Ripley timed it, sliding into a chair just as Nell set the food down. “Looks great.”

“I hope you enjoy it.”

“I’m sure I will. Where’d you learn to cook?”

“Here and there. Can I get you anything else?”

Ripley held up a finger, spooned up soup and sampled. “Nope. This is great. Really. Hey, did you make all those pastries yourself?”

“Yes.”

“A lot of work.”

“It’s what I’m paid for.”

“Right. Don’t let Mia work you too hard. She’s pushy.”

“On the contrary,” Nell said in a voice that chilled. “She’s incredibly generous, incredibly kind. Enjoy your lunch.”

Loyal, Ripley decided as she continued to eat. She couldn’t fault Nell for that. Polite, too, even if she was a bit stiff about it. As if, Ripley thought, she wasn’t quite used to dealing with people.

Nervous. She’d visibly cringed at the relatively mild byplay between Ripley and Mia. Well, Ripley decided with a shrug, some people couldn’t handle conflict, even when it had nothing to do with them.

All in all, she thought Nell Channing was harmless. And a hell of a good cook.

The meal put her in such a good mood that she took the time to go by the counter on her way out. It was easier to decide to do so since Mia was occupied elsewhere.

“Well, now you’ve done it.”

Nell froze. She deliberately kept her face blank, her hands loose. “I beg your pardon?”

“Now I’m going to have to start coming in here regularly, something I’ve managed to avoid for years. Lunch was great.”

“Oh. Good.”

“You may have noticed, Mia and I aren’t exactly chummy.”

“It’s none of my business.”

“You live on the island, everybody’s business is your business. But don’t worry, we manage to stay out of each other’s way for the most part. You won’t get squeezed in the middle. I’m going to take a couple of those chocolate chip cookies for later.”

“You save if you buy three.”

“Twist my arm. Three, then. I’ll give one to Zack and be a hero.”

Relaxed now, Nell bagged the cookies, rang up the bill. But when she took the money from Ripley and their hands touched, the bright shock had her gasping.

Ripley glared, one long, frustrated stare. Snagging her cookies, she strode toward the stairs.

“Deputy—” Clenching her hand tight, Nell called after her. “You forgot your change.”

“Keep it.” She bit the words off as she stomped down the stairs. There was Mia at the bottom, hands folded, brow lifted. Ripley simply snarled and kept going.

A storm was coming. Though the sky stayed clear and the sea calm, a storm was coming. Its violence roared through Nell’s dreams and tossed her helplessly into the past.