie’s bowls were lined up perfectly by the door.
She started with the obvious places. The nightstand drawer was empty except for some prenatal vitamins. The dresser contained neatly folded clothes. Under the mattress was clean.
She checked the closet, running her hands along the shelf, feeling behind the few hanging items.
Still nothing.
Her gaze swept the room again, looking for anywhere someone might hide something they didn’t want found.
The bathroom.
She crossed to the small en suite and opened the cabinet under the sink.
Towels. Toiletries. A box of tissues.
She was about to close it when she knelt lower and something caught her eye.
Something was taped to the bottom of one of the drawers.
Millie used her fingernails to pull away the duct tape.
Then she pulled down a cheap burner phone and a small spiral notebook.
With trembling hands, she stared at them a moment.
What was this? And why was Sissy hiding them?
She tried the phone, but it was locked.
Her stomach turned.
She set the phone aside and opened the notebook.
The first page made her blood run cold.
Security system: 6-digit code. Changes monthly.
Gate codes: Same as security. Back gate often left unlocked during morning chores.
Cameras: Northeast corner has blind spot. Southwest camera malfunctioning, hasn’t been fixed yet.
Page after page of observations. Details about the property that no innocent guest would need to know.
Dogs: Kennel doors can be opened from outside if latch is lifted correctly.
Residents: Currently 2. Millie Anderson (fleeing ex-husband Garrick Anderson, DC attorney). Valentina Reyes (possible witness protection?).
Staff: Caleb King (owner, former Navy), Naomi King (finance), Max Kincaid (maintenance/kennels), Ruby King (cook, part-time), Kendra Williams (kennel assistant, 3x/week).
Millie’s hands shook as she turned the pages.
Financial information about the shelter. Grant applications pending. Operating costs. Vulnerabilities.
Everything someone would need to destroy this place from the inside.
The final page was a list of objectives with checkmarks beside them:
Call the county about property use violations ?
Release dogs ?
Sabotage cameras ?
Then there were the items without checkmarks.
Disable smoke detector
Mess with locks
Damage septic system
Possible “accidental” fire
Millie’s heart pounded harder. If she’d had time to do these things . . . it would have ruined Refuge Cove. If she hadn’t found this when she did.
Millie didn’t want to think about it.
She grabbed the phone and notebook and stood, her legs unsteady.
This was proof. Undeniable proof that Sissy had been working against them.
But proof of what, exactly? Espionage? Sabotage?
And what was the final phase?
She didn’t know. But she had to get these to Caleb. Now.
Caleb had asked Sissy every question he could think of.
Had she heard anything unusual tonight? Seen anyone suspicious on the property? Noticed any vehicles that didn’t belong?
She’d answered each one with wide-eyed concern, her hands folded over her belly, her voice soft and worried.
She seemed genuine.
But the longer he talked to her, the more he noticed small things.
The way her eyes would dart toward the stairs every few minutes, like she was tracking something.
The way she kept glancing at the clock on the wall.
The way her hand occasionally moved to her pocket, then stopped as if she were reaching for something that wasn’t there.
“I think that’s everything.” Caleb finally closed his notebook. “Thank you for your patience.”
“Of course.” Sissy started to stand. “If there’s nothing else, I think I’ll lie down.”
“Actually,” Caleb said quickly, “there’s one more thing.”
Suspicion flickered across her face—there and gone so fast he almost missed it. She remained seated, her hand over her belly.
“What’s that?” Her tone was still pleasant, but something had shifted.
“Did you let Biscuit out of Millie’s room earlier?”
Her face went pale. “I . . . actually, yes. I did. I heard the dog scratching at the door, so I opened it, thinking I was helping. Then he ran out and all the way down the stairs to the outside door. I thought he had to go to the bathroom.”
“And?”
“So I let him out. But then he darted away. I tried to catch him but couldn’t. When I realized what happened, I felt terrible about it.”
“So why didn’t you say anything?” He studied her face as she answered.
“I was afraid. Afraid I’d get in trouble or that everyone would think less of me. I figured Millie would realize what had happened, that Biscuit would come back to her, and that everything would be okay. I had no idea what was waiting in the woods.”
Her explanation sounded plausible.
Before he could say anything else, Millie descended the stairs. She clutched something in her hands.
A notebook. And a phone.
Sissy saw them at the same moment Caleb did, and her whole body went rigid.
“Where did you get those?” Her voice came out sharp, all pretense of sweetness gone.
Millie reached the bottom of the stairs and met Sissy’s eyes. “I think you know.”
The air in the room thickened.
Sissy stood slowly, one hand pressed to her belly, the other gripping the back of her chair. “You went through my things. You had no right—”
“You’ve been spying on us.” Millie held up the notebook.
“Documenting everything. Security codes. Schedules. Guests. You’re the one who let the dogs out.
Who messed with the security cameras. You even let Biscuit out of my room—probably as a way of wreaking more havoc around here.
And even worse—you’ve been reporting to Richard. ”
Naomi gasped. “What?”
Sissy’s face flushed. “You don’t understand—”
“Then explain it.” Caleb stood, moving to position himself between Sissy and the exits. “Explain why you have detailed notes about our security system. Explain why you visited Richard Harding at the prison every Tuesday.”
Sissy’s eyes widened. “How did you—?”
“The sheriff pulled the visitor logs,” Caleb said. “Melissa Sutton. That’s you, isn’t it?”
“The man I love is in prison for something he didn’t do!” Sissy’s voice rose, desperate now. “My baby’s father is being destroyed by lies, and you’re all responsible!”
Caleb’s blood ran cold.
“Your . . . baby’s father,” he repeated slowly. “Richard is the father of your baby?”
Sissy lifted her chin, defiant despite the tears streaming down her face. “Yes. And he’s not the monster you think he is. Sarah was—she was unstable. Manipulative. She turned all of you against him, and then when he finally defended himself, you helped put him in prison.”
Naomi made a strangled sound.
Millie’s face went white. “He killed her, Sissy. Richard murdered his wife in cold blood.”
“That’s what they told you!” Sissy’s hand moved protectively over her belly. “But that’s not what happened. Richard loved Sarah. He tried to help her. And when she died—” Her voice broke. “When she died, you all took everything from him. His home. His freedom. His future.”
“So he sent you here.” Pieces clicked into place in Caleb’s mind. “To gather information. To sabotage us. To get revenge.”
Sissy didn’t deny it.
And the truth made anger boil inside him.