Justice for Sara by Erica Spindler Page A

motioned the waitress over. Kat ordered an iced tea and the shrimp remoulade salad. Bitsy ordered as well, then the waitress walked away.
    An awkward silence fell between them. A moment before it became excruciating, Bitsy cleared her throat. “How are things? Being back, I mean.”
    “About as good as I expected them to be.”
    “Cryptic.”
    “Trying to be positive.”
    Bitsy smoothed her napkin in her lap again, then toyed with her flatware, straightening it. She used to do that, Kat remembered. Fiddle when she was nervous.
    Kat told her so, and Bitsy looked surprised. “I can’t believe you remember that.”
    “How could I not? It used to drive me crazy.”
    “The teachers, too.”
    “The more nervous you got, the more you’d fiddle. We never got away with anything.”
    Bitsy laughed. “Undiagnosed ADHD.”
    The waitress brought Kat’s tea. Kat sweetened it, something she had never outgrown. “It was crazy running into you that way,” she said. “Small towns.”
    “I was glad you did.”
    “Me, too.”
    Again they fell silent. Again, Bitsy broke it. “I asked you here for a reason, Kat.”
    “Not just to catch up?”
    She shook her head. “It’s about Ryan.”
    “Benton?”
    She nodded. “We’re together.”
    Kat thought she had heard her wrong. “Did you say you’re—”
    “Together, yes. He and I. We’re engaged.” She held out her hand. A huge rock sparkled on her fourth finger.
    R&B Imports. Ryan and Bitsy. Of course. No doubt Bitsy had financed the business. Probably the ring, too.
    “We’re getting married over the Fourth of July. In Hawaii. Kauai.”
    “You and Ryan. Wow.” She shook her head. “That’s weird, Bits.”
    Bitsy stiffened. “Why’s it weird?”
    “Last time you mentioned his name was to tell me what a bad guy he was. You warned me to stay away from him.”
    “But you didn’t,” she said, the edge in her voice unmistakable. She smoothed her napkin again. Her bangle bracelets clinked together. “I’m sorry if you’re upset.”
    “I’m not upset.”
    “Tell me the truth, Kat. Did you come back hoping—”
    “God, no.”
    “If you hoped to get him back,” she continued, “it’s too late. He’s mine now.”
    This conversation felt surreal. Bitsy and Ryan. Together. Her territorial words, the warning in them.
    “That ship sailed a long time ago, Bits. I promise you that.”
    The waitress arrived with their salads. She set the bowls in front of them. As she moved out of earshot, Bitsy leaned toward her. “You’re saying you have no feelings for him?”
    Kat laughed, the sound spontaneous. And incredulous. “None. That’s not what he told you, is it?”
    “We don’t keep secrets from each other. Total honesty, always.”
    Kat doubted that was completely true, but kept her thoughts to herself. “Then you know why I was there?”
    “He told me what you talked about.” She leaned forward, eyes narrowed. “But I want to hear it from you.”
    “Really? You want me to tell you that your fiancé suggested we kill my sister?”
    “That’s not true.”
    The words came out low. And angry. Kat sensed that Bitsy would do anything to protect her man. Anything. The realization left her uneasy. And wishing she was anyplace but sitting across a table from her.
    She pressed on anyway. “Luke Tanner reopened Sara’s murder investigation. Did you know that?”
    “Yes.” Bitsy’s hands shook. She dropped them to her lap. “Why, Kat? Why are you doing this to us? Why now?”
    “I’m not doing it to you, Bits. This is about me. And Sara. It’s about justice for Sara,” she finished softly.
    Something like recognition—or shock—crossed Bitsy’s features, then was gone. For the first time, Kat wondered if Bitsy could be her “fan.”
    “You always got everything you wanted, Kat. Everything.”
    It was her turn to feel shock. “Me? The one who lost everything. Really?”
    Bitsy went on as if she hadn’t spoken. “The pretty one. The popular one.