“How did you get it out of the bank?” he asked. “You showed everyone the contents of your purse.”
Bonnie lowered her gaze and shifted uncomfortably on her feet. She lifted her hand and tapped her baseball cap.
“Under your cap,” Christine murmured. “That was quick thinking. No one thought about that because we always see you with a baseball cap on.”
Bonnie readjusted the bill of her cap and pulled at her ponytail. “Unfortunately, when I returned from the safe-deposit box area, Harold said to call the police.” She shuddered from the memory. “I was stuck. It’s not as if I could take off my cap and say, Gee, how did that get in here?”
Travis clenched his jaw and glared at Bonnie. “Instead you were going to keep quiet and let Christine take the fall.”
“I didn’t mean to do that!” Bonnie looked at Christine and clasped her hands together as if she were praying. “The police didn’t consider you a suspect. They acted like it was a low priority, as if it was all a misunderstanding and Mom probably lost it earlier that day. I was so surprised when everyone in town decided you had something to do with the missing bracelet. Christine, I never thought that would happen.”
“It did happen,” Travis said in growl, “and she needs her name cleared.”
“I feel bad about this. I really do. I got you in trouble. My mom is upset that she lost something important to her. I got myself in this situation and I couldn’t find a way out.” Bonnie hunched her shoulders. “So what are you guys going to do?”
“Christine?” He glanced at her. She looked adorable in her oversize bathrobe and with a stern expression on her beautiful face. “It’s up to you.”
Christine was silent for a moment. She exhaled sharply and slid her hands into her hair. “Okay, this is what’s going to happen. Bonnie, after your run today, you will ‘discover’ the bracelet in your home.”
Bonnie nodded in agreement. “I can do that. I want this over and done with. I didn’t sleep at all last night.”
“Are you sure you want to do it this way, Christine?” Travis asked. He wasn’t surprised that she would give Bonnie a way out. She didn’t always follow the rules, but he didn’t want Christine to find herself in the same situation.
“I do. But we have got to make it convincing,” Christine said. “The last thing you want is for your mother to become suspicious of you. I know you did this to take care of her but she may not see it that way.”
“You’re right,” Bonnie said quietly. “She would be hurt. And once I tell her I found it, I’ll call the police and let them know it was all a false alarm.”
“And you’re sorry for the inconvenience,” Christine added. “You could have sworn your mother was wearing the bracelet at the bank.”
“That’s it?” Bonnie asked. She looked at Travis and Christine as she took a step back. “That’s all you want me to do? Are you sure about this?”
“Yeah, I’m sure,” Christine said. “And I’m sorry that you’ll find it before your brother arrives.”
“Why are you apologizing to her?” Travis asked. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“And I’m sorry you got caught up in this,” Bonnie said as she took a few more steps away from them as if she couldn’t wait to get away.
“I’ll see you on Monday.” Christine gave a wave to Bonnie. “Business as usual.”
“Thank you,” Bonnie said with relief. She hurriedly turned around and sped down the sidewalk as if she was being pursued.
Travis waited until Bonnie turned the corner before he looked at Christine. “Why did you let her off the hook?”
“I went with my instincts,” she said as she walked back to the porch door. “She tried to protect her mother but made a mistake. I don’t think she’s going to repeat it.”
“See what happens when you take a risk?” he asked with a smile.
She groaned. “That was horrible! I was so nervous I thought was going to pass out. We are so lucky that Bonnie’s guilt was eating away at her.”
“Horrible?” he asked as he followed her. “You did great. You figured out why she did it and when. You bluff very well.”
“Thanks, I think.”
“Bluffing is a very important life skill,” he said as they stepped onto the porch. “Especially when you’re in Vegas.”
Vegas. Travis bent his head as he remembered the other problem he had to fix. He had to leave Christine and he wasn’t ready.