by Amy Saunders
He hurried over, sitting next to her. “I don’t think that’s safe right now.” He frowned, scanning her face. “What’s wrong? Do you feel alright?”
“I’m managing. But I just had a thought. A crazy, far-fetched thought maybe, but a thought.”
Bennett glanced over her. “Do you have any other kind?”
Belinda smacked him playfully with the back of her hand. “No. But that’s not the point. What if…” She drifted off a moment, then met Bennett’s intense gaze. Now that she was about to say it out loud, it sounded silly. “What if it’s Ginny? I know it’s off in left field from what we’ve been thinking. But she had opportunity and we know she was connected to Alex. Plus, she told me herself Henry cut them all out of his will. She didn’t get anything. I don’t have another reason, but…” Belinda shrugged.
Bennett pursed his lips, then said, “Colleen called while you were conked out. She didn’t want to text. Anyway, she’s been investigating everyone tied to Henry Lawson, and she came up with some interesting information.”
“Okay…go on.” Belinda swiveled, ready for a more serious discussion.
“She thought we’d be interested to know that Ginny has been in and out of debt for a while. It appears she got out of it earlier somehow, maybe somebody bailed her out. But, according to Colleen, Ginny’s back in debt and there’s no evidence of a bailout.”
“Enough to warrant selling some company secrets?”
Bennett nodded slowly. “I think so.”
Belinda sat back. “Then I think we need to call Jonas. He’s the only one who can get the info we need to wrap this up.”
Bennett smiled, pushing a lock of her hair back in place. “It’s about time.”
Chapter 33
Belinda and Bennett stood on the stoop of a white house with rows of windows facing the ocean across the street. The evening breeze was cool, rustling Belinda’s dress around her legs. After a day of rest, her head had stopped pounding so hard, though the rest of her body hated every second she had to stand there. They held hands, and Belinda took a deep, steadying breath while they waited for someone to answer the door.
Camilla opened the door, surprised when she saw the two of them. They hadn’t bothered to contact her, on purpose, and hoped they could pull this off successfully. Jonas (and company) were a step behind them.
After a pause, Camilla ushered them in, then led them to an open room in the back, facing the triangle of backyard they had. Vincent was standing by a portable bar near a champagne bucket, Marie Sinclair sat in a nearby chair, and more importantly, Ginny sat on a couch near the back windows. She swung her leg, not flinching when Belinda smiled. Of course, she may already have known they survived.
“Sorry to drop in like this,” Belinda said, glancing at the champagne bottle, “but we thought this excused the intrusion. Are you celebrating something?”
Camilla and Vincent exchanged a glance. “Just a small success, is all,” Camilla said. “But it’s not an intrusion. Please, tell us your news.”
Belinda glanced at Ginny and Marie, who weren’t part of the original meeting, then back to Camilla, figuring she’d take the hint. But Camilla shook her head dismissively. “It’s okay. You can tell us.”
After a nod of approval from Bennett, Belinda said, “To get to the point, after investigating, we agree with you and believe that your father was murdered.”
After waiting a moment, her hands laced in front of her, Camilla said, “That’s all very well, but we hired you to find out who was behind it.”
Belinda glanced behind her as the doorbell chimed. “I’ll get that.” She hurried over, letting in their backup. Or, maybe more to the point, the people who could actually arrest someone. “You remember Detective Parker, and this is his partner, Soto.” They followed her into the back room, two uniformed police officers lagging behind.
Camilla’s gaze turned steely. “What is this about, Ms. Kittridge?”
Belinda smiled. “We did what you asked, Camilla.” She wasn’t going to be bullied with formality. “But I don’t think the answer is what you expected. Is it, Ginny?” Belinda turned her attention to Ginny, who blinked back at her.
“What are you talking about?” Ginny said, indignant.
“I’m talking about selling company secrets–and murder.” Belinda held her stare, Ginny’s face blank. “You’re in debt up to your eyeballs and you’ve been stealing documents from your grandfather’s secret stash, probably for months, if not longer. And you got away with it, too. Until recently.”
Camilla laughed. “This is ridiculous. For one thing, taking things like that off-site is against company policy. For another, how would my daughter be involved with that?”
Marie flexed her fingers. “Camilla–she’s telling the truth. Henry told me what he’d been doing, and I recovered most of the documents after his death.”
“Most of them?” Camilla said, stunned.
“He kept strict records, and many are missing. We know we have a spy, Camilla. I just think we’ve been looking for answers in the wrong places.” Marie met Belinda’s eyes, the pieces falling together in her own mind.
“That still doesn’t prove that my daughter has anything to do with this.” Camilla waved at Belinda. “And you’re insinuating she killed her own grandfather, which I take as a serious allegation.”
“So do I,” Belinda said. “And we’re not making these claims lightly.”
Jonas opened up a folder. “We’ve combed through your daughter’s financial records as well as your father’s. Several years ago, he gave Ginny a considerable amount of money that equaled a big debt she was carrying. But shortly thereafter, the debt started building back up again. It’s around this time that mysterious deposits start popping up. Smallish amounts initially, but they’ve grown. And we’ve traced things back to a couple of buyers, who will be questioned.”
Belinda suppressed a smile. Jonas had to swallow it and take Colleen’s leads. “Henry found out you were stealing from him, didn’t he?” Belinda said.
Ginny stared back, her nostrils flaring slightly, but she was otherwise unreadable.
Belinda went on. “Your grandfather was meticulous in his way, and he realized documents were disappearing. So…what happened? Did he refuse to bail you out again? And, desperate, did you decide he could still help you out after all?”
Ginny didn’t say a word, her eyes fixed on Belinda. But Marie said, “Henry and I did talk in his study most of the time. We were careful, but someone could have overheard, or listened in.” Marie’s blue eyes landed icily on Ginny, but Ginny didn’t turn her attention from Belinda.
“Go on,” Ginny said, bouncing one leg. “You’re clearly enamored with your own ideas.”
Belinda smiled coldly. “Maybe Henry kept a closer eye on things once he realized documents were missing, or he may have put the pieces together some other way. However he found out, I think he knew it was you. And not one to beat around the bush, he confronted you about it.”
“Lawson is listed as calling you once a few weeks ago,” Jonas added. “And a few of his employees remember an argument he had around that time. They say he was yelling loudly enough to be heard down the hallway, saying something about telling Camilla. But you couldn’t let that happen. It would ruin everything you had going.”
Belinda leaned into one leg. “The most puzzling part of all of this was why Henry’s killer didn’t just leave well enough alone when the police assumed he’d died in an accident. Why draw attention and suspicion by staging other supposed accidents? And then we realized you must have known Bennett and I were at Henry’s house. You either wanted to scare us or divert our attention elsewhere. Only it made us more certain that Henry had been killed.”
“Elizabeth Halls’ murder only confirmed it,” Bennett said, digging his hands in his pockets. “Based on her reaction after the shed incident, it was clear she knew something. After all, Lawson entrusted her with a lot of responsibility. She wasn’t the type to keep
quiet, and you couldn’t just leave her alone to expose you.”
Camilla put a hand up, stopping them. “None of what you’re saying is definitive proof of my daughter’s involvement.” Camilla glowered at all of them. “Unless you have proof, you can all leave.”
Jonas let out a sigh, almost rolling his eyes. “Fine. Here’s your proof: Caroline Parish is being charged for attempted murder, among other things. She’s confessed to her involvement in the attempted murder of Belinda Kittridge and Bennett Tate as well as renting a car and following them around. She’s also admitted that Alex Rinaldi was responsible for sabotaging Belinda’s car. But they weren’t doing this on their own. They were working for you, Ginny.”
Ginny’s eyes had slowly grown wider, her blank demeanor cracking. Belinda doubted she thought Caroline would be caught.
But Jonas wasn’t finished. “Caroline also explained how you recruited them to supposedly help you prove your grandfather didn’t die in an accident. You promised payment, and so they worked together to stage the accidents after Lawson’s death. But when Alex informed you that Elizabeth Hall had figured out she was involved, you knew it wouldn’t be long until Hall knew you were as well. So, you took matters into your own hands and killed her. After that, Caroline and Alex were both scared for their own lives.”
Belinda picked up the torch. “After Alex sabotaged my car, she told you she wasn’t doing anything like that again. Alex told Caroline that she wanted to go to the police, but Caroline was too scared and urged her not to. Then Alex turned up dead. So, when you told Caroline to help you kidnap Bennett and me and toss us into a cave to drown to death, she wasn’t going to say no.”
Belinda’s eyes narrowed, spitting fire Ginny’s direction. “And if you think I’m taking that lightly, you’re sadly mistaken.”
Camilla’s face paled, her eyes glued to her daughter.
After a few seconds, Ginny said, “What?” She folded her arms. “If you expect me to sit here and tell you I did all this, you can think again.”
“I don’t expect that,” Jonas said, waving the two uniformed officers forward. “But you’re still under arrest. And you can be sure that Lawson’s case is going to be reexamined top to bottom.”
Belinda knew Jonas was poised to cover every angle to prove Lawson was murdered. She wasn’t sure if they’d find enough evidence to convict Ginny of Lawson’s murder, but as far as Belinda was concerned, it was no accident.
After glaring at the officers, Ginny reluctantly stood up and was escorted out, her mother and Vincent in tow. Marie stopped in front of Belinda and Bennett, her eyes bright. “Good job,” she said. “If I ever need someone ferreted out, I’ll give you a call.”
Belinda took Bennett’s hand, giving it a squeeze. “Please don’t.”
Marie laughed, finding her own way out. Jonas smiled, waving them ahead of him.
“Do you think Ginny will face any real repercussions?” Belinda asked as they walked down the path to their cars.
“I guess that depends,” Jonas said, gazing off as Ginny was helped into the back of the police car parked on the street.
“On their lawyers?”
Jonas shrugged. “Or on your own connections.” He wagged his eyebrows, laughing as Belinda smacked his arm as he passed her heading to his car.
He waved before sailing off, and Belinda couldn’t help smiling. It was all finally over. At least for them.
They got in Bennett’s truck, retrieved from the police, and he took off. “Where are we going?” Belinda said, feeling somewhat like a captive.
“I thought we’d go out to dinner,” he said casually.
“After all this, you want to go eat?”
“Why not? Aren’t you getting hungry?” He took a turn, going the opposite way than she expected.
Suspicious now, she said, “Well, of course, I’m happy to eat. It’s just…you’ve been really chill about things. You want to go to the beach, now out to dinner…”
“I want to live our lives, Belinda.” He glanced over. “And I don’t want any of this to stall us out.”
Belinda smiled. She couldn’t agree more.
Chapter 34
At some point along the mystery ride, Bennett told her to close her eyes. Not something she usually wanted to hear (or obey). But she did, and after managing to successfully, and slowly, guide her along in her heels, he told her to open her eyes.
The sun had set, and twilight was upon the ocean. They were on a part of the Ocean Walk that followed the cliffs near the old mansions. Their part of the Ocean Walk.
“Here we are again,” she said, her heartbeat kicking up a notch. “Under the arch.”
They glanced up at the stone archway that led to a short set of stairs along the walk. This was the spot where she’d run into Bennett over a year ago, shortly after they’d first met, and they’d returned here more than once since then.
But Belinda felt almost giddy this time as Bennett felt around the inside of his blazer, producing a small, black velvet-covered box. She knew he’d already proposed and everything, but there’d been no ring. She thought that was about to change.
Bennett took her hand and she tried to stay still as butterflies flew all up and down inside her. “I wanted to do this right,” Bennett said, his gray eyes soft, “but–”
“We kept almost dying.” Belinda laughed lightly. “I was worried I’d dreamt everything in the cave, or that you’d changed your mind.”
Bennett caressed the side of her cheek. “Never.”
He lifted the top of the box, pulling out a ring that sparkled even in the dying light. It was an oval diamond set on a white gold band with a few smaller diamonds surrounding it.
“You know I’m not much for long speeches,” Bennett said, drawing a small smile from Belinda. “But I want you to know that I’ve never wanted anything so much in my life as you. And I can’t picture the future now without you in it.”
Belinda felt her eyes grow moist and sucked in a breath as he took a step back, bending to one knee. He took her hand and slid the diamond ring onto her finger. “At the risk of sounding redundant, Belinda Kittridge, will you marry me?”
Only her Bennett would use a word like “redundant” when proposing. But that’s why she loved him. She nodded fervently, her eyes tearing up despite herself. “Yes!”
She knew the question, and he already knew the answer, but he smiled just as wide the second time around. Bennett picked her up and spun her around. Belinda laughed, sandwiching his face in her hands.
He still held her off the ground, her forehead resting on his. “Your grandmother gave me that ring,” he said. “It’s a family heirloom.”
“I know,” she said, still smiling.
“She wasn’t sure I’d be interested, but I thought you’d like it.”
“I do.”
He looked relieved. “I knew it was risky, but it’s traditional–”
“Bennett?”
“Yes?”
Belinda shut her eyes tight, pressing her lips to his. He could explain how he plotted it out with her grandmother, and possibly Victoria, in detail later. For now, she wanted to freeze time right there.
~ * ~
They stayed on the Ocean Walk until dark. Bennett had promised her dinner, and he was still promising, as they pulled into the lot of a local vineyard she was familiar with. But the dark interior and empty parking lot didn’t look promising, so to speak.
“I am legitimately hungry now,” she said. “And as much as I want romance, I want food too.”
Bennett’s lips curved up, and he gave her a mysterious wink, then got out of the truck and walked around to let her out.
“I’m not sure I can take any more surprises.” Belinda stepped out, Bennett taking her hand and leading her to the front door. Despite how dark the place was the door miraculously opened. “Do you know the owner and haven’t told me?”
Bennett didn’t respond, and Belinda had to work to keep up with his long strides in h
er high heels. They passed the closed gift shop, the closed informal restaurant, straight to the back where she thought they held events sometimes.
“Are you sure they have food now?” Belinda said. “It’s pitch black.”
A giggle echoed in the tall, open ceilings. Belinda stopped near the threshold of the back room, glancing around. Finally, the event area lit up–and a crowd shouted, “Congratulations!”
Bennett’s eyes glistened, thoroughly pleased with his game. “Surprised?” he said.
“Totally.”
Belinda’s mother, right in the middle of a group of familiar faces, opened her mouth wide, and Belinda just knew she was going to sing.
“Great mystery of life,” her mother trilled in her soprano voice, “at last I’ve found you!”
The words echoed around them, and Belinda shook her head, covering her face in embarrassment as everyone clapped and laughed. Bennett brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, his eyes still sparkling.
Then everyone rushed toward them. Her family, friends, and Bennett’s grandmother and father. Even Belinda’s cousin Aubrey had somehow made it there for that.
“How did you plan this?” Belinda said.
“What?” Victoria embraced her tightly, her eyes glistening. “You don’t think some of us know how to throw an impromptu engagement party?”
Her parents and Bennett’s father and grandmother got first dibs on congratulating and hugging. Then Belinda’s nana hugged them both, giving Bennett a wink.
“I know you conspired against me,” Belinda said as her grandmother took her hand, admiring the oval diamond in the light.
“And your point is?” her grandmother said, her blue eyes lighting up.
Belinda leaned closer. “Thank you.” She placed a kiss on her grandmother’s cheek.
Kyle hugged her, giving Bennett a firm handshake. “She’s liked a lot of duds, man,” Kyle said, “so I’m glad you came along.”
