Pretty Guilty Women

by Gina LaManna

  “Shut up,” Kate growled. “Emma is my daughter. Plain and simple.”

  “Exactly.” Sydney looked oddly appeased. “You and I understand each other. We’re more alike than you know, Kate. Which is why you sent us the money. You knew I couldn’t let him raise her, just as much as I did. Henry was a murderer.”

  “Why didn’t you go to the police?”

  “I did,” she said. “But what right did I have to the baby? I was just the nanny, and there was no one else coming for Lydia. The police hadn’t found Henry guilty of killing his wife at the time, so why would they take his child away?”

  “We all wondered if this was your end goal from the very beginning.”

  “I swear to you, Kate,” Sydney said. “I wish Carolyn were still alive. I didn’t kill her, and if you think I did, then you’re as bad as the police.”

  “I sent you money.”

  “Take your damn money back!” Sydney flew to her feet and stared at Kate. “Is this some sort of blackmail? I’m telling you the truth. I can’t afford to pay it all back, but I will. And I’ll go on the run again if I have to—Carolyn and I have survived worse.”

  “Going on the run last time didn’t work out very well,” Kate said. “Henry found you quite easily.”

  “I didn’t think he’d paid me all that much attention,” Sydney murmured. “I was the lowly help, the nanny, his staff. They paid me in cash; I wasn’t even sure he knew my last name.”

  “How does a member of the Banks family end up working as ‘lowly help,’ as you put it?”

  Sydney’s lips drew into a thin line. “I’m a Banks only by name. My parents were estranged from the family. They were cut off financially and socially. I was shocked when Arthur’s mother reached out after their death—she’s the only one I’d spoken to in years.”

  “Well, Henry found you anyway. Discovered your real name, I’m guessing, and then a quick Google search would’ve turned up the DeBleu/Banks wedding. He probably didn’t realize you were estranged from your family when he followed you there.”

  “It’s possible,” Sydney said. “Or he could have followed my trail. I didn’t exactly get the opportunity to ask him. After Lydia and I left, we drove down to Chicago and stayed there for a while. It was one of the closest metropolitan areas large enough for us to disappear into the crowds.”

  “I see.”

  “As we know from Emily, she and Henry shared a flight out to California,” Sydney said. “Which means he must have followed us to the motel where we’d camped out in Chicago and talked to people there. I’d told one woman we were headed out west to see family. From there, it would’ve been easy to find the resort details online, as you so kindly pointed out.”

  Kate gritted her teeth. “How do I know you’re not lying this time too?”

  “Trust me,” Sydney whispered. “You’re a woman, a mother now. You have to understand. The night I took Lydia, he almost killed me. I didn’t hear him come home. I was supposed to hear him—the fifth step squeaks, the seventh step sighs. I never heard the sigh.”

  “What do you mean, he tried to kill you?”

  “I was upstairs in the nursery, singing to Lydia, when he saw me. He had a gun, and I just kept singing, trying to keep him even tempered. I remember the very lyrics. ‘Hush, little baby, don’t say a word,’” she sung softly, “‘Mama’s gonna buy you a mockingbird…’”

  An eerie chill settled on Kate’s shoulders. “Why that song? You weren’t her mother then.”

  “No, it was just a song then, but I am her only hope now.” Sydney’s feet seemed planted a little firmer, and a steely resolve developed in her eyes. “Carolyn belongs to me. She’s mine. I love her, just as you love your baby girl.”

  “How’d you get away?” Kate asked. “You expect me to believe that you escaped from a confrontation with a man double your weight and armed with a gun? And still managed to kidnap his child?”

  “Of course not,” Sydney said. “I put the baby back in the crib and managed to talk Henry down from the ledge. He’s cocky and mean, but he’s not stupid. Two mysterious deaths in his house within a month? It wouldn’t look good for him. Even if he managed to kill me and hide my body, someone would have reported me missing. The police might have been inspired to reopen Carolyn’s file, and I assured Henry that he didn’t want any such thing to happen because of what they’d find.”

  “And he believed you?”

  “It’s the truth,” she said bitterly. “We both knew it. But it wasn’t as if I could report the incident to the police. They would’ve seen what you see now—a nanny trying to kidnap a child she has no legal claim over. They wouldn’t have understood.”

  “I’m not yet convinced that he was wrong. You told me you had a husband. You stole someone else’s life story and used it for yourself.” Kate stood, towered over Sydney. She hadn’t taken her scuffed shoes off when she entered the apartment, and as she stepped forward, her heels depressed into the tattered carpet. “You showed me a book of photos, of your battered body. You had this whole sorry story, this whole life that was a lie. How you met your husband and why you separated. That is…quite bizarre, and you’ll have to excuse me if I’m somewhat skeptical of your claims to be entirely sane.”

  “The photos were of Carolyn. I already told you that!” Sydney took another step backward, her hand clutching for the countertop. “I was helping her gather evidence to go to the police all through her pregnancy. We thought she’d be safe when the baby was born, but that didn’t stop Henry. So, yes, when she died, and Lydia and I went on the run, I used Carolyn’s story as my own. It’s her truth. In a strange way, I think Carolyn would have wanted me to have that safety net.”

  “How do I know you didn’t kill her?” Kate stood taller, trembling. “How do I know we didn’t murder an innocent man, the father of Lydia, because you’re a psychopath trying to live someone else’s life in your own twisted fantasy?”

  Sydney went very, very quiet. Absolutely still.

  Eventually, without saying a word, she stood and strode toward the closet.

  Kate watched her warily, her hand reaching for the pepper spray in her clutch. She didn’t need it, however, for the only thing Sydney retrieved from the neat, overstuffed storage space was a photo album.

  Sydney set it on the couch, flipped to the very back where there was a photo of her and another woman. The other woman sat upward in a hospital bed, her arms wrapped around a teensy little girl, freshly swaddled in hospital blankets.

  Kate found her throat clogging with emotion at the sight of the young mother next to Sydney, that look of wondrous love—of utter, complete amazement—as she stared down at her brand-new daughter.

  Kate knew, as only mothers can know, the unquantifiable amount of joy she was experiencing in that moment. The way her heart strained and burst with it all, expanded greater than ever before. Impossible to shrink back.

  It’s no wonder Emily had been in such pain, Kate thought. Her heart had stretched three sizes too big, and then been ripped apart, her love left to droop in the knowledge of what might have been. What could have been. What if…

  “That’s Carolyn?” Kate asked before the lump in her throat grew larger. “And Lydia?”

  Sydney nodded. “I found this photo the day after Carolyn died. It was in an envelope with my name written on it—in the cleaning cupboard—where Henry would never have gone.”

  Kate watched as Sydney flipped the card over and found a note on the back.

  Sydney, it said. If you’re reading this, then I’m probably dead. I’d like you to take Lydia. To someplace with palm trees or igloos, it doesn’t matter. Keep her away from him.

  “I made her a promise,” Sydney said. “She was preparing to leave him, as soon as Lydia was old enough. So, after I left his house that night—promising to move far, far away—I waited. It didn’t take long. After all, He
nry needed to return to work. He needed child care. He tried to be cautious, to warn the day care center, but what were they supposed to do? I am Lydia’s mother. I simply picked her up from day care—”

  “You weren’t her mother! You kidnapped her,” Kate corrected. “They wouldn’t have let you take her freely. Especially not if they’d been warned.”

  Sydney didn’t argue. “What would you have done in my shoes, Kate? What if it were your daughter?”

  Kate gave a shake of her head, bit her lip. She thoughtfully tapped the photograph against her open palm. “How do I know you didn’t make this up? Write a little note on the back to explain your whole sordid story?”

  A wail sounded in the next room. Sydney flicked a glance over her shoulder, attuned to the child in a natural, instinctive way. “If you don’t trust me by now, then you probably never will,” she said, standing, leading Kate to the front door. “There’s nothing else I can say to convince you. So, Kate, I guess the next step is up to you.”

  Kate waited in the doorway while Sydney moved to grab the child—her child—from the other room. The pair returned, Lydia looking ruffled and sweet after a nap, her cheeks flushed a pretty pink and her hair a staticky blond mess. As the toddler rested her head on Sydney’s shoulder and nuzzled in closer, a pacifier tucked between pouted lips, Kate’s heart pounded with the weight of her decision.

  She studied Lydia.

  She studied Sydney.

  Abruptly, Kate turned on her scuffed heels and strode away from the apartment. This time, she didn’t look back. And she knew, in her heart, she never would.

  Reading Group Guide

  1. Lulu, Ginger, Kate, and Emily all have their different situations and secrets. Which woman did you enjoy reading the most? Who do you think you’re the most like? Why?

  2. What do the four women—Lulu, Ginger, Kate, and Emily—all have in common? What are some of their core differences?

  3. Do you think Ginger handles the situation with Elsie and the condoms well? If you were in her shoes, what would you have done differently? Why do you think Elsie reacts the way she does?

  4. Lulu begins to wonder if her marriage to Pierce is about to fall apart, so she calls on her ex-husband Anderson to ask why her relationships fail. Imagine being in Lulu’s situation. Would you ever call an ex for this? Have you remained close to an ex before? What was that relationship like?

  5. Describe the events that led to Ginger and Emily’s feud. Do you think Ginger’s reaction to seeing Emily after all these years was warranted? If you were Emily, how would you have responded in that situation?

  6. What are some of the triggers Emily faces at the resort? Why does she begin to break down?

  7. Why does Kate feel the need to help Sydney? What are some of the parallels between the two? What about between Emily and Sydney?

  8. Describe the relationship each woman has with children and parenthood. How is that theme woven throughout the story?

  9. Why do you think Elsie is able to open up to Kate? Did you ever have an adult or older confidant when you were that age?

  10. How do all the women end up on the patio the night of the rehearsal dinner? Why do you think they all claim to be guilty? Who is actually guilty?

  11. What happens to the women after the wedding ends? Why do you think Kate tracks down Sydney one last time? If you were Kate, would you believe Sydney’s story?

  A Conversation with the Author

  What inspired you to write Pretty Guilty Women?

  Pretty Guilty Women started with one big question: Why would four very different women all confess to the same crime? The idea simmered in the back of my mind for months as I wondered what sort of women might be involved in such a bizarre scenario. How did they meet? What brought them together? Who was truly guilty? Eventually, I put pen to paper and wrote Pretty Guilty Women in search of the answers.

  Which of the four—Lulu, Ginger, Kate, and Emily—did you enjoy writing the most? Which was most challenging?

  For me, each character was both a joy and a challenge to write. I’m positive there are tiny parts of myself in each of the women—some more than others. Lulu was fun to write because she has such charisma. I love that she knows exactly who she is, and I admire the way she has aged with grace and confidence and a good bit of humor!

  At times, Emily was challenging to write because her story is so raw. She grapples with huge, dark issues, and while I haven’t experienced everything she’s gone through personally, I truly tried to put myself in her shoes and imagine what she was experiencing. She believes she is weak and vulnerable, but despite her flaws, there is a strength inside of her that she is struggling to recover. I hated that she’d been through such hardships, but I was hopeful she would find the light at the end of the tunnel.

  How did you map out all the twists and turns that happen throughout the story?

  Lots and lots of editing!

  While the bit about editing is true, I also focused on the four women as individuals first. I spent a lot of time thinking about who they were—their secrets, desires, and dirty little truths. Then I wove each story together until all four narratives overlapped as one.

  Finally, I worked with my brilliant team of editors and agents to truly dig deep into the women’s relationships, teasing out their individual motivations and exploring their strengths and weaknesses.

  What does your writing process look like?

  There’s rarely a “regular” day for me when it comes to writing. My process morphs and changes all the time—some days I stay up late, working until four o’clock in the morning. Other times, I’m at my computer by 6:00 a.m. As for my actual writing process, I prefer to plot and brainstorm by hand, so when I’m starting a book, I will go to a coffee shop, put on some headphones, and write in a notebook for hours. When I get stuck on a scene, I take a long walk outside to clear my head. I don’t write every day, but once I begin a project, I try to work on it until I reach The End!

  If you had one piece of advice for prospective suspense writers, what would it be?

  Write! Sitting down and writing is the absolute best way to practice the craft (in addition to reading a wide variety of books). I have always wanted to write suspense, and it took me more than thirty books before I felt confident enough to pen Pretty Guilty Women. My college degree is in mathematics and actuarial science, and I have no formal training in writing; however, I have always had a deep love of reading and a passion for telling stories. In my early twenties, I figured out that writing novels was my dream career. It took many years to make that dream a reality, but it has all been worth it a million times over.

  The bond between mother and child is a central theme throughout the story. Are you a mother yourself?

  I am! Or, I will be by the time Pretty Guilty Women hits bookshelves. At the moment, Baby LaManna is due any day, and my husband and I are thrilled to be welcoming a new member into our family. While I don’t have as much experience (yet) in motherhood as Ginger, I’m looking forward to the journey!

  At the same time, I’m very close with my own parents, which made the mother/daughter dynamic between Elsie and Ginger especially fun to explore. Teenage years can be a roller coaster, but if you can make it out the other side, that bond can be something very special.

  Why did you decide to set a fast-paced suspense story at a beautiful wedding resort?

  In a way, I think the beautiful wedding resort fits the theme of Pretty Guilty Women perfectly. The idea that things aren’t always what they seem is prevalent throughout the story. Kate in particular spends a significant amount of time wondering if this glitzy, glamorous wedding is really going to make Whitney and Arthur’s marriage last. Are looks everything they’re cracked up to be? Sometimes, it seems, the most beautiful people and the most beautiful places house the darkest secrets.

  If you had to be best friends with one of the wo
men in the novel, which would you choose, and why?

  Lulu! She’s got wisdom to spare (along with ex-husbands), and I’d love to spend a day at her place in South Carolina sipping sweet tea and hearing her stories. She’s lived a most unique life, and I would love to be able to pick up the phone and call her for advice.

  When you’re not writing, what can you often be found doing?

  If it’s summer, you will definitely find me outside! My family lives in Minnesota, so we try to take advantage of every day that’s above freezing. I love to garden and go for long walks in the sun, head to my parents’ house for a barbecue, or hit the lakes on a windsurfer or a kayak. I’m also a coffee fanatic and adore sampling local diners and coffee shops with my husband. This summer, we’ve got a baby arriving, so I’ll be adding a stroller to my walks outside!

  Are you working on anything new?

  I’m always working on something new! I have another suspense book in progress. More news to come on this soon. It is in the same vein as Pretty Guilty Women and tackles complicated themes, along with a hefty dose of suspense. Taking place within the darker realms of Hollywood, this project explores the concept of reaching for the stars—and how sometimes our greatest dreams can be our greatest downfall.

  To see more of my books, please visit ginalamanna.com, where you can find a complete reading guide. Register for my newsletter to stay up-to-date on new releases, special sales, and other big announcements. You can also connect with me on Facebook or Instagram, where I post frequently and love to chat with readers!

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you to all my publishers and editors around the world for bringing this story to life. In particular, I am so grateful to the talented people at Sourcebooks and Little, Brown and Company, with special thanks to the incredible Shana Drehs and Lucy Dauman. Your excitement for this project has been contagious from the start!