by Cara Summers
"Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Takes me back to tenth grade when I had to memorize Marc Antony's funeral speech."
"Anything else?"
"Wait. Yes, March fifteenth is also your birthday, right? What is this about?"
She could hear her father's and stepmother's voices behind her "Just a little bet I'm having with myself." Then turning, she moved toward her family. Giles was innocent. She felt it in her gut. Just as she now felt that one of the three people approaching her was guilty. But why would one of them resort to murder?
"Giles Fortescue," Giles said, extending his hand as Tony stepped toward him. "I don't believe we've been formally introduced."
Tony shook his hand.
"Congratulations. I wish you more success than I had in keeping her."
For just a moment, Tony studied the man standing in front of him. Smooth was the first word that came to mind. But sharks were smooth customers, too. Soft was the second word—a soft handshake, soft voice, and in spite of the fact that he was paying a tailor a fortune to disguise it, he was getting soft in the middle. Giles Fortescue wasn't a man who would do well in a dark alley. But the eyes were intelligent. He might very well be a man who would know how to hire people to do his dirty work. "Thank you. I don't intend to let her go."
And he didn't. Impatience streamed through him. He wanted the charade to be over. Beyond Giles's shoulder, he saw Pamela Langford-McNeil air-kiss the space near Lily's cheek. He wanted to go to Lily right now and take her someplace where they could talk and settle things between them. He was in love with her. It was a hell of a time to realize it. And he still wasn't sure when it had happened. All he knew was that he wanted the ring on her finger to symbolize a real engagement.
Shoving his impatience down, he shifted his gaze to Giles and said, "Why are you so anxious to buy this hotel?"
Giles laughed. "I've explained my motivations at length to Lily. McNeil wants this hotel. Ergo, I want it. It's really quite that simple. Adolescent but simple."
Perhaps, Tony thought. But the man standing in front of him appeared too suave and experienced to engage in an adolescent rivalry unless there was a significant advantage to be gained. Would he commit murder to gain that advantage? Lily thought not. Tony wasn't so sure.
"What the hell is going on?" J.R. spoke the words in a hushed tone as he pulled Lily close and wrapped his arms around her.
Lily couldn't recall the last time her father had hugged her. Had he ever? "We're celebrating my engagement."
When J.R. released her, she tried to read his expression. But he was already scanning the room.
"Romano told me that someone had taken a shot at you and then tried to run you down."
Was it concern she heard in his voice? "Two near misses."
"Dammit. Fortescue really wants this hotel. He might be crazy enough to try to get you out of the way. I want you to tell Romano that you're stepping out of it. Convince him that you'll be safer if he deals directly with me." He squeezed her shoulders. "Pamela and I knew that this job might be a bit too much for you to handle. It's time for Daddy to come to the rescue."
Lily felt her stomach sink. He wasn't worried about her. He wasn't even happy that she'd gotten engaged. The only thing he was worried about was that she wouldn't be able to get him Henry's Place. A kaleidoscope of memories flooded her mind—other moments when her father had doubted her. Always before, the hurt had destroyed her. But this time all she felt was anger. Lily straightened her shoulders and managed a smile. "You worry too much, Daddy. I have everything under control."
"And turn your cell phone on. We agreed that you would keep it on at all times so that I could closely supervise what you're doing. I haven't been able to reach you all day."
Something clicked in the back of her mind. She'd turned her cell phone off right after that threatening message she'd received. And something had been niggling at her ever since. Only her father was supposed to have the number. She took his arm and steered him toward the bar. "By the way, I received a threatening call on my cell phone last night. Do you know who has the number besides you?"
He frowned impatiently. "No one."
"Did you write it down anywhere?"
"Just on the Rolodex in my office."
That meant Jerry, Pamela, and Olivia Bates, her father's executive assistant, had access. She waited until J.R. had waved away champagne and ordered a Scotch before she said, "The person who called me this morning on my cell disguised his or her voice, and threatened to kill me. Giles may not be the only person who's anxious to get me out of the way."
J.R. turned to stare at her for a moment. "You surely can't believe that I had anything to do with it."
Drawing in a deep breath, Lily asked, "Did you?"
Her father stared at her for a second. Then he frowned and made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "You're being ridiculous."
"What about Pamela or Jerry?"
J.R.'s eyes narrowed then. "You're not thinking clearly. I wouldn't put it past Fortescue to have a spy in my office. He'd sink to any depths. Look at him."
Lily did just that. Giles was across the room, sipping champagne and talking to Tony. Jerry had bypassed the bar and was headed toward them with the speed of a billiard ball straight out of a break.
Her father's point was a good one. Giles might have been clever enough to get hold of her cell number. But the fact remained—Jerry and Pamela wouldn't have had to break a sweat to get it.
Right on cue, A.J. and Sam moved toward the bar. Lily introduced her father to them and then made her way to Pamela.
"Romano."
Tony turned to see Jerry McNeil approaching.
"I'm sorry I missed your meeting with J.R. and my mother."
The news of the meeting, which Tony guessed was
intended to ruffle Giles, failed to do so. Jerry lacked Giles's sophistication and also his talent for keeping his feelings buried. Right now, there was anger in Jerry's eyes, barely suppressed. The same anger had been in his eyes yesterday morning in the hotel lobby. Tony wondered who it was aimed at. Giles? Or Lily? In his rush to cross the room Jerry had completely ignored his stepsister. Now he was ignoring Giles.
"If I might have a word with you?" Jerry asked.
No, Jerry Langford-McNeil didn't have the polish or the subtlety of Giles Fortescue. And he would offer no challenge in a poker game.
"If you can make it short," Tony said.
"Two minutes," Jerry promised. "If we could go someplace private?"
"Don't mind me. I'll just take a look at the view," Giles said amiably as he turned and strolled away.
Tony glanced over to see Lily talking to Pamela. A.J. and Sam had drawn J.R. out onto the patio. The box of chocolates was still open on the bar. Soon, everyone would be in place.
Pamela Langford-McNeil turned from watching her son as Lily drew near. The older woman looked stunning as usual in a short black cocktail suit. Her hair was pulled back into a twist at the back of her neck, and diamonds glittered in her ears. The smile she gave Lily didn't reach her eyes. "You've made a rare mess of things, as usual."
Lily's chin lifted. "Here I was thinking that I was handling everything quite well."
Pamela spoke in a low tone that held a hint of malice. "Your father doesn't think so. I warned him not to send
you. The company is still recovering from the hit the stocks took when you broke off your engagement with Giles. Jerry would have had this deal sewn up by now. The least you can do is let him handle it from now on."
Lily studied her for a minute. "Is that why you made sure that the company plane had major mechanical problems in Tahiti? So that Jerry could take my place?"
Something flickered in Pamela's eyes. "You've definitely gone off the deep end this time. Now you have a persecution complex."
"Someone threatened my life this morning. And they used a cell phone that only a handful of people could access. You and Jerry are two of those people. Only you forgot something. There are reco
rds. Wireless calls can be traced."
Lily had the satisfaction of seeing pure hatred contort Pamela's features for one full second before the woman managed to get control. Then Lily smiled and walked away.
Jerry took a sip from the glass of champagne Vera had handed him. Then he drew Tony a few steps away from the bar. "Lily is lying to you," he said in a low tone.
Tony narrowed his eyes. "What did you say?" "She's lying to you. Ever since she destroyed our plans to merge with Fortescue, she's been desperate to get back into the board's good graces. This is her chance. She'll do anything to hand this hotel over to her father."
Because he wanted to punch Jerry right in his pretty face, Tony stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Is that why you made sure she was stranded in Tahill?"
The anger in Jerry's eyes grew brighter. "I was doing us both a favor. You can't believe she really intends to marry you. She's going to string you along until she gets you to sign the hotel over to McNeil."
Tony's eyes narrowed. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I can get you a better deal. J.R. is desperate to get his hands on this place. So is my mother, for that matter."
"Why?" Tony asked, keeping his tone casual.
"Some deal she's worked out with someone in the mayor's office. They're going to turn the whole block into a huge hotel and conference center. I don't know all the details. The important thing for you to know is that acquiring this hotel is worth a lot of money to McNeil. I can promise you top dollar if you'll work with me."
"You're saying that Lily can't handle the deal?" Tony asked evenly.
"No. Of course not."
Something in his eyes must have warned Jerry because he continued in a milder tone. "I'm just saying that Lily is inexperienced. She's only been at the company for a little over a month. J.R. welcomed her back on March fifteenth and as a birthday present, he told her she could have the job of getting Henry's Place."
In spite of his attempt to hide it, Tony could hear both anger and frustration in Jerry's tone. Had Lily been the intended victim all along? Was he now looking into the eyes of a man who would hire someone to kill his stepsister?
Lily glanced around the living room of the penthouse suite. Tony had led Jerry down into the sunken
living room where Nick and Tyler had already drawn Pamela. Lucy and Grace were circulating with plates of hors d'ouevres, and Giles was talking to Gina on the patio. Everyone had been near the opened box of chocolates at least once.
In a moment, Gina would ask Giles to get her another glass of champagne. Lily drew in a deep breath and let it out. Though she couldn't have pointed to the exact moment, at some time during the brief scenes she'd played out with Giles, her father and Pamela, the nerves in her stomach had steeled into determination. The moment Giles stepped in from the patio, she moved quickly to join him at the bar. Showtime.
"You're one of the few people here who seems to be having a good time," she commented.
"I like parties," Giles said as Vera tipped champagne into Gina's glass.
This was the trickiest part of the charade. Getting Giles to hand her the chocolate. The whole family had discussed various strategies. She could take one and drop it. Giles, the gentleman, would hand her another—though he'd likely hold out the box for her to choose one herself. She could pick up another flute of champagne and say that she was bringing it to Tony, and then ask Giles to select a piece of candy for her.
In the end, Lily found it easier to improvise. "I haven't had time to sample those chocolates yet. Why don't you pick one out for me? I have to keep my eye on Tony. I can tell by the way that muscle near his mouth is twitching that he's just about to punch Jerry in the face."
Giles chuckled as he chose a chocolate, then held it in front of her lips. Knowing that several pairs of eyes were on her, Lily took the candy into her mouth and chewed it carefully. As she did, she counted to ten. According to Drew, that was how long it would take a certain poison to work. As she swallowed, she quickly reviewed everything that Dame Vera had taught her. Then she widened her eyes and turned to Giles, reaching with one hand for his lapel. Her other hand went to her stomach as she coughed. Then she slid to the floor.
A.J. screamed right on cue. Pandemonium followed. Lily tried to keep track of the scene based on what she could hear. But it all seemed to happen at once.
Giles swore. That meant that Vera had spilled a drink on him to keep him occupied.
Glass shattered. That was Tyler's job.
Something heavy crashed—the coffee table. Sam had played his part.
"What happened? Let me through," Tony said.
Drew reached her first, just as they'd rehearsed. She felt two fingers press against her throat.
"Stand back," Drew said. "Give her room."
"I have to see her," Tony said. "What happened?"
"The candy," Dame Vera said. "He gave her a chocolate."
After all the noise, the sudden silence thundered in the room. Lily counted the beats off in her head. When she reached ten, Drew's fingers withdrew.
"I want to see her," Tony said.
Another three beats.
"No." Tony's voice was jagged with pain.
Another table fell. More glass shattered.
"Let me see her," Tony said. Sounds of a scuffle followed. The way they'd rehearsed it, Sam and Nick were holding Tony back. "Stand back," Drew said. "She's dead."
______11______
"Dead? She cant be." Even as he registered shock and disbelief, Tony managed a quick look around the room. He knew his brothers and Nick were doing the same. Everyone was frozen in place. J.R. appeared to be stunned. Pamela's and Jerry's expressions were, harder to read.
"She can't possibly be dead," Giles said. For the first time, Tony heard a trace of fear in the man's voice.
"I'll have to ask all of you to step down into the living area," Drew said, taking Giles's arm.
"No. You've made a mistake." Tony struggled to break free of the hold that Sam and Nick had taken on him. "Let me see her. She's just fainted."
Drew gripped Tony's shoulders and met his eyes. "She's dead."
"You're lying," Giles said. "What did she die of?" "The chocolate," Dame Vera said in the voice that bounced off second balconies. She pointed a finger at Giles. "He poisoned her with chocolate."
"Poisoned," A.J. and Tyler echoed the word just as they'd rehearsed.
"No," Lucy said in a choked voice, reaching for her mother's hand.
"You bastard. You poisoned her." Breaking free, Tony lunged for Giles and grabbed him by the lapels of his coat.
"No," Giles managed to sputter as Tony's brothers pulled him away. He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his forehead. "I have no reason to kill Lily."
"I want to see her." Tony struggled as Sam and Nick forced him down into the living room. "I have to see her."
"You can't." Drew urged an unresisting Giles onto a love seat. "I have to secure the crime scene. No one can go near her until the police arrive."
"Crime scene?" Coming out of his paralysis, J.R. spoke for the first time. "Who would want to kill Lily?"
"That's what I intend to find out." Drew met the eyes of each member of Lily's family as he pulled out his cell phone and punched in numbers.
Tony allowed Sam and Nick to push him into a chair. His job as the bereaved fiancé was to appear distraught. It was the most frustrating part of the whole charade and he'd argued against it. But his family had agreed that the scenario would be more credible if Drew handled the interrogation. Tony would have to be satisfied with grieving and gauging the reactions of the suspects. "I've got a homicide to report." Drew spoke the words into his cell phone.
"No." Uttering the word as a moan, Tony slumped back into his chair and took another quick look around the room.
His family were playing their roles as if they'd been born for the stage. Gina had wrapped her arms around both of her daughters. Grace's face was white and Lucy was weeping silently into her m
other's shoulder. Holding tight to Tyler's hand, A.J. wiped tears from her eyes.
His face white, J.R. sank into a chair. "No." The best word Tony could come up with to describe Jerry's reaction was shell-shocked. But it was only mild annoyance that flickered over Pamela's face as she shifted her gaze to Giles. "You killed her?"
At the new accusation, Giles raised his hands, both palms outward. "Don't look at me. I had no reason to want her out of the picture." "You handed her the chocolate," Drew pointed out. "That box has been open on the bar for more than thirty minutes. Everyone in this room had access to it," Giles said.
"But you have motive. She dumped you two years ago, and your company stock took a hit—a bigger hit than McNeil Enterprises took," Drew said. "That couldn't have gone over well with your stockholders. And I imagine you assured them that nothing could possibly go wrong with the merger."
Giles shook his head. "That's water under the bridge. The stock recovered, and so did I. In fact, I prefer a bit of rivalry between the two companies. I think it makes us both sharper. Together, we might have become complacent and lost market shares." Giles shot a glance at Jerry. "Why don't you ask Jerry how he felt when the merger plans fell through?"
"Me?" Jerry sprang up from the chair he'd been sitting in.
'Jerry." Pamela spoke in a voice that rivaled Dame Vera's. It had the effect of putting her son right back in his chair.
A momma's boy, Tony thought, and one who had been furious when his stepsister had been taken back into the company. Maybe it was Jerry they should have "framed" for the poisoning.
"Jerry and Pamela were the ones who came to me with the plan for the marriage and the merger," Giles continued, "and they stood to make quite a bit of money on stocks and options once the merger went through."
Pamela's eyes narrowed. "We all did."
"Yes, but you would have gained the added advantage of getting Lily out of the company once and for all." Giles turned his gaze on Drew. "My job was to turn Lily into a little stay-at-home mom, thus clearing the way for Jerry to make an obstacle-free ascent up the corporate ladder to a vice presidency and eventually to the position of CEO."
