All That Really Matters, Nicole Deese [best detective novels of all time .TXT] 📗

the same scenario and circumstances. I’ve said that at least six times today, and I’ll keep saying it for as long as I need to. As much as I’d like to hope we can control all the variables, we can’t. It’s just not possible.” I waited until her gaze lifted to mine. “Your job last night was to protect Monica. And you did that.”

“At Wren’s expense.” She closed her eyes, a single tear escaping down her cheek. “I should have told you about the box. I should have told you about the stolen property and the promise I’d made to Sasha.”

“Yes, you should have.” I’d struggled with that. For longer than I cared to admit. That Molly had kept pertinent information from me regarding the house and the residents was a blow to the gut. But knowing about Sasha’s indiscretions or the box of stolen property ten hours sooner wouldn’t have changed the outcome, because I never would have sent her away without a formal exit strategy and plan. “But even still, Sasha’s choices were her own.”

“How long will the house be under investigation?”

“The investigation is a formality more than anything. It sounds scary, but anytime there’s an assault or criminal act of any kind, they need to do a walk-through and open a report. In the long run it’s what’s best for the continued safety of our residents and staff. Based on the confessions and the evidence they found today, my guess is they will close the case fairly quickly.”

“And . . . what about Sasha?”

I smoothed my hands down her neck to rest on her shoulders, debating how much I should say now versus later, when Molly was in a less vulnerable state of mind. Then again, after all the interviews and confessions I’d sat through today, I was more inclined than ever to speak the fullest version of the truth whenever possible.

“Silas?”

“The story is much more involved than you or I could have realized. After you left, Monica came forward and gave a statement to the police and to Glo and me as well.” I pictured her even now, hands over her eyes, shoulders heaving, inconsolable with guilt—over Wren’s assault, and over Sasha’s actions. “She admitted that for nearly three months, Sasha and Monica had been stealing. From unlocked cars in unpatrolled parking lots, from their college break room, from the girls’ cottage at Fir Crest. Anything they thought they’d be able to sell for a profit, they stole. They had a whole system—one was the lookout while the other was the thief. They’d made a pact to move out together and get a place on their own after they graduated from The Bridge. Apparently, the money was going to be their deposit on an apartment.”

Molly’s eyes rounded, her mouth opening without sound.

“I know. It was a surprise to all of us. They stored the stuff in Sasha’s trunk for a long time, but then Monica started to get more involved with the program and with D&D and small group. When she became close with Wren, Sasha gave her an ultimatum.”

Molly closed her eyes. “To choose Wren or choose her?”

“Yes, pretty much. But as Monica felt more and more convicted to come forward with what they’d been hiding, Sasha convinced her that the truth would only get them both evicted from campus.”

“But what about the other evidence I found? The condoms?”

“Alex.” I shook my head, an equal mix of disappointment and frustration surfacing over his confession once again. “When Sasha could no longer trust Monica, she moved on to Alex, trading sex for whatever he could add to her stockpile. He admitted to cutting the wire to the security camera that faced the west garden.” I took another breath. “Alex will be transferred to an all-male residence called Mercy House for some intensive counseling for the next several weeks, and Monica will stay at The Bridge. She’s agreed to some extra accountability steps and to cooperating with the officers working the investigation.”

I wiped away a tear from Molly’s cheek. “As for Sasha, there’s a pair of older sisters in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, who take in young women with a history like hers as a ministry—actually, I got their contact information from your brother. They attend his church. They returned my call as I was driving here, said they have an opening for Sasha as soon as she’s released from custody. Glo’s already been in contact with them.”

“You called Miles?” she asked.

“I did. I was hoping he might have an idea where you were.”

She shook her head. “He’s out of town at a conference.”

“Well, for what it’s worth, he was as worried about you as I was when I told him what had happened.”

But instead of showing any sense of relief, the heaviness masking her countenance increased. “But that’s the thing, Silas. You shouldn’t have to be worried about one of your leaders—not after all that happened today. I’ve obviously been way more of a distraction than a help to you or the residents these past few months.”

The raw edge in her voice stunned me. I’d seen Molly vulnerable before, I’d seen her remorseful and apologetic, but I’d never seen her like this. Willing to lay it all out without any qualifiers mixed in.

“A distraction?” The very idea of her believing such a mistruth made my stomach churn. “Is that really what you think you are to me?” And then a new revelation. “Is that why you left without saying anything?”

Tears pooled in her eyes and then slowly tracked down her cheeks. “When you kept me away from Wren this morning, it felt like a punishment for all I did wrong last night. I thought you must have figured out that I couldn’t handle this part of the job—the hard part that comes with serving others, with loving others. I don’t do that well, Silas. I’m not good at loving people. It’s what I’ve known about myself for so long and yet never wanted to accept. I’m not spiritually deep