Confessions of the Heart

by Amanda Stevens

  Anna tried to block the images that were still raging inside her head, but she kept seeing Hays’s eyes. That awful hole in his chest. The scorpion…

  Her stomach revolted once again, and she worried for a moment that she would need to excuse herself.

  With an effort, she beat back the nausea and tried to focus on Detective Mendoza. She didn’t dare look at Ben. She didn’t want to see what might be in his eyes this morning. Disgust. Horror. Maybe even suspicion.

  “So let me see if I’m clear on this,” Mendoza was saying. His gaze was dark and probing. “The victim, who was registered here as John Carter, was in reality a man named Hays Devereaux.”

  “Yes, that’s right.” Anna clasped her hands in a vain attempt to keep them from trembling.

  “And you know this because you were once married to the deceased. Is that correct?”

  Anna still didn’t glance at Ben, but she could feel his gaze on her. She knew what he must have been thinking. What else had she kept from him?

  “What do you think he was doing in San Miguel?” Mendoza asked.

  “He must have followed me. I can’t think why else he would be here.”

  “Are you sure it wasn’t the other way around?” Mendoza pressed. “I’ve done some checking. His company has oil leases in the area. Could it be that you followed him to San Miguel?”

  Anna stared at him in astonishment. She did look at Ben then, but he glanced away the moment her gaze touched his. She turned back to Mendoza. “I didn’t follow my ex-husband here, Detective. We’ve been divorced for years.”

  “And you’ve had no contact since then?”

  “No, not since—” The day Dr. English was murdered.

  “Yes?”

  “I saw him recently, but only briefly.”

  “Was it a friendly meeting?”

  “Not particularly,” Anna said.

  “You wouldn’t say, then, that your divorce was an amicable one?”

  “It was not.”

  He scribbled something in his notebook, then glanced back up. “There’s something I’ve never been quite clear on, Ms. Sebastian. Perhaps you can help me out. If you didn’t follow your ex-husband to San Miguel, why did you come here?”

  Anna drew a breath. “I came here to pay my respects to Katherine Sprague’s family.”

  “Yes. That’s what I hear. But somehow that doesn’t quite ring true for me.”

  “It is the truth.” Anna glanced at Ben again, and this time, he didn’t look away. There was something in his eyes, an emotion Anna wanted to believe was sympathy, but somehow she didn’t think it was.

  “You’ve had some health problems recently, haven’t you?” Mendoza asked.

  Anna moistened her lips. “Yes.”

  “May I inquire as to the nature of your illness?”

  “I had a heart transplant.”

  “Who was your doctor?”

  Anna almost gasped out loud. She was an attorney, for God’s sake. She should have seen that trap before it was sprung. “Dr. Michael English.”

  Her gaze flickered to Ben. He was clearly stunned by the revelation.

  “Correct me if I’m wrong, but Dr. English is also dead.”

  “Yes.”

  “Murdered?”

  “Yes.”

  “So your doctor is dead. Your ex-husband is dead. A young woman you befriended has gone missing. People around you seem to be dropping like flies, Ms. Sebastian.”

  “What is it you’re implying, Detective Mendoza?” Anna steeled her voice and tried to sharpen her claws, but unfortunately, she’d been away from the courtroom too long. She was out of practice, and her illness had dulled her edge. Shock had also taken a toll. She was doing the one thing she would have advised her clients to never do. She was talking to the police without benefit of counsel.

  “I’m not implying anything,” Mendoza told her. “I’m merely trying to get to the bottom of a very ugly murder.”

  “Are you forgetting that an attempt was made on my life last evening?” she asked coolly.

  “And as I recall, I advised you to return to Houston. Now I find myself in the awkward position of having to rescind that advice. I must ask that you not leave town until further notice.” He stood, drawing the interview to a conclusion.

  Ben waited until Mendoza was out of earshot before turning to Anna. “Are you okay?”

  “I don’t know,” she said numbly. She glanced up at him. “What’s happening around here, Ben? Why was Hays murdered? Why was he even here?”

  “He was murdered for the same reason Michael English was killed,” Ben said grimly. “And for all we know, for the same reason Emily Winsome has gone missing. They’re all tied to you.”

  Anna’s blood turned to ice. “You think I did it, don’t you?” she whispered. “You think I’ve become her. Katherine.”

  He drew a hand through his hair. “Look, I said some crazy things last night. I wasn’t thinking clearly. When you told me about the transplant…I freaked. It was the last thing I expected, and I didn’t handle it very well.”

  Anna held her breath, waiting.

  “You should have told me the truth from the beginning,” he said.

  “I realize that now. But when I first came here, I never dreamed that you and I—” She stopped suddenly. But she had dreamed about Ben. She’d dreamed about being with him just as they had been last night.

  “You never dreamed what?”

  She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. I’m just sorry I messed things up so badly.”

  “There’s nothing we can do about it now,” he said wearily. “What we have to concentrate on now is keeping you safe. I’ve talked to Mendoza. He’s posting a guard inside the hotel and another two on the grounds. You should be safe enough here tonight. I don’t think the killer would dare come back.”

  “Not even Scorpio?”

  His gaze darkened. “Scorpio is dead.”

  “But you said there were two of them. Scorpio’s partner is still alive, isn’t she?” And then it hit Anna like the proverbial ton of bricks. She knew, suddenly, why Ben had stayed on in San Miguel. It wasn’t just for Gabby’s sake, although it was obvious he cared about her. He’d known all along the other one was here. He’d stayed to use himself as bait to try and lure the second killer out of hiding. “You know who it is, don’t you?” she whispered.

  He couldn’t quite meet her gaze suddenly. “Stay in your room tonight, Anna. Don’t let anyone in.”

  “Where will you be?” she asked worriedly.

  “I’ve contacted someone I know at the FBI. He worked with me on the Scorpio cases, and he’s agreed to come down here and take a look at what we’ve got. He’s catching the first available flight out of Dulles. I’m driving to San Antonio later to pick him up.”

  “Ben.” She caught his arm, and to her intense relief, he didn’t shake her off. “Be careful. Maybe the killer is laying a very clever trap for you. Maybe she’s killing people connected to me to throw the police off her trail. Maybe the person Scorpio really wants is still you.”

  He stared down at her for a moment, his gaze deep and fathomless. And then he said very softly, “Scorpio is dead, Anna.”

  But something that might have been dread flickered in his eyes before he turned away.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Anna went straight up to her room after dinner. She hadn’t been able to eat a bite, but the cup of tea she’d ordered had helped to settle her stomach a little.

  Once inside her room, she made sure the doors were locked, then crossed the room to stare out at the grounds. Dusk had fallen, but she could still see the silhouette of one of the guards Mendoza had posted outside the hotel. He was standing at the top of the steps that led down to the dock. Another was inside the hotel.

  Anna knew that Mendoza must have severely stretched the San Miguel police force for this assignment, but she didn’t delude herself into thinking that her safety was that important to him. Last night, he’d put his men
here to insure that no one could get into the Casa del Gatos. Tonight she had a feeling he wanted to make sure she didn’t get out.

  Did he really believe she’d killed Hays?

  Did Ben?

  After her interview earlier with Mendoza, Ben seemed to regret some of the things he’d said the night before. But he had said them. In the heat of the moment, so to speak. And wasn’t that when a person was most likely to say what was really on his mind or in his heart?

  She had Katherine’s heart, and Katherine had been a killer. Not just a killer, but a cunning manipulator. She’d lured Ben into her deadly game, and then when she’d taken away everything that had meant anything to him, she’d set out to seduce him.

  What must it have been like for him when he’d come to the horrifying realization that the woman he’d married was the same brutal killer he’d been tracking for years?

  And now Anna had her heart.

  Turning away from the window, she went through the motions of getting ready for bed. It was still early, and she knew it would be hours yet before she would fall asleep, if she slept at all.

  But the routine of washing her face, brushing her teeth and taking her evening meds was comforting somehow. It gave her something to focus on, for a few minutes at least, besides the killer.

  Changing into her pajamas, she climbed into bed and pulled the covers up over her.

  Anna had no idea how long she lay there before she began to get drowsy. The feeling surprised her. She was exhausted, and she hadn’t slept well for two nights running, but she didn’t think tonight, of all nights, she’d be able to sleep a wink. But all of a sudden, her eyes were so heavy she couldn’t keep them open. Maybe she’d just close them for a moment…

  When she woke up, someone was sitting on the edge of her bed, calling her name softly.

  “Wake up, Anna. Come on. It’s time to go.”

  Anna was so groggy and disoriented, she couldn’t think why someone would be visiting her so late. She couldn’t quite tell—

  “Come on, Anna. Wake up!”

  The feminine voice was firmer now, and suddenly very familiar. Familiar…but strange…

  The figure on her bed was just a blur. Anna blinked, but she couldn’t bring her into focus.

  She slapped Anna’s cheeks. “Anna! Wake up! It’s time to go!”

  “Wh—” Anna’s tongue was so thick she couldn’t form words around it.

  “You’ll see. Now come on.” She tugged on Anna’s arms. “Up you go. Hurry now. We don’t have a lot of time.”

  Even in her drugged state, Anna held back.

  The voice grew angry. “I’m losing my patience with you, Anna. Come on. Ben’s waiting for us.”

  That one word, Ben’s name, seemed to penetrate Anna’s foggy brain. She clutched at it like a drowning man hanging on to a life raft. “Ben?”

  “I knew that would get your attention,” the voice murmured. “Come on. Up you go.” She pulled Anna to her feet and wrapped Anna’s arm around her neck, staggering a bit under her weight. “That’s it. Just put one foot in front of the other. Good girl. Ben will be so proud.”

  Ben. She was going to see Ben.

  But…would Ben want to see her?

  Anna balked again at the French door.

  “You’re going to have to give me a little cooperation here.” The voice sounded strained from holding up Anna’s weight. “Come on, Anna. I thought you wanted to see Ben. He’s waiting for us. If we don’t hurry, he could be in danger. You don’t want anything to happen to Ben, do you? No, I didn’t think so. Okay, that’s the way. Just a few more steps and we’re out the door.”

  Ben was in danger? No…

  They were on the balcony now. Anna could feel a hot breeze on her face, but it did little to chase away the haze. She still couldn’t think…couldn’t seem to concentrate.

  Ben was in danger.

  “Police,” she whispered.

  “Don’t worry about the police,” the voice said. “A little something in the coffee pot took care of them. But they won’t be out forever. We still have to hurry….”

  Anna stood at the top of the steps, looking down. The ground seemed a long way off. Much, much too far. She’d never make it…she was too dizzy….

  “Come on,” the voice urged.

  Anna put one foot in front of the other, and then without warning, pitched forward. Mercifully, she was unconscious by the time she hit the bottom.

  SHE CAME TO PERIODICALLY, but the pain was so intense, she welcomed the darkness. Once, she had the sensation of being dragged on the ground. Another time, she thought she was in a boat. When she was finally able to fight the pain and remain conscious for more than a few seconds, she opened her eyes to the flickering glow of candlelight.

  For a split second, Anna thought she was dreaming and Ben would appear any moment.

  But she hurt too badly to be dreaming. No, this was reality. A strange reality, but it was happening to her nonetheless.

  Surprisingly the pain from the fall seemed to have cleared her head somewhat. When she glanced around, she realized at once that she was lying on the dirt floor in the mission. Candles and flowers had been placed at various points around the room. It was as if someone had prepared the place for a romantic interlude.

  Or a funeral.

  Her funeral.

  The pain had helped clear her head, but she still couldn’t move, Anna realized. She was lying on her side, her wrists and ankles bound behind her. She struggled for a moment until she realized it was useless.

  Someone was coming toward her. As she knelt beside Anna, candlelight sparked off the knife she held in her hand.

  Emily said softly, “It’s a shame you had to come to. It would have been much easier for you if you’d stayed under. But I’ll try to make it quick for your sake. Quicker than the others because I like you.”

  “Why—” Anna could barely speak. She wasn’t sure if it was the residue of drugs in her system or sheer terror.

  “Because Katherine’s heart has to be left here, where it should have been all along.”

  Emily rose and began to pace around the room, pausing at each candle to stare down at the floor. When she came back to Anna, her eyes were gleaming with madness.

  “The others are here, waiting. All those hearts. The ones I gave to Katherine to prove how much I loved her.” She waved an arm around the room. “This is a valentine to her. A secret valentine.”

  And suddenly, Anna understood. There were thirteen candles in the room, one for each of Scorpio’s victims, and one for Emily’s victim. Hays’s heart was here, too. All the hearts were here.

  Oh, God. Oh, dear God…

  The uneven floor made sense now. The tiny mounds were graves of a sort.

  Horror rising like bile in her throat, Anna struggled against the cords, tried to scream through her terror but the sound came out hardly more than a muffled whimper.

  Emily put the knife blade against her mouth. “Shush. Be quiet.” She lifted her head as if listening to the silence. “Do you hear them?”

  Anna listened, hoping and praying to hear sounds of a rescue. She heard nothing.

  “You don’t hear them?” Emily asked incredulously. “Listen close. They’re still beating. All of them.”

  A chill ran up Anna’s spine. Her eyes widened in terror.

  “And now Katherine’s heart will finally join them, in our special place. The way it was meant to be.”

  Anna strained at the cords, pulled with all her might, but it was no use. She was going to die here…in the same place where Katherine had been shot so that Anna could live.

  The irony was devastating.

  “Don’t try to fight it,” Emily whispered. “No one can hear you out here. No one will be looking for you, either. They think you’re safe and sound up in your room. The guards are probably still out. I put the drug in the pot of coffee Margarete made for them. Just like I put it in your medication. You’re a good girl, Anna. I knew you’d take your
evening meds.”

  “Ben—”

  Emily smiled. “You’re hoping he’ll come and save you, aren’t you? But he can’t. He can’t save anyone, Anna. He couldn’t even save himself. And I should know,” she said with a secretive smile. She lifted the knife to her face, mimicking the line of Ben’s scar.

  Something seemed to change in her demeanor. The soft, dreamy persona disappeared, and in its place, Anna sensed a savage cunning. For the first time, she glimpsed the killer in Emily.

  “Everything was so perfect until he came along. Katherine loved me. She told me how special I was, how pretty I was. She’d never met anyone like me. She made me do things for her to prove my love for her, but I didn’t mind because she taught me things. Wonderful things. She made me fall in love with her and then—”

  “You killed her,” a voice said from the doorway.

  Anna saw his silhouette in the doorway, and a rush of emotions swept over her.

  Emily had turned toward the sound, too. And now, suddenly, she had something Anna hadn’t noticed before. A gun…

  She tried to scream a warning, tried to tear at her bonds. She’d never felt so helpless in her life.

  “Why did you do it?” Ben said softly. “Why did you kill those people for her?”

  “I had to.”

  “Why?”

  “Because…she told me to.”

  “You know what?” Ben’s voice was soft, steady, unafraid. “I understand that. Katherine had a way about her. She could make you do things you didn’t want to. She used us both, Emily.”

  “She said she loved me, but she didn’t. Not after you came along. She said I was ugly and stupid and no one would ever want me. ‘Do you think I could ever love anyone like you? How dumb are you? My skin crawls just looking at you…’”

  “How did it happen?” Ben urged.

  “I asked her to meet me here. I had her gun. I’d slipped inside the house and taken it. When she saw it, she just laughed. Laughed in my face. Told me I’d never be able to use it, she said. Not unless she told me to. I wouldn’t be able to do anything without her. I might as well put the gun barrel in my mouth and pull the trigger.” Emily’s voice faltered, then grew stronger. “She took the gun and put it to her head. Then she put my hand over hers. ‘Do it,’ she said. ‘Pull the trigger.’ But I couldn’t and she knew it. She started laughing. She kept on laughing….”