I glance to my right and frown when I find the bed empty. A quick brush with my hand tells me that Maggie’s been out of it for a while.
The sheets are cool.
I sit up and brush my hands over my face, then visit the restroom before taking off through the suite, looking for her.
To my dismay, she isn’t here.
I prop my hands on my hips and glance out the window, seeing a single person walking on the sand.
Maggie.
I’d recognize her red hair anywhere.
I hurry to dress and make my way downstairs and through the breezeway of the resort that leads to the beach.
Maggie’s about a quarter of a mile away wearing a flowy, white dress that floats in the wind. Her loose hair gets caught by the breeze, and she doesn’t reach up to tame it.
She’s clearly lost in thought.
By the time I reach her, she’s turned to the surf and sits her cute butt in the white sand.
I sit next to her, and she reaches out for my hand, linking our fingers. We sit that way for a long time. No words, just the sound of waves and tropical birds.
After what seems like ten minutes, Maggie begins to speak.
“We’ve always been drawn to the sea, my family and me. It’s why Da took the family from Ireland to Seattle all those years ago. Because it was in the States but reminded him of home with the rugged coastline and the moody ocean. Whenever I need to think, I find the beach. The noise drowns out all of the voices in my head, and I’m able to just be.”
She turns to me. “Thank you for being the one to come here with me. I don’t think I could have come alone.”
“You’re braver than you give yourself credit for, Mary Margaret.” I kiss her cheek. “You can do this.”
“I know.” She takes a deep breath and then shrugs. “Actually, I don’t know. I’ve been doubting myself all morning.”
“If you don’t want to do this, we can get back on a plane this morning and go home until you are ready. Or, we can wait a couple of days if you want. Take a little vacation.”
“I could make excuses for the next ten years to get myself off the hook.” She pushes her hair off her face. “And I’m over being scared by that jerk. I’m taking control of this, and we’re going to go to that bank today. I’m claiming what’s mine.”
“What are you most afraid of?”
She turns back to the water and takes a long, deep breath.
“Good question. I’m not worried about the money. That’s just policy stuff and red tape. It’ll get figured out. But the box?” She shakes her head. “I’m afraid of what’s in it. Why would he have something in a box in the Caymans? Because he was hiding something, that’s why. And he hid a lot of things, Cam. I think I found most of them. None of them were good.”
I squeeze her hand, unable to tell her that she’s finally found the last thing.
“And I’ve decided that this is it. Once I close the account and take whatever’s in the box, I’m closing the book on my life with Joey Lemon, for the sake of my mental health. I need to move on, Cam. I need to say goodbye to him for good and get on with my life. We deserve that.”
“I agree.” I press my lips to her temple and wrap my arm around her. “You deserve to make the life you want, Maggie, without the weight of what Joey was and did hanging over your head. He’s dead and gone. I think it’s the right move to finish this today and then put it to rest.”
We’re quiet again as we stare out at the water. As the sun rises, Maggie stands and holds her hand out for mine.
“I need coffee,” she says and plants her feet so she can help me up. She’s damn fucking adorable. “But food will wait for after. I don’t want to throw up.”
“Coffee, no breakfast. Check.”
“I didn’t realize I had walked so far down the beach. How did you find me?”
“Your hair.” I lock my fingers with hers. “You don’t blend, Mary Margaret.”
“I never have.” She shrugs and then laughs. “Blending isn’t my specialty.”
“Good. I like it that way.”
Chapter 10
~Maggie~
This is it.
I thought the bank would be bigger. Grander. I know enough to know that people keep millions, if not billions, of dollars here to hide it from the feds. So, because it houses so much dough, I’d thought for sure it would be a big, important-looking building.
But it’s not.
It’s white and square, and if I’m being honest, it appears kind of institutional. If there weren’t huge guards with guns just inside the door, you’d think it was a hospital or something.