“Don’t worry about the mess. I’ll clean it up. You’re sure you’re okay, though? What happened?”
Wanda let out a long breath, her forehead wrinkling. “Well, I was taking a clean stack of dishes I’d washed over to the line and the power cut off!” She shook her head in disbelief. “It was pitch dark in here and it startled me so bad I fell.”
I frowned. “I was in the office and the lights were on in there. Someone must’ve accidentally flipped the switch.”
Wanda looked at me as if I spoke French. Before she could answer, Ellie and Ty flew in, stopping in their tracks when they saw the chaos on the floor.
“Wanda!” Ellie pressed a hand against her chest. “What happened? Are y’all okay? I heard the racket from the second floor!”
Ty didn’t waste time with questions before he joined me next to Wanda. “Let me help you up.” A crease formed between his brows. “Are you hurt?”
Wanda shook her head as Ty and I took each of her arms and eased her to her feet. She started to tell the story over again, this time with less shock and more embarrassed humor as I grabbed a broom and dustpan. Ellie helped me clean the mess on the floor as Ty calmed Wanda and assessed whether she did indeed hurt herself in the fall.
Luckily, she hadn’t, and we had the mess cleaned quickly. The rest of the staff had clocked out and left by that time, but the three of us stayed and helped Wanda with closing the restaurant.
When everything was finished, Ellie walked Wanda to her car as Ty and I turned off the last of the lights. He had a set of keys because he opened or closed on occasion.
“I have to grab my bag,” I told Ty as we did one last check that everything was in place before we left. The office light was still on, and I walked over to the hook I’d left my bag on.
But it wasn’t there.
Panic buzzed through my veins, making my hands numb. Frantically, I checked every hook again. Most of them were empty besides a yellow raincoat and a few hats. My bag wasn’t there. I quickly checked the desk, under it and on top. I checked every inch of that room before finally giving up.
Ty waited by the front door, twirling his keyring around his finger. “Ready?” His lips tipped up into a warm smile, but it faded as he took in my expression. “You okay?”
I swallowed back the bile creeping up my throat. Everything I owned was in that bag. All my clothes and personal items and…all my money. Even tonight’s tips. “Did you—” I started, my voice cracking. I coughed to clear it. “Did you happen to see my backpack anywhere when we were closing up?”
That line between his brows formed again, and he shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. It wasn’t in the office?”
I fought down the dread. “It was there earlier…but when I went to get it just now, I couldn’t find it.”
Ty’s shoulders slumped. “Shit,” he said. “You want me to help you look for it?”
I almost nodded, but I knew it wasn’t there. We had been through that whole restaurant, and I’d searched that office up and down.
“I don’t think it’s there.” My voice sounded dull. Lifeless. “Could someone have taken it?”
Ty shook his head and shrugged. “It was only us in the restaurant. Maybe Wanda grabbed it by mistake?”
I bit my lip. “Maybe,” I said, though I didn’t believe it.
“I saw her drive away already and she smashed her phone when she fell.” He winced. “Dangers of keeping a glass phone in your back pocket.”
I nodded. “I’m sure that’s what happened.”
Even though I didn’t believe Wanda had taken my bag, I had to make myself believe it. I had to hold on to what impossible hope I could, because I couldn’t let myself believe that someone had stolen my bag. I had to believe that everything I owned hadn’t just been taken away from me. Again.