“I don’t think you can cut me out of the conversation since I’m here,” she pressed, refusing to back down. “I’m trying to understand why you did this. I mean ... I get that you wanted to help Lila, but how is killing Julia going to propel her forward?”
“Once the truth comes out that Lila is the one who wrote Julia’s best-selling books, she’ll be set for life.”
“And how are you going to get that news out there?” Rowan challenged. “I’m guessing Lila signed a non-disclosure agreement. That’s how she got paid.” She lobbed a brief look in Lila’s direction for confirmation. “Am I right?”
Lila swallowed hard and nodded. “I can’t take credit for the books. Besides, I didn’t do all of it myself. Julia is the one who okayed the outlines. I’m simply the one who wrote them.”
“Yes, but you should get credit for writing them,” Jazzy pressed. “You did the work. You should get the glory.”
“I signed away my rights because I needed the money,” Lila argued, fury lacing her words for the first time since Jazzy showed up in the stairwell. “You know how it works. It’s ridiculously expensive to live in New York. That’s where you need to be when you’re first starting, though, so you can take meetings with various publishers. I had to do what I had to do.”
“And I had to do what I had to do,” Jazzy said simply. “You needed help, so I gave it.”
“Except killing Julia doesn’t help me,” Lila argued. “I needed her. I needed the money I got working for her.”
“You don’t need that money.” Jazzy made a tsking sound in the back of her throat. “You’re going to have money of your own. You’re going to be famous the second the news cycles pick up on the fact that you really wrote The Ties that Bind books.”
“Except I didn’t.” Suddenly, Lila had found her voice and she refused to back down. “She found me on a ghostwriting board. She hired me. I didn’t even know who I was writing for at the time. She told me what she wanted, what she was willing to pay, and I did it.
“It was more of a collaboration,” she continued. “Julia was the one who was in the right place at the right time on this one. She got the accolades.”
“Even though she didn’t deserve them.” Jazzy made a face. “She was a horrible woman. Do you have any idea the things she said behind your back? She knew that we were close, that I loved you, and yet she got off on saying horrible things about you.
“I hated it, and I told her I hated it,” she continued, her eyes glinting in the limited light. “She liked torturing me, though. All of them liked being mean to me, treating me as if I was a childish idiot, but she was the worst. She actually started believing her own hype and thought she was better than everybody else. I had to show her the error of her ways.”
Jazzy’s voice was so cold it sent chills down Rowan’s spine. Still, she managed to maintain the illusion of cool as she licked her lips and debated how to proceed.
“How did it happen?” she asked finally. “Why did you attack her on the ship? That was a bad move, because it left you trapped here as the investigation wound its way through the author ranks. You should’ve done it on the mainland.”
“I didn’t plan it,” Jazzy offered, her expression rueful. “I didn’t set out to do it. I followed her into the ballroom because she was insisting on seeing the set-up and I wanted to talk to her. She’d been ignoring me for days even though I threatened her with exposure if she didn’t sit down and discuss Lila’s position.”
“Discuss my position?” Lila was obviously confused. “I don’t understand. What did you think she was going to do? It wasn’t as if she was going to suddenly see the error of her ways and claim me as a co-writer. She wasn’t going to split the money with me.”
“You got five grand for writing the first book in that series,” Jazzy reminded her. “Julia made twenty million because it was a runaway success. How is that fair?”
“It’s not fair,” Lila replied simply. “It’s what I agreed to, though. It’s on me, not her. I’m the one who agreed to the deal. Do I regret it? You have no idea. I can’t go back and change it, though.
“We agreed that you were going to help me come up with another idea, remember?” she pressed. “What happened to that idea? Why can’t we go back to that?”
Rowan could think of a reason — she ended up dead in a laundry bin — but she had to give Lila props for trying. “If Lila doesn’t understand why you did what you did, why are you still insisting it was the right choice?” she asked after a beat, genuinely curious. “Seriously ... I don’t understand why you decided to go this route.”
“I told you. I was with Julia, bugging her to allow Lila to participate in the conference as an author rather than an assistant. She wouldn’t listen to me, said Lila had to do her bidding because that’s what she paid her for. I disagreed ... and she simply refused to see things my way.”
Jazzy’s expression was downright chilling.
“Where did you find the laundry bin?” Rowan asked. “Did someone leave it behind?”
“Julia didn’t like the table linens,” Jazzy replied, her lips curving into an unattractive sneer. “She demanded they be switched out. Two maids came in to tackle it. They had bins with them. They tossed all the old linens in the bins and then disappeared for some reason. I think they were looking for different linens, but I can’t be sure.
“Anyway, they left the room and Julia kept talking,” she continued. “She refused to see things my way, accept Lila as an equal instead of a subordinate. She said that Lila would never amount to anything because she was white trash. I just ... snapped.”
Rowan’s heart gave a little lurch. “You’re loyal to your friend.”
“I am,” Jazzy agreed. “I hate the way Lila is treated. I don’t get the same level of adulation as the others, but they have to at least pretend to respect me because I’m a Grand Dame. I never understood about the group until I was in it. Now I understand. It’s power. I like the power.”
“You want to share the power with Lila.”
“Oh, I’m going to share the power with Lila. I’ve got a plan. I’m not going to deviate. I have everything under control. Unfortunately for you, that means you’re going to have to serve as a sacrifice of sorts. I would prefer it wasn’t necessary, but I have no choice. You’re going to have to die.”
Oxygen clogged in Rowan’s lungs. “Well, that sucks.”
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE stairwell door, Quinn stood with his ear pressed to the metal door. He could hear everything transpiring on the other side.
He knew Rowan was okay ... at least for now. He knew Jazzy was the culprit rather than Lila, although he was still trying to swallow the swerve. He also knew that he needed to get in there and defuse the situation. He simply didn’t know the best way to do it.
Once Jazzy threatened to kill Rowan, though, he knew he was out of time. He threw open the door, ignored Lila’s theatrical gasp and the way Jazzy’s eyes jerked to him, and met Rowan’s gaze head-on.
“Hello, ladies,” he drawled, his voice low and calm. “I don’t suppose we could finish this discussion down in the security office, could we? I think that would be best for everybody.”
The look on Jazzy’s face was priceless. Her eyes went so wide Quinn thought there was a legitimate chance they might pop out of their sockets. It was a ridiculous thought, but her expression was so exaggerated he couldn’t shake it.
“What are you doing here?” Jazzy asked, her voice barely a whisper. “I ... you ... we ... um ... you’re not supposed to be here.” She recovered, although only marginally. “This is a private conversation. You shouldn’t interrupt.”
“She killed Julia,” Rowan interjected quickly, some of the tension she’d been carrying around for the past few minutes disappearing. “She wanted to prove she was Lila’s best and most trusted friend.”
“She’s more than that,” Quinn supplied, making room at the top of the stairs so Jazzy could see the security guards he’d brought wit
h him. When he hit the conference room and realized Rowan was missing, he interrupted long enough to ask questions. That hadn’t gone over well with Rosalind, but one of the women on the stage admitted she saw Rowan following Lila – and Jazzy following both of them – out of the room. Thankfully, they hadn’t made it very far, so he was ready to move when his men appeared on the scene.
“She’s more than what?” Rowan asked, quizzical. “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“Jazzy understands,” Quinn said. “She knows her father’s secret, after all. She tried to cover for him for years, but it finally got to be too much.”
Jazzy’s chest hitched as she held Quinn’s gaze. “How do you know about that?”
“There are public records readily available. If you dig hard enough, it’s easy to uncover the fact that your father is also Lila’s father.”
Whatever Lila was expecting, it wasn’t that. Her mouth dropped open and the incredulous look she shot Jazzy was enough to cause the other woman to shrink in embarrassment.
“W-what?”
“It’s true,” Quinn pressed. “You and Jazzy share a father. She’s known for some time, although she clearly never shared that information with you.”
“But ... I was raised in foster care,” Lila hedged. “My mother took off when I was a kid and there was no one to take care of me. If Mr. Wickersham was my father l ... I don’t understand.” She trailed off, a far-off expression on her face.
“I’m guessing he cheated on his wife,” Quinn offered. “He didn’t want her to find out. I don’t know if he ever considered telling you the truth, but Jazzy knew. I think that’s why she’s been working so hard to advocate for you.”
“You shouldn’t have told her,” Jazzy hissed. “She wasn’t ready to hear the information. I had a plan. I wanted her to be rich and famous before I told her.”
“Why?” Lila asked, a tear sliding down her cheek. “Why not just tell me the truth from the start?”
“Because life wasn’t fair to you,” Jazzy replied simply. “You had horrible things happen to you. The other kids made fun of you in high school because your clothes were from thrift stores. I remember the look on your face the first time I took you to my house.
“I was afraid,” she continued. “I thought if you knew what you should’ve had that you would’ve hated my father. I didn’t want that. We always dreamed about being sisters. When I found out we really were, it seemed somehow kismet.”
“You should’ve told me,” Lila pressed. “I wouldn’t have blamed you for it. It’s not as if you could’ve changed it.”
“I still wanted you to get everything you ever wanted. I had a plan.”
“Was killing Rosalind part of that plan?” Rowan asked.
Jazzy snapped her head in Rowan’s direction, stunned disbelief blanking her features. “How did you know that? I ... didn’t tell anyone that.”
Rowan thought of the photographs she’d snapped and merely shook her head. “Call it a hunch. Once you killed Julia and realized it relieved some of the pressure you were feeling, it probably seemed like a good idea to get rid of Rosalind, too, huh?”
“It wasn’t that, although I’m not going to deny being happier since Julia’s death,” Jazzy replied. “If you know the truth about my father, you probably know the truth about Rosalind, too.”
Realization dawned on Quinn. “She abandoned her children. She basically sold them for her book rights and never looked back.”
“I don’t like it when people don’t take care of their kids,” Jazzy said simply. “That should be mandatory. It’s not a choice.”
“I happen to agree with you.” Quinn’s tone was grave. “That doesn’t mean you can kill someone and get away with it. You’re going to have to pay for what you did to Julia. You know that, right?”
Jazzy shrugged, seemingly unbothered by the turn of events. “At least the truth will come out about who wrote those books when my trial hits, right? I’ll have gotten what I wanted, just in a different way.”
Quinn slowly drew a pair of cuffs out of his back pocket. “I’ll make sure the truth gets out about those books. You have my word on it.”
“That’s the most important thing.” Without complaint, Jazzy lifted her wrists and allowed Quinn to affix the cuffs. “I’m kind of glad you showed up when you did,” she said after a beat. “I wasn’t looking forward to killing your girlfriend. I just didn’t see where I had a choice.”
Quinn searched her face for a hint of the madness he was convinced lurked under the surface. All he found was a young woman who wanted to protect the lifelong companion who was so much more than a best friend.
“If you touched her, I would’ve killed you. I guess that means I’m glad I showed up when I did, too.”
“Some things are meant to be.” Jazzy’s smile was sad and whimsical. “Don’t forget your promise. Make sure the word gets out.”
“I always keep my promises.”
“Good. That’s really good.”
20
Twenty
Jazzy didn’t put up a fight, not even when Quinn locked her in one of the minimalistic cells on the detention level. He made sure she was comfortable, supplied her with an extra blanket and pillow, and then looked the other way when Lila wanted to sit outside and talk to the friend who was suddenly her sister.
Quinn instructed his men to keep clear of the conversation as long as Lila didn’t get in the way. She obviously had a lot of questions, and Jazzy was the only one who could answer them. The two women spent the next two days talking nonstop, and Lila promised to stand by Jazzy when they hit the mainland and she was transferred into police custody.
Rowan spent those two days with her father. They talked about old times, reminisced, but chatter about what was to come was held at bay. Neither of them wanted to push the issue, so they simply pretended they weren’t working under the threat of a ticking clock.
Quinn didn’t understand it, but he didn’t insert himself into the conversation either.
Finally, on the last day, Paul was ready to discuss what was to come. He met Rowan and Quinn at the tiki bar, and the trio secluded themselves in the corner for a very important conversation.
“What’s the buzz with the other authors?” Quinn asked, his fingers rubbing light circles over Rowan’s back as he sipped his iced tea. “Was everyone surprised Julia didn’t write her own books?”
“There had always been whispers,” Paul replied. “I never heard them, but I’m not exactly in the inner circle. Apparently very few people were surprised, but Roxanne and Rosalind are very excited to have the Grand Dames to themselves. Rosalind is talking about instituting an ethics evaluation for group membership going forward.”
Quinn’s smile slipped. “From the woman who sold her children to keep her book royalties? I think that’s pretty rich.”
“Yes, well, word of that has spread, too.” Paul’s lips curved. “I’m not sure how it happened, but somehow Toby Keane found out the truth and he’s been telling anyone who will listen. He’s always hated Rosalind.”
Speculative, Quinn arched an eyebrow. “Are you the one who told him?”
“I can’t recall.” Paul absently rubbed his chin. “If I did, I don’t remember. I guess it doesn’t matter, though.”
“No, I guess not,” Quinn agreed. “How is Rosalind taking it now that her secret is making the rounds?”
“Not good. She’s been holed up in her room for the past twenty-four hours. She’s livid. She tried denying it at first, but apparently she tripped over her own lie and everyone knows. More people are talking about what she’s done than Jazzy being a murderer.”
“Jazzy was ... messed up,” Rowan interjected, tracing the ring of condensation her glass left on the table as she spoke. “She didn’t set out to be a murderer.”
“That doesn’t make what she did okay,” Quinn countered. “Julia didn’t have to die. She might’ve been a terrible person, but that doesn’t mean she deserved wha
t happened.”
“I didn’t say she deserved it. Jazzy snapped, though. I’m starting to think she’s a little mentally unbalanced.”
“I believe that, too,” Quinn admitted. “I’m sure that will factor into her sentence when it comes time. I wouldn’t at all be surprised if she ended up in a hospital rather than a prison.”
“Would Lila be able to visit her there?”
Quinn nodded. “I think, despite everything, Lila and Jazzy are going to remain close. What happens with Jazzy’s father is anyone’s guess, but he’s been notified. Jazzy asked me to make the call. He’ll be waiting at port when we land. Apparently he’s already retained a lawyer.”
“I guess that’s to be expected,” Rowan mused, shaking her head. “Ah, well. It’s incredibly sad. I think most people believe money fixes everything. That’s very rarely the case.”
“Definitely not,” Quinn agreed. “There is no such thing as a perfect life.”
The small group lapsed into amiable silence, the only sound that of busy straws. Finally, Paul cleared his throat and drew two sets of curious eyes in his direction.
“I’ve made a decision.” His voice was quiet, but solid.
“Oh, yeah?” Quinn did his best to appear calm, but he tightened his grip on Rowan’s shoulder as a way to show his support. He had every intention of being there for her no matter what. He hoped Paul would make the right decision, but if he didn’t, Quinn would help Rowan pick up the pieces.
“Nick has managed to acquire a condominium with his corporate account,” Paul said. “It’s not far from where you dock. We’re going to be staying there together for the next couple weeks.”
Hope grew like a balloon in Rowan’s chest. “Really?” It was more than she dared to hope for. “Does that mean you’re going to help us work through this?”
“That means that I’m tired of living in the shadows, too,” Paul replied, choosing his words carefully. “When I first arrived, I had every intention of convincing you to come with me, Rowan. I wanted to get you away from this place, keep you safe.
Farewell Seas Page 19
