ords hung in the air,

" Sarah repeated, her

grimly. "Several cards, ma'am. Maxe

elped" her with finances, suggesting online purchases, new acc

of that manipulatio

she heard voic

ouble at the T

g earlier. Now debt colle

treet, appeared as if summoned, h

happened now? Is

es so hard, but she just keeps dragging him down. He deserves s

in agreement, their eyes filled with

umiliati

pulled up. He got out

trembling, the credit agent at the do

aptain Turner? Perhaps you can he

s own credit card – his emergency card, Sarah knew, the one with

e balance and stop legal proceedings fo

e Sarah gasp. It was a significant po

t. Send any further corre

d but efficient, pr

ed to Sarah. He didn't yell

his grip firm, and pul

off the murmurs of the crowd

crackled with

ank him, to explain, but he

word, Sarah. I don't want to hear it. I don't want to

l kitchen counter and

e changed, or how it wasn't your fault, or how you'

ers, were filled with a chilling

The threat was implicit but c

lips together,

hen turned and left the house again,

e hadn't just paid the debt; he'd taken on

ls, but by his absolute refu

a small pile of groceries on the counter – bread, cheese, som

eft them

ng, a part of him still cared enoug

ignificant gesture, but t

n her chest. He wasn't comp

She had to prove her capability, not just to Mike, but

recipes for artisanal bread and

d. The local f

rhythms of kneading dough and prepari

he warm, comforting aroma of ci

she had a respect

t the next day, she

ere drawn to her baked go

eared, a smug l

arn an honest dollar? Or just trying t

nefit of the other vendors and

s this how you plan to pay Mike back fo

p up her neck, but this

clear. Her me

all that debt. It' s funny, isn' t it? How most of it was for things you

was so helpful when I wasn't... well. She even offered to manage my

. They knew Brenda. They knew her

its smugness. "I' m finally clear-headed enough to remember I never asked for them, and I certainly don'

er! You' re just trying to deflec

. "Or am I finally seeing

adept at public shaming, found herself on the recei

fled, her "conc

eath. She' d done it. Sh

edge of the market, watching. He' d clear

ped. Maybe no

was unreadable, h

o her stall, but to a

ty-dollar bill on her table. "For g

ble, Sarah. No mo

eld exercise for a few days. Don't leave the house unless

ould protest

the twenty-dollar bill

hought she was just better at a

tried the front door, she fou

locked

to make from the market sales,

prove her r

eighbor's son, who was fasc

th a desperate plea and the promise of a

managed to jimmy the sim

rabbed her delivery basket, an

n a military police car screec

Ps go

" one asked, h

es

under

t? Fo

ult. And the civilian police have a warrant for your arr

ipulative Brenda. She

lt the w