CHAPTER FIFTY ONE - Confrontation with a Shadowy Figure

Ella's heart sank, but she forced a smile. "That's okay. They'll be back once the novelty wears off." As Sarah walked away, Ella's phone buzzed with a text from Lucas: "How's it going over there?" She quickly typed back: "Slow. You?" The response came almost immediately: "Same. Want to close up early and meet at home?" Ella looked around at her empty restaurant and sighed. "Sounds good. See you soon." When Ella arrived home, she found Lucas in the living room, pacing back and forth with a furrowed brow. He looked up as she entered, his expression a mix of frustration and worry. "How bad was it?" Ella asked, though she already knew the answer. Lucas stopped pacing and ran a hand through his hair. "We had maybe a quarter of our usual Thursday night crowd. I've never seen Montgomery's so empty." Ella sank onto the couch, feeling the weight of the day settle on her shoulders. "Sweet Beginnings was the same. It's like everyone in town decided to eat at La Belle Vie tonight." "Can y