“That’s me.”
“Sorry, I’m late. First, my blow-dryer quit working, and then traffic was a bitch.” The two shook hands. “You mind if I order before we get started?”
“Of course, not.” Scarlett shook her head. “And get whatever you want. My treat.”
“That’s sweet, but you don’t have to do that.”
“You’re taking time out of your day to come here and talk with me. A stranger. Trust me, a cup of coffee is the least I can do. Oh, and get something to eat, too, if you’d like.”
“Coffee’s good. And thanks.” Brooke’s baby blues lit up with the woman’s smile. “You kind of look like her, you know. Rose, I mean. Your eyes…” That smile faltered.
“I have my dad’s eyes,” she told her. “So if mine match Rose’s, that means she got our dad’s eyes, too.”
“Scarlett!” Gina said her name loudly, which meant her coffee and sandwich were ready.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I went ahead and ordered. It was a short night, and I’ve already had a long morning, so?—”
“No need for an explanation.” Brooke chuckled. “Trust me, I understand the importance of caffeine and food.”
Scarlett smiled as the two approached the awaiting counter. She grabbed her frozen coffee and bagged breakfast sandwich as Brooke gave Gina her order. Handing the barista enough cash to cover the bill, plus a tip, Scarlett waited with Brooke while the woman’s iced brown sugar and oat milk espresso was made.
Once the order was complete, the two returned to their table.
“Thanks again for agreeing to meet with me,” she offered sincerely.
“Of course.” Brooke settled herself. “I’m just glad someone’s still out there, looking for Rose.”
“I’ll always keep looking,” Scarlett vowed.
The solemn words had formed without conscious thought because, for her, there was no choice. She wouldn’t stop until Rose had been found.
The other woman’s big blue eyes softened with appreciation. A second later, they seemed to glitter with curiosity.
“I still can’t believe Rose never knew she had a sister.”
“Plot twist of the century for me, too,” she quipped with a smirk. “I definitely didn’t see this one coming, that’s for sure.”
“I bet.” Brooke chuckled, her curls swaying back and forth as she gave a soft shake of her head. The tips of the bottom layer were just long enough to brush across the peaks of the woman’s collarbones. “Man. That really must have been quite the shock.”
“You can say that again.” One minute she was an only child, and the next…
Brook pulled a long draw from her straw and swallowed. “I don’t mean to rush this, but I have less than an hour before my shift starts, and if I’m late?—”
“Of course,” she interrupted. Reaching down, Scarlett retrieved a small notebook and pen from her purse, which hung loosely over the back of her chair. “Okay, so according to my P.I.’s report, you worked with Rose at a Mexican restaurant called La Cocina.”
The last place my sister was seen.
“That’s right.” An expression of sadness and regret spread across Brooke’s pretty, girl-next-door face. “I, uh…” Brows that were much darker than the woman’s blonde curls became knitted with a frown. “I was working the night she vanished. I spoke to her just before…” Her gaze filled with unshed tears. “I should have waited for her. If I had, then maybe…”
“Please don’t do that to yourself,” Scarlett pleaded softly. She’d read the police report and understood why the other woman felt guilty. But… “You couldn’t have known what would happen, Brooke. Hell, the police still don’t know what happened. If you had waited…if you’d walked out of La Cocina with Rose, there’s a good chance you would’ve gone missing, too.”
Swiping angrily at a fallen tear, Brooke sat up a bit straighter and took another sip. Scarlett picked at her bagel, pinching off a couple of tiny bites while she waited for the other woman to regroup. She didn’t have to wait long.
“The restaurant shut down a couple months later, you know. The owner…Mr. Valdez…was shot and killed by the cops after he tried killing some shrink who works for the D.P.D. Apparently, the woman was working with the cops to help shut down Valdez’s sex trafficking ring.” A visible shiver raced across Brooke’s seated form. “I still can’t believe a man I worked for was involved in such a disgusting business.”
“From what my P.I. said, the shrink is Isobel Garcia, sister to?—”
“Olly Garcia.” Brooke smiled as she said the man’s name. “Yeah, he’s a pretty cool dude.”