Through the thick fog swirling around in my brain, I fought to listen and understand what the hell was going on, and if, God forbid, Eden was in jeopardy, as well.
“You know there’s only one way to fix that,” said a male voice behind me.
Trin grunted in exasperation. “The guy’s a moron, I’ll admit, but killing him wasn’t part of the plan,” she said.
“He’s not as dumb as you think. Married Mrs. Robinson, probably to keep them each from testifying against one another.”
Shit! They’re talking about me and Eden.
“He’s such a freaking sap, he probably would’ve married the bitch regardless,” Trin argued. “I never thought he’d get this involved. Goddammit! Why did he have to fall for that fucking whore? He’s gonna ruin everything. After all these years, all our plans!”
“Calm down. You don’t want any of the guests to hear you.”
Guests? Am I still at The Lodge?
“Fuck them!” she spat. “I don’t give a rat’s ass what—”
“Alex!” the man broke in. “Come on. Let’s just toss him in the river and be done with it.”
“No! Are you stupid?” Trin burned. “He needs to be found in such a way and place that leaves no doubt in the cops’ pea-sized brains that she did it, that she killed him to protect herself. The timing has to be perfect.”
“What do you mean?” her accomplice asked. Then, after Trin sighed in annoyance, he scoffed, “Hey, you’re the murder-mastermind here.”
Trin snorted. “I think you’re a little confused there…Francis. I might be the mastermind, but you’re the murderer. And it’s far from your first time.”
“That was different. I wasn’t gonna let them keep you from me a minute longer,” he said, his voice soft with longing. “Besides, it was only a matter of time before you killed him yourself.”
“Dumbest thing he ever did was not make sure I was on that plane, too. You never leave a loose end,” Trin advised. “Or it’ll snap back around and hang you.”
“So then, offing this guy will kill two birds with one stone. He’s a loose end that’ll point straight at your mother.”
All the sudden, I heard stomping, along with an angry growl, then flesh slapping flesh as Trin spewed, “Don’t you ever call that fucking cunt my mother!”
It sounded like the guy was trying to fend Trinitee off.
“Alexandra, stop…stop!” he bellowed.
“She was never my mother!” Trin screamed, completely out of control. “She and that piece of shit she married threw me away like fucking garbage!”
“Settle down, Alex. We’re almost there. You’re finally gonna get your revenge.”
Trin panted and paced circles around me, seething so badly, I imagined steam coming out of her ears.
As she paced, I tried to piece it all together. Trin’s real name was Alexandra, just like on the birth certificate, the trust, and the back of that photo. Alexandra Morra. And his name was Francis? Yes, but she’d also called him Frank.
Oh my God. Frankie Morra! Trin’s cousin. His parents died in a plane crash. And Frankie’s father had set it up? But why? Probably to get his brother’s money. But he got his niece instead. That’s rich. And Frankie got sent away for molesting her, though it didn’t appear Trin considered it abuse after all. He’d killed his own parents so they could be together. And Trin had gone along with it.
It was a sick, twisted tale that was about to get a whole lot worse, because Trin thought Eden had knowingly given her away at birth. This whole thing was designed to take down Eden, all for something she didn’t do. Jesus Christ, I had to stop this before they hurt Eden.
I tried to open my eyes, but still couldn’t. I rolled my head around, hoping that would help clear it and I could then slow Trin and her accomplice down, but all it did was arouse Frankie’s ire. He smacked me in the back of the head, and the bandana that had apparently been wrapped around it flopped into my lap. I could finally see, and with that syrupy odor gone, I could think more clearly and breathe easier, as well.
I looked down and saw my hands and feet were bound to a chair. The cut on my forehead started to hurt like a motherfucker, and with the bandana torn off, it began to bleed again and drip into my eye. But I could still see Trinitee, standing before me, her long hair now cut short and spiky and colored a deep, dark red. Her eyes were their natural color again, too, hazel with a golden starburst around the center, just like in the photograph.
I was right.
Looking at her at that moment, I felt just as pissed as she appeared.
“Who was she, Trin?” I asked with tight control. “Whose body was in that grave?”
She folded her arms over her chest and rolled her eyes as she shook her head.
“You killed her, dressed her in your clothes, dyed her hair…” I accused.
Trin tossed her head back and laughed. “At least now the carpet does match the drapes.”
She continued to laugh at our little inside joke while I seethed.
“You killed Natasha?” I bellowed, for which I received a smack across the face. I shook my head then glanced down and noticed Trin had a new charm, this one hanging from the buckle at the top of her riding boot—the blindfolded Lady Justice, this time without her scales. I locked eyes again with my old friend and sneered in disgust. “No balance. All blind. Is that how revenge works, Trinitee? Or should I call you Ivy?”
Trin’s eyes narrowed, and she surged in another assault, but Frankie stopped her with his hands to her shoulders. She strained to see around his shoulder and glare at me.
“It’s Alex, but you already knew that, didn’t you?” she charged.
My face split into a mocking grin. “Not such a moron after all, eh…Alexandra?”
Trin gritted her teeth as her lips puckered around them.
Frankie shook her hard. “Pull yourself together, and remember, keep emotion out of it; desperation makes a person sloppy. Now…we’ve a decision to make and not much time to do it. Once they’re all out of the way, that money is ours, but we have to finish this first.”
Trin turned from me and fixed her gaze on Frankie. She took a deep breath and nodded once. Frankie eased his grip and rubbed her arms where he’d grabbed her. Leaning in, he pressed a soft kiss to her lips.
I snorted. “You did all this for the money, Trin? Like the millions you already have aren’t enough?”
She smiled smugly. “Everyone has a price, Sean-boy. Like the guy I hired to change my dental records with Natasha’s. Or the one who skimmed off Declan’s hedge fund then cooked his books. And even the guy who figured out who my birth parents were and what they did with me. They all did it for the money and provided me a way in. And Declan and Aurelia’s downfall came from their greed every bit as much as their infidelity.”
“Guess nurture wins over nature after all, huh, Trin?”
“And that’s a good thing, because my birth parents are pieces of sh—”
“You’ve got Eden all wrong. And Declan Ross was not your biological father.”
“I know that, you ass, but the guy who is—or was—got his stupid ass killed—”
“Defending Eden,” I broke in.
Trinitee threw her head back and laughed yet again. “Oh God, you’re so gullible, Sean-boy. Jacob Mahoney’s death was a setup, you idiot. Declan Ross wanted her, and he wanted Jacob out of the picture so he could marry that bitch and claim his trust fund. He hired that guy at the bar, and she fell into his trap afterwards, only too eager to go along for the ride. Well, now it’s time for that whore to get off. Ride’s over!”
I sat there, stunned at the revelation, but not surprised Declan would stoop so low. Still though, Trinitee was wrong about Eden.
“Trin, please, listen to me. You know what a lying scumbag Declan Ross was. He was solely responsible for your—”
“Shut up, shut up, shut up!” Trin screamed, her hands over her ears. Then she reached down, grabbed the bandana, and stuffed into my mouth.
I gagged and struggled against my restraints as my head started to grow woozy again. My muffled screams had no effect on Trinitee whatsoever.
She turned to Frank and pointed to me. “Sit on him for twenty minutes, then bring him out to the upper observation deck. We’ll figure out what to do with him from there. All right?”
Frank nodded with an eager smile. “As long as I get to take care of him when we do.” He turned and smirked at me. “I think this one might actually put up a worthy fight.”
Her eyes locked on me, Trin opened the entry door and smiled. “I’ve no doubt he will,” she agreed and closed the door behind her.
Frank, who looked a few years older than me, and considerably smaller in stature, rounded the chair once and stopped in front of me. “My girl said to sit on you, but she never said I couldn’t have a little fun while I did.”
He pulled back his fist and punched me in the face, making the gag fall out when my head snapped to the side. I whipped it back toward Frank only to catch his other fist. Before I could gather my wits, Frank repeated a right hook, and the chair tilted to the side, the left legs lifting off the floor enough for the rope around my ankle to slip free, though Frank didn’t seem to notice. He followed through with a side kick to my ribs, knocking the weakened chair over and breaking both the right leg and armrest.
Frank’s eyes grew wide the moment he realized his mistake and saw me wiggle free from all but the left armrest, which I leveraged as both a shield when Frank swung again, then as a weapon when he was thrown off balance. When Frank went down, I pounced on him, using the now-battered chair to strike at his arm. He screamed like a whipped puppy, but I felt no mercy for the guy. Frank was gonna kill me, and God only knows what he’d do to Eden on Trin’s behalf. So he was about to see just how worthy an opponent I really was. Not that it took very long. With only two more bashes to the head with what remained of the wooden chair, Frank was knocked unconscious and bleeding badly.
I freed myself of the chair’s remains and immediately patted my pockets, looking for my phone, but it was gone. I searched Frank’s clothes and found both my phone and his, which I confiscated. I dialed Eden in our room, then her cell when there was no answer, but I couldn’t reach her at either. I feared Trinitee had already gotten to her.
“Hold on, Eden. I’m coming,” I vowed as I tore out of the room.
Still in my thick, white robe, I snuck back to our suite after an hour-long massage at the spa downstairs. The masseuse was a master, her nimble fingers at first causing pain, then sweet pleasure as my knotted muscles loosened and practically puddled against my bones. Now, relaxed as I could possibly be under the circumstances, all I wanted to do was sleep next to Sean, then wake up and do everything all over again.
When I entered the room, I didn’t see Sean, but he’d left an assortment of casual clothing laid neatly across the bed, along with a note, explaining he’d forgotten coats and clothes for himself and would return shortly so we could visit the falls while it was still running high. I snatched my cell from my pocket to check for messages, when it suddenly rang in my hand. Thinking it was Sean, I answered even before it registered that it was Detective Reed calling.
“Mrs. Ross?” he asked with an urgent undertone in his voice. “Are you okay? I’ve been looking all over. Where are you?”
“Um…I’d really rather not say,” I answered. “With the press and all, I’m trying to stay under the radar. I’m sure you understand.”
“Is what they’re saying true?” he asked. “Did you and Mr. Bennett get married?”
I couldn’t help but gasp. “Why would you think that?”
“It’s all over the news, including photos of each of you going into the county courthouse downtown. Considering the way you were both dressed, I’d say they assumed correctly.”
“Well, it’s really none of anyone’s business but ours, Detective. So if that’s the only reason you called—”
“You’re skating a very dangerous edge here, Mrs.—” He paused, then finished with, “…Eden. That young woman in the grave, she was identified through dental records as Trinitee Marsh, Mr. Bennett’s closest friend. Her cell phone records indicate Mr. Bennett as the last person she communicated with before she was murdered. And she was wearing something we’d been searching for. I’m sending a photo to you now,” he said just before my phone pinged with an incoming text.
I put Detective Reed on speaker and pulled up the text, inhaling sharply when I saw what Reed was talking about.
“That ruby ring was listed on Ms. Wylde’s insurance, but was not found in her house or on her body upon her death,” he explained.
“How did Trinitee Marsh get it then?” I wondered aloud. “And why would her killer leave something so valuable on her?”
“I think Mr. Bennett gave it to her, that he’s decompensating, and quickly. Eden, I know you understand what that means. God only knows how long until he breaks completely. And if you are married, well…then there’s not a whole lot standing between him and Declan’s money, except for you.”
I shook my head. “No. That’s not true. Sean’s not unbalanced, and he’s not out for my money. He’s innocent. And he loves me. He tells me everything.”
“Eden, Sean probably tells you just enough, only what he must to keep you satisfied.”
“No, Detective, that’s not—”
“Did he tell you about the blood on the clothes he wore the night of the murders, the same night Ms. Marsh went missing, the same clothes she loaned him? Did he tell you about the copy of Declan’s last will and testament we found in his apartment?”
I almost blurted out that Declan didn’t have a legal will but rather a living trust, which he believed would fully protect his assets. But I stopped myself and hung up without another word. Reed didn’t need that information. We could use that to fight any charges they might file against Sean.
When the phone rang again, I refused the call. After a third time, I threw my phone onto the bed. Unsure what to do, I grabbed one of the outfits Sean had bought me and was just lacing up the new hiking boots when someone knocked on the door. Thinking it was Sean and his hands were full of bags, I ran to it and swung it wide, ready to hurl my arms around his neck. But it wasn’t Sean. It was a young woman, an employee, I guessed, since she was pushing a cart with domed, stainless steel lids covering plates of what I assumed was food.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“Mr. Bennett ordered a light afternoon meal delivered,” the young woman said, though she was hardly more than a girl really.
I raised my arm and stepped back from the door. “On the table will be fine, thank you,” I said, then added, “I’m going to get fat with all the food that man keeps ordering.”
As the girl made her way to the dining area, my eye caught a twinkle of silver as it flashed in the light. It was a tiny amulet, like a charm, and it dangled from the girl’s boot buckle. I’d never seen anyone wear one that way, but, from what Sean told me, I assumed it was a fad now. The young woman laid the covered plates on the table and rolled the now-empty cart to the door. She stopped and turned to me with a slight smile, and a feeling of familiarity washed over me. It was strangely comforting, and I returned the gesture.
“Have we met before?” I asked. “You remind me of…I don’t know…someone.”
She took a step in my direction. “Yes, we have met, though it was a long time ago. I’m sure you wouldn’t remember.” She held out her hand. “I’m Ali, by the way.”
I took her hand in mine and kept staring at her. “Was it at a book event or something, a signing perhaps?”
Even though I loosened my grip on her hand, she kept hers on mine, taking a step even closer, a little too close, in fact, but I didn’t want to offend her by pulling away, and I was curious who she was exactly and where we’d met before. Ali stared at me just as intently, and her grin grew wider, taking on a certain smugness that instantly made me uneasy.
I tugged my ha
nd from hers. “Well…thank you…for setting the, um…the food…I mean, the table. My husband will be back any moment, so…”
Ali shook her head. “No, actually…Sean won’t be returning anytime soon, at least not in one piece, not unless you do exactly what I tell you to.”
And just like that, my heart felt as though it had sunk deep into my belly. I took a step back. “Who are you? What’ve you done with Sean?”
Ali pulled out a cell phone and showed me a photo of Sean, unconscious and tied to a chair, blood dripping down from a deep gash on his forehead.
I gasped as tears pooled in my eyes. I covered my mouth with both hands and breathed, “No!” Then I locked eyes with the girl. “Who are you?”
Ali chuckled. “The last person you’d ever suspect. But you’ll wanna stay tuned and find out. And besides, it’s the only way to save Sean. God knows, he’d do it for you. That’s why he’s in this mess after all, because of you. He saved you. Now it’s your turn.”
Tears streamed down my face, and my hands shook, but I closed my eyes and nodded. “Yes. Whatever it takes. Just please…please, don’t hurt him.”
Ali smirked. “Be good and I won’t. Let’s go,” she ordered and grabbed me by the wrist.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
The girl pushed the food cart aside and swung the door open.
“To the falls,” she answered and yanked me from the room.
Ali jerked me by the wrist. “You say one wrong thing to anyone, give the slightest sign something is wrong, and I will hurt Sean. Do you understand?”
I nodded silently and brushed my tears away.
“Do. You. Understand?” she repeated and wrenched hard on my arm.
“Yes! I understand!”
The girl crooked her arm and threaded my hand inside her elbow like we were sisters on a stroll. “Then be wise and follow my lead,” she cautioned as she swept me into the lobby and toward the front doors.
I struggled to smile at the gal behind the reception desk, the same one who’d checked us in yesterday.
She waved with a bright grin and a cheerful, “Hi, Mrs. Bennett,” as her eyes tracked us through the lobby. “It’s pretty nasty out there,” she advised when she saw we were headed outside. “Wait! Here, take these, Mrs. Bennett,” she added and held out an umbrella and rain slicker when I looked back over my shoulder.
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