Chương 32: 32. Jackie’s Office

Cara knocked softly on the door to Jackie's office, the sound barely audible.

A sharp voice called out, "Who's knocking?"

"It's me, Cara," she replied.

"Oh, come in," Jackie said, her tone suddenly calm and measured.

Cara opened the door and stepped inside, her eyes immediately drawn to Jackie, who was hunched over her desk, sorting through an unruly stack of papers.

Jackie glanced up briefly, her sharp green eyes assessing Cara before gesturing toward the chair opposite her. "Please, take a seat."

As Cara crossed the room, she caught a faint whiff of Jackie's unique scent—earthy and raw, and animalistic. It stirred a familiar curiosity within her, the unanswered question of Jackie's true nature flickering in her mind once more.

She sank into the chair, her gaze lingering on Jackie's appearance. The light makeup Jackie wore softened her sharp features, but her frizzy red hair seemed untouched by effort. Whether it was deliberate indifference or a bad hair day, the wild look suited her.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Jackie busied herself with tidying the papers on her desk, her movements brisk and precise.

After a moment spent shuffling papers, Jackie cleared her throat and leaned back slightly in her chair. "Hey, ah, how are you coping… with working here?"

"I'm coping just fine, I guess," Cara replied, her tone cautious as she tried to decipher the question's intent.

Jackie tilted her head, her sharp gaze steady. "So, you've had no problems?"

Cara didn't need to read Jackie's thoughts to know where this was going—though she could if she wanted to. It was clear Rudy had already spoken to Jackie about the incident with the Scott brothers, and now Jackie wanted to hear Cara's side of the story.

"Yes," Cara admitted, sitting a little straighter. "I had a situation with the Scott brothers yesterday that could've gotten out of control."

Jackie's expression didn't change, her calm exterior like a mask. "And why didn't you tell me about it?"

Cara hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "Well, I thought that since it didn't escalate, it didn't make sense to bring it up."

"But it made sense to tell your stepfather?" Jackie asked, her tone tinged with barely concealed contempt.

Cara raised an eyebrow. "From your tone, I'm guessing you're not thrilled that my stepfather knows about this?"

Jackie leaned forward, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "It's not that I mind him knowing," she said, her voice measured, "but I prefer to be the first to know about everything that happens here. If you had told me, I would've advised you not to involve Rudy at all. Because it would not amount to anything. Your stepfather has a soft spot for those hooligans."

Cara frowned. "Sorry I didn't tell you, but Rudy promised he'd do something about it."

Jackie let out a dry, humorless chuckle and shook her head. "You really did lose your memories, huh? He's a politician, Cara. Lying is second nature to him. Let me guess, he said something like, 'I'll investigate the issue and find a proper solution.'"

Cara's stomach sank. Damn it! That was word for word what Rudy had said last night.

Jackie continued, her voice matter-of-fact. "He always says things like that, especially when it comes to the Scott brothers. And he never follows through."

Reading Jackie's mind, Cara caught a flicker of frustration mingled with resignation. It was obvious this wasn't the first time Rudy had made empty promises about dealing with the Scott brothers, and Jackie had grown accustomed to his inaction.

Cara folded her arms. "So, what do we do about this?"

"Nothing," Jackie replied bluntly, her voice tinged with resignation. "I know it's frustrating, but our hands are tied. However, before you died, you were investigating them. Maybe you can pick that back up and figure out why Rudy refused to ban them from this place when every other diner and restaurant in town has."

Cara blinked. 'Wait a minute… she knows I was investigating Rudy? How many people know about this?'

[So far three, three people know about it,] Hagrit chimed.

[Which is a lot for something that's supposed to be secret.]

'I know, right?'

Feigning ignorance, Cara tilted her head. "I was investigating them?"

Jackie gave her a pointed look. "Yes, you were. You told me when I caught you snooping around. You said you were investigating the Scott brothers for a report for The Hemridge Globe and needed to work here because this is where they usually hang out—and do some minor jobs for your stepfather."

'Okay, so I didn't tell her everything,'

[It looks like she was good at lying just like you,] Hagrit teased.

'I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or a diss?'

[It could be both.]

Cara pushed the banter aside and focused back on Jackie. "Minor jobs like what?"

Jackie leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "Mostly deliveries. They offload and reload produce into the diner's storage."

Cara narrowed her eyes slightly. "Deliveries? How often are we talking? Once or twice a month? And what kind of truck do they use?"

Jackie exhaled, clearly aware of Cara's investigative instincts kicking in. "Once a week. They use an old pickup truck. But that's all I'm going to tell you today."

Cara wasn't deterred. "Really? You're not even going to tell me which day of the week they usually make their deliveries?" She held Jackie's gaze, adding a subtle charm to her expression.

Jackie hesitated, breaking eye contact. "Please, Cara," she said softly, "I can't get involved in this. Don't quote me on this," She glanced left and right as if to ensure they were still alone. Then, lowering her voice, she added, "But… they usually come on Mondays."

A small smile tugged at Cara's lips. "Thank you for your help, Jackie. I promise this will stay between us."

Jackie's expression softened, but only slightly. "I think you better get back to work now," she said, tucking a loose strand of red hair behind her ear. The motion revealed a pair of emerald earrings that sparkled faintly under the office light.

Cara didn't move. Instead, she leaned forward slightly, her tone light. "I think I should, but I have one last question."

Jackie raised an eyebrow. "Is it about the Scott brothers? Because if it is, I'm not answering."

"No, it's not," Cara said, her smile widening.

Jackie hesitated but relented. "Okay, then. Ask away."

Cara stood, walking around the desk toward Jackie. Jackie's curiosity flickered to something else as Cara leaned in, her expression unreadable.

"Would you mind," Cara said softly, her voice almost a whisper, "if I kissed you right now?"