Chapter 18: Fan Cam

The fan was waiting on the Wick's bench at seven the next morning, soaked to the knees.

She was a woman in her twenties in a yellow rain jacket, with a camera bag clutched in both arms.

She stood up so fast the bench scraped.

"Ms. Larkin?"

"That's me. Did you sleep on my porch?"

"No. Near it." She swallowed. "On the cliff path."

Missy looked at the camera bag, and at the dark rings under the girl's eyes.

"You took the picture last night."

"Two. I'm so sorry. I'm not sorry. I mean I am, I just."

"Come in out of the wet," said Missy, and unlocked the door.

She sat her at the corner table by the radiator, and the one-eared tom immediately sat in her lap.

The fan froze, with her hands in the air.

"He's a thief," Missy said. "He'll steal your sleeve. Tea?"

"I can't. I mean, thank you."

"Sugar?"

"One."

Missy brought it, and a plate of the day's first scones, and sat down across from her with her own mug.

The fan's eyes went to the window.

"They're here," she said, in a whisper. "In town. With you."

"They live a few minutes from here, honey. Of course they're here."

"Are you and they."

"Sleeping together? Yes."

The fan went scarlet, and the tom purred.

"I run a thread," she said, to the tabletop. "Not the big one. The little one. We found you from the clip in the café."

"The one where he said my name."

"Yes. And someone found the cabin booking from a screenshot. And we said, in the thread, that. That you were. Oh no."

"My mom's age?" said Missy.

The girl put her face in her hands.

"I was not the first to say it. I was the one who didn't say stop."

Keep reading free with an account. Start Four STARZ Members Came to Hide, Then Fell for the Cat Café Owner from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.