Page 71 of Evidence of Secrets

“I believe you. Just know that if you hurt her in any way…” She sliced the air with her hand. “Run.”

“Gotcha.”

Hank felt his stomach sink to the floor. Sam was a badass in her own right. He never wanted to get on her wrong side. But he’d never hurt Laura. Been there, done that, and his life sucked. He finally got it together.

Sam smiled. “Good, glad we got that out of the way. Now I think the cameras are a good idea. Why don’t you devise a plan, and we’ll install everything on a Monday? Whoever is around that day can help. Okay?”

Hank nodded and heaved a sigh of relief. Good, he would feel better knowing that Laura was safe, at least at her bistro.

“I have one more thing I want to discuss with you.” Hank told her of his plan. He sat back while Sam processed it. Waited while she tapped her fingers on her table. His heart was beating wildly. She had to agree. It was the perfect plan.

Finally, Sam looked him straight in the eyes. “You love her?”

“Yes.”

She gave him a huge smile. “Best plan ever.”

Hank walked out of her office with a lightened chest. He promised Laura he wouldn’t pay off the loan, and he always kept his promises. However, he didn’t promise that he wouldn’t help her with the finances.

CHAPTERFIFTY

“Oof.” Laura landed flat on her back on a mat. A thin, stinky gray mat. Hailey thought it would be a great idea to take self-defense lessons and convinced Laura to go on her only day off. She told Laura it would take her mind off the break-in and Levi.

When they entered the new community center earlier, Laura was impressed with the sleek design of the building. All sharp corners, some angles painted red, others cream. They’d walked into a hall with large, open rooms on either side. People were playing pickleball, and be still her beating heart; there was a kitchen. The smell of onions frying tantalized her nose. A group in another room was doing yoga, which Laura should have taken instead. She’d never been into physically hurting someone. But then again, one never knows.

After landing on her back more times than she could count, Laura wished she had stayed home.

“Come on, Laura. You’ve got this,” yelled Hailey.

Riiight. Laura looked up from the mat, rubbing her shoulder. Her teacher, an ex-Marine named Sarina Morrison, stretched her hand out to help her up.

“You’re doing great, Laura. Next time, concentrate harder,” Sarina said.

They got into position again, and Laura’s heart was pounding. She was tired and frustrated and, on some level, knew that self-defense was necessary, especially for women. But give her a Taser or pepper spray any day. They would work just as well. If, and it was a big if, she didn’t spray herself or forget how to use a Taser.

Sarina looked to her side, and Laura decided it was her best chance to throw her.

Next, she was looking up at a popcorn ceiling and moaning.

Sarina scooched down beside her. “Always expect the unexpected. You were too cocky, thinking I wasn’t paying attention. Big mistake.”

“Sarina, I’m a chef. I could slice you into little pieces without looking, but this … this is painful.”

Sarina smirked. “It’s supposed to be. How else will you learn?” She rubbed her neck and thought for a second. “Okay, why don’t we practice getting out of zip ties?”

“Yay?”

“Laura, getting out of zip ties is fun!” shouted Hailey.

Laura looked over at her friend, who seemed to be having the time of her life, and stuck out her tongue.Childish much?Hailey only laughed.

Although Hailey approached everything in life with enthusiasm, Laura had a feeling Hailey practiced these moves at home with Danny. She wouldn’t have minded practicing with Hank, but nobody asked her.

* * *

Danny,Logan, Luke, and Hank were at Salt & Sea.

They had all the equipment needed to upgrade the security at the bistro. Hank had told them the bistro was closed Mondays, and he wanted to keep this a secret.

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