The note had reiterated the unknown group’s promise that Bette and her family would be left alone.  It also said they had only intended to retrieve Spencer, and regretted the harm their actions had caused to Bette’s physical well-being.  The operation had been clumsily executed.   It pointed out that they had not planned on doing anything to Tina or to Tina’s mother and stepfather either.  Rather, the men who had dropped into the terrace of Paul’s penthouse suite had been assigned to thwart any dangers that could have been set in motion by the man controlling the men who had sought to lure Mike and his men from their posts.   When and if Bette would be ready to talk, the note said the mysterious group would be able to explain everything in as much detail as Bette cared to know.  They reminded her Bette could use the number Diane had dialed whenever she felt ready to talk.

Bette didn’t know if everything in the note had been true or not, and didn’t much care, at this point.  What was true, though, was they were staying away.  That had been the last of any communication from the woman and her group.   And that was how Bette preferred things, for now.

Bette thought that she should use the time to heal, in the meantime.  Right now, she told herself her job was to get stronger.  From the start, she’d always felt like she’d been behind the curve of this deadly game that people had decided to play with her, and that all she, Brom, and Mike could do was dance to the tune of whomever was pulling their strings.  But things had changed. Now, she was pulling all the strings.  Clearly, they were afraid of something that they thought she knew.  Afraid of what she had or that Spencer had left her amongst the files in the ultra-secure cloud he’d given her access to.  Now that he was dead, only Bette had access to the files.  So she had time to figure out as much of that as she could, which she told herself she would once she got better.  For all their sakes.

This morning, as she always did when she saw the early-morning sunbeam slant across their bed, she said a quick prayer of thanks.  There was much to look forward to:  June was fast approaching; the beaches beckoned; and summer was around the corner.  Maybe she could surprise Tina with a trip when the blonde’s schedule eased up?   Tina had been kidding around lately about wanting to try some “high roller action”.   Bette mused about how the blonde would react to some Vegas action.