The Cop and the Princess - Chapter:-three hunt

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A magnificent five-star mountain resort stood in the distance.

Sara looked at the resort.

Then at Hope.

Then back at the resort.

“…Hope.”

“Hm?”

“We can’t afford that.”

Hope smiled that confident little smile.

“…Just wait.”

Sara narrowed her eyes.

“…Every time you say ‘just wait’…”

“…something illegal, insane, or embarrassing happens.”

Hope started walking toward the resort.

“…Let’s hope it’s the third one.”

Sara sighed dramatically…

“…Why do I have a feeling I’m going to regret following you?”

Hope didn’t even look back.

“You’ve been saying that since yesterday.”

Sara smiled…

And followed her.

Sara looked at the grand entrance.

Then at Hope.

“We can’t afford this.”

Hope smiled.

“I know.”

Sara blinked.

“…Then why are we here?”

Hope adjusted her jacket.

“Because rich people make terrible decisions.”

Sara frowned.

“…Should I be worried?”

Hope grinned.

“Only a little.”

Inside…

The resort manager immediately noticed Hope.

She walked over with a warm smile.

“Welcome.”

“Do you have a reservation?”

Hope smiled back.

“No.”

The manager looked disappointed.

“Oh…”

Hope casually continued,

“But I’m hoping your famous hospitality is as good as everyone says.”

The manager laughed.

Sara stood beside Hope watching the conversation.

The manager never looked away from Hope.

Sara quietly narrowed her eyes.

Five minutes later…

Hope and Sara were sitting in the restaurant.

A huge meal covered the table.

Steaks.

Soup.

Desserts.

Fresh juice.

Sara stared.

“…How?”

Hope happily picked up a fry.

“I asked nicely.”

Sara looked toward the manager.

The woman was still smiling at Hope from across the room.

“No…”

“You charmed her.”

Hope shrugged.

“I prefer the word ‘negotiated.’”

Sara folded her arms.

“You flirted.”

Hope almost choked on her drink.

“What?”

“I absolutely did not.”

Sara raised an eyebrow.

“Really?”

Hope nodded proudly.

“I simply smiled.”

Sara muttered,

“Exactly.”

Hope missed the comment.

“Hm?”

“Nothing.”

As they finished eating…

The manager approached again.

“I hope everything was perfect.”

Hope smiled warmly.

“It was.”

“Thank you.”

The manager handed Hope an envelope.

“A small travel voucher.”

“And…”

She hesitated.

“If you ever come back…”

“My number is inside.”

Hope looked surprised.

“Oh…”

“That’s very kind.”

The manager smiled one last time before walking away.

Sara stared at the envelope.

Then at Hope.

Hope casually slipped it into her pocket.

Sara’s eye twitched.

Outside…

Hope happily stretched.

“Free lunch.”

“Fuel vouchers.”

“And enough money to reach the next town.”

Sara crossed her arms.

“You do this often?”

Hope looked genuinely confused.

“Do what?”

“Make women give you things.”

Hope laughed.

“I didn’t make anyone do anything.”

Sara mumbled,

“Sure…”

Hope looked over.

“What?”

Sara forced a smile.

“I said…”

“You’re lucky.”

Hope grinned.

“I know.”

Back to the Farmhouse

The familiar farmhouse finally came into view.

Hope slowly pulled the SUV into the driveway before switching off the engine.

She leaned back in her seat and let out a long sigh.

"...Home."

Sara quietly looked out of the window.

Usually...

She would've made some sarcastic comment.

Or teased Hope about losing her wallet.

Or reminded her she'd practically flirted their way across an entire resort.

Instead...

She simply smiled faintly.

Hope noticed immediately.

She didn't say anything.

But she filed it away.

She's been quiet since we left the resort.

She's not angry...

Something's bothering her.

Before Hope could ask...

The front door swung open.

Rose stepped outside, drying her hands on a kitchen towel.

"There you two are!"

She smiled...

Then looked a little closer.

Hope looked exhausted.

Her jacket was dusty.

A small bruise had appeared near her jaw.

Sara...

Looked oddly quiet.

Rose noticed that too.

"...Long day?"

Hope climbed out of the car.

"You have no idea."

Casey poked her head through the doorway.

"So..."

"Did you catch the bad guys?"

Hope shrugged.

"Some."

"Lost some."

"...Lost my wallet."

Casey froze.

"...Again?"

Hope pointed a finger.

"Don't start."

Rachel walked into the hallway carrying a bowl of fruit.

"You lost your wallet?"

Hope nodded.

Rachel sighed dramatically.

"I swear..."

"The criminals don't steal from Hope anymore."

"They just collect the things she leaves behind."

Everyone laughed.

Even Hope.

"...I live in a very unsupportive family."

Casey folded her arms.

"You've lost four wallets."

"It was three."

Rachel immediately corrected,

"Five."

Hope blinked.

"...Five?"

Rose smiled.

"We keep count."

Hope looked betrayed.

"...Why?"

Casey answered proudly,

"It's funny."

Sara couldn't help laughing.

Hope looked over at her.

"There."

"Now she's laughing."

"Worth it."

For a second...

Sara smiled exactly like before.

Then...

It faded again.

Hope noticed.

Again.

Dinner

The dining table was louder than ever.

Casey dramatically acted out Hope's warehouse fight using a loaf of bread as a pistol.

Hope buried her face in both hands.

"I absolutely did not look like that."

"Oh yes you did."

"No."

"Yes."

Rachel calmly added,

"You screamed less."

Hope looked horrified.

"I did not scream."

Casey immediately copied Hope's voice.

"'GET DOWN!'"

The entire table burst into laughter.

Hope sighed.

"I rescued people today."

Rose smiled.

"And now we're rescuing your ego."

Sara laughed quietly.

Hope smiled when she heard it.

Good...

She's laughing again.

Still...

Something wasn't right.

Every now and then...

Hope caught Sara staring at nothing.

Thinking.

She almost asked twice.

Both times...

Someone interrupted.

Dinner ended.

Casey disappeared upstairs.

Rachel followed, reminding Hope for the sixth time not to lose her replacement wallet.

"I DON'T EVEN HAVE A NEW ONE!"

Rachel simply waved.

"Exactly."

The Porch

The farmhouse had finally grown quiet.

Casey had disappeared upstairs after losing yet another argument with Rachel.

Rachel followed shortly after, reminding Hope one last time—

“And buy a chain for your next wallet.”

Hope groaned loudly from the kitchen.

“I DON’T EVEN HAVE A NEW WALLET YET!”

Rachel simply waved without looking back.

Rose smiled to herself before pouring two mugs of hot tea.

She already knew where she’d find Sara.

As expected…

Sara was sitting alone on the old wooden porch swing, gently rocking back and forth while staring at the dark fields surrounding the farmhouse.

Rose walked over and handed her one of the mugs.

“I thought I’d find you here.”

Sara looked up and smiled softly.

“…Thanks.”

Rose sat beside her.

For nearly a minute…

Neither of them spoke.

Only the sound of crickets echoed through the cool night air.

Finally…

Rose broke the silence.

“So…”

Sara looked over.

“So?”

Rose smirked.

“How was today’s adventure?”

Sara let out a long sigh.

“…Complicated.”

Rose chuckled.

“That’s usually Hope’s specialty.”

Sara absentmindedly stirred her tea.

Then quietly asked,

“…Rose?”

“Hm?”

“…Why does Hope do that all the time?”

Rose tilted her head.

“Do what?”

Sara looked up.

“…Charm other women.”

Rose slowly turned toward her.

“…Excuse me?”

Sara nodded seriously.

“I’m serious.”

Rose couldn’t help smiling.

“Alright…”

“I’m listening.”

Sara sighed dramatically.

“We walked into the resort.”

“The manager asked if we had a reservation.”

Rose nodded.

“Mhm.”

“Hope smiled…”

“Talked to her for maybe two minutes…”

“And suddenly…”

“We had a luxury room.”

“A table full of food.”

“Steaks.”

“Desserts.”

“Fresh juice.”

“Fuel vouchers.”

Sara threw one hand into the air.

“…And her phone number.”

Rose blinked.

Sara continued before Rose could interrupt.

“The whole time…”

“She barely looked at me.”

“She only looked at Hope.”

“And Hope…”

Sara perfectly copied Hope’s calm voice.

“’Oh… that’s very kind.’”

Then she mimicked Hope casually sliding the envelope into her jacket pocket.

“Pocket.”

“Didn’t even hesitate.”

Rose stared at Sara for a couple of seconds…

Then burst into laughter.

Not a polite laugh.

A real one.

Sara looked completely offended.

“I’m suffering.”

Rose laughed even harder.

“I know!”

“I’m sorry…”

“I really am…”

“But I can actually picture Hope doing exactly that.”

Sara folded her arms.

“It wasn’t funny.”

Rose wiped a tear from her eye.

“It absolutely was.”

Sara shook her head.

“I don’t understand.”

Rose smiled warmly.

“I do.”

Sara frowned.

“What?”

Rose took a sip of her tea.

“Hope did that on purpose.”

Sara blinked.

“…What?”

Rose nodded.

“Oh…”

“She knew exactly what she was doing.”

Sara looked surprised.

“I thought…”

“…she just didn’t notice.”

Rose laughed.

“Hope notices everything.”

Sara stayed quiet.

Rose continued.

“You told me yourself.”

“You were hungry.”

“Hope had just lost her wallet.”

“You were stranded miles away from home.”

“No money.”

“No cards.”

Rose shrugged.

“So tell me…”

“If you’ve got no money…”

“…who exactly is going to feed you?”

Sara opened her mouth…

But nothing came out.

Rose smiled knowingly.

“Hope simply did what she does best.”

Sara frowned.

“…What’s that?”

Rose grinned.

“She read the room.”

“She realized the manager liked her.”

“So she turned on the charm…”

“…just enough…”

“…to make sure the two of you had somewhere to sleep…”

“…food to eat…”

“…and enough fuel to get home.”

She shrugged casually.

“Mission accomplished.”

Sara quietly stared into her tea.

“…So none of that was for herself.”

Rose smiled.

“When has Hope ever put herself first?”

Sara immediately remembered…

Hope pushing the bigger steak onto her plate.

Hope asking,

“You want dessert?”

Hope making sure Sara had eaten before taking another bite herself.

A tiny smile appeared on Sara’s face.

“…Idiot.”

Rose laughed.

“The caring kind.”

Then she smirked.

“Besides…”

“If Hope actually decided to flirt…”

Rose pretended to shiver.

“…The poor woman wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Sara burst into laughter.

“…That’s terrifying.”

Rose nodded proudly.

“It really is.”

The two of them continued laughing until—

The back door creaked open.

Hope stepped outside carrying a mug of coffee.

She looked from Rose…

To Sara…

Then narrowed her eyes ever so slightly.

“…You’re talking about me.”

Rose smiled innocently.

“What makes you think that?”

Hope lifted her mug.

“My detective instincts.”

Rose laughed.

“They’re still working.”

Hope’s eyes settled on Sara.

Her smile softened.

“You’ve been quiet ever since we got back.”

Sara looked up.

“I’m okay.”

Hope studied her for a moment.

The pause before answering.

The smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

She noticed every little detail.

Something had changed.

She simply hadn’t figured out why.

Hope scratched the back of her neck.

“…Did I do something?”

Sara immediately shook her head.

“No.”

Hope looked at her for another second.

Still unconvinced.

“…Alright.”

She smiled gently.

“But if I did…”

“…tell me.”

Sara returned the smile.

“I will.”

Hope nodded.

“…Good.”

She took one last sip of her coffee.

“I’ll leave you two to your secret meeting.”

Rose grinned.

“Smart decision.”

Hope pointed at her.

“I don’t trust that smile.”

Rose laughed.

“You shouldn’t.”

Hope shook her head with a smile before heading back inside.

The kitchen door closed.

Rose waited exactly three seconds.

Then looked at Sara with the biggest grin imaginable.

“…See?”

Sara looked over.

“What?”

Rose chuckled.

“She noticed.”

Sara smiled softly.

“…Yeah.”

Rose leaned back on the swing.

“Our detective notices every tiny clue…”

“…except the fact that she’s accidentally stealing someone’s heart.”

Sara’s cheeks instantly turned bright red.

“Rose!”

Rose burst into laughter.

“What?”

“I didn’t say whose heart.”

Sara hid her face behind her mug.

“…You’re impossible.”

Rose smiled warmly.

“No…”

“I’ve just known Hope long enough.”

Inside the farmhouse…

Hope’s voice suddenly echoed from the kitchen.

“CASEY!”

Casey shouted back,

“I DIDN’T EAT THE LAST PIECE!”

A pause.

Then Rachel’s voice calmly followed.

“Casey.”

“…There’s whipped cream on your nose.”

The entire house erupted into laughter.

Sara couldn’t help laughing too.

She looked toward the warm lights glowing through the kitchen window.

Maybe…

Hope hadn’t walked into that resort looking for someone’s attention.

Maybe…

She’d simply refused to let Sara go to bed hungry.

And somehow…

That made Sara’s heart feel even lighter than before.

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