“What happened?”
“They didn’t know anyone in town so no one knew the girl hadn’t gone with them. She went to the grocery and the sheriff stopped her and asked to see her license. She was a new driver and she’d left it at home.”
“He didn’t put her in a cell, did he?”
“Yes. The bad part was that he forgot about her. He and all three deputies were out in the crowds so the office was empty. He left that girl in the cell for forty-eight hours with no food or water.”
Nate looked at her in horror.
“It was awful. Her parents came back and couldn’t find her so they called the sheriff. The girl was passed out on the floor of the cell and had to be revived. She spent days in the hospital. Eventually, she was okay physically, but mentally, she was seriously traumatized.”
“Was the sheriff prosecuted?”
“No.” Stacy let out her breath. “He knew what was coming. He went to a cabin in the woods and drank bottles of whiskey. When they found him, he’d been dead for days.”
“Some ending for a fairy tale!”
“But don’t they all end like that? The evil queen sends the hunter after the beautiful young girl, that kind of thing.”
“But in those stories the evil queen ends up being dissolved or something. Nothing bad has happened to Della. She still follows Brody around, still spies on people, still spreads rumors and makes people miserable.” He was getting angry. “She still—”
Stacy put her hand on his arm. “Are you all right?”
“Sure.” He opened the car door and got out. “What fabulous food did you bring for us?”
“I went to a new restaurant just out of town. I think you’re going to love it.”
“If you do, I’m sure I will.” He opened the trunk as Stacy got out.
“It’s called Kale House. Just wait until you see the green eggs. They’re delicious and so very good for you!”
* * *
Stacy had spread the cloth on the sand, put the chairs beside it, then pulled out all the pretty containers and set them on the cloth. Nate had done nothing but look out at the water. His gaze was so intense that he looked like someone in the crow’s nest of a ship searching for whales. “Thar she blows,” she muttered.
“Did you say something?”
“Nothing important. Why don’t you tell me what you’ve been doing for the last few days? Any funny stories?”
Nate had skipped the chair and was sitting on the edge of the cloth. “Nothing worth repeating. Just a lot of people trying to get the most and the best. What about you? I’m sorry I didn’t get to your booth often enough.”
“That’s all right. Terri helped me.”
“Did she?” Nate turned his intense glare from the water to her. “You two talk about anything interesting?”
“Not really. Just you.” Stacy was glad to see him lose his faraway look. “Don’t look so scared. It was just girl talk. Here, try one of these eggs.”
He took it and stared at it. “Green food.”
Stacy was getting tired of his odd comments. “Yes. Food is sometimes green. If you don’t like it I can—”
Nate popped the egg in his mouth.
Stacy was about to remark on his grimace when she looked behind him. “At last, she’s here. Wow.”
“Who is?” When Nate looked up, he was so startled he began to choke. He grabbed a bottle of water.
“Terri looks fabulous. I’ve never seen her like that.” Stacy glanced down at her outfit of white shorts that almost reached her knees and a navy halter top that only showed a few inches of midriff. “I feel completely overdressed. Is that bikini even legal?”