Becca think! This is your one chance to finally stand up to Stefan. Are you really going to blow it cowering in a corner while he smugly sits there in complete control of the situation?
In complete control of YOU?
I straightened my back. Absolutely not. If I had to go down, I was going to go down fighting. I quickly ran through the conversation, trying to see if there was something, anything, I could use against him.
I was starting to despair when Stefan’s words floated through my head. I don’t know what you’re telling your cop boyfriend. Why would he bring that up? Why would he care what I was telling him? It wasn’t much, but at this point I was pretty desperate.
“What do you mean my ‘cop boyfriend’?” I asked. “If you’re talking about Daniel, he’s not my boyfriend. What does he have to do with anything?”
Stefan picked up the cell phone. “Don’t act so innocent. You know he’s investigating me.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Why the hell should I know? Probably because you’re screwing him.”
I shook my head. “Why do you care if he investigates you or not? If it’s true that I have lost my mind, then why do you care what he does?”
Stefan didn’t say anything. He didn’t move, except for that twitch above his eye.
I sucked in my breath and stepped forward. “You do have something to hide. You bastard. What is Daniel going to find? What is it?” I put my hands on his desk and leaned over it. “You and I both know what happened that night. You had the knife, not me. I didn’t attack anyone, and I certainly didn’t try and commit suicide. Why are you lying about it? Why are you doing this to me? Why are you trying to make me think I’m losing my mind?”
He glared at me and jerked backwards. “You went crazy all on your own, just like you did fifteen years ago. It has nothing to do with me.” Although he sounded sure of himself, he couldn’t meet my eyes. Instead, he seemed to be focusing on my shoulder.
I gave him a slow smile and started shaking my head. “No.”
He looked startled. “No?”
“No. I’m not crazy. I didn’t go crazy fifteen years ago and I didn’t go crazy now. You’re hiding something. I wonder what it is.”
Rage suddenly contorted his face. “Tell that to the courts. I have documents that prove you’re insane. And if you think anyone is going to believe you, you’re even crazier than I thought. Now, if you’ll excuse me, this conversation is over. I’m calling the cops.”
“No,” I said, taking a swipe at his phone. But he was too fast, jumping to his feet and backing away from me. He pressed the phone to his ear, his eyes never leaving mine. “Hello? Yes, I’d like to report a break-in. Rebecca McMurray is here. Send the cops. Yes, I think she is dangerous. Please hurry.” He ended the call and smiled. A cold, empty smile. “As I said, this will be all over soon.” His eyes shifted, focusing on something behind me. “Chrissy. You may want to say goodbye to your stepmother. I doubt you’ll be seeing her again after this.”
I whirled around. Chrissy stood by the door. She looked absolutely dreadful. Her hair hung in greasy strands around her pale, pinched face. She wore her normal sleep shirt and shorts, but they were stained and wrinkled. Idly, I wondered when she had last bathed, or eaten a decent meal. Her sleep outfit hung loosely on her, like she’d lost weight. There was a shiftiness in her eyes that reminded me of a starving, feral cat.
I took a step toward her. “Chrissy? Are you okay?”
Chrissy’s dark eyes stared at me listlessly, like she didn’t even recognize who I was. I spun back to Stefan. “What the hell did you do to your daughter? What is wrong with her?”
Stefan started shuffling papers on her desk. “There’s nothing wrong with her. Quit trying to take the focus off of you.”
I turned back to Chrissy, and took a few steps toward her. Her dark eyes, so huge in her face, just stared at me. “Chrissy, it’s okay. You can tell me what’s going on. I’ll believe you.” Oh God, I thought. I’m too late. My worst fears had come true—whatever was going on between Mad Martha and Nellie had erupted and shredded Chrissy’s psyche in the process. I mentally kicked myself. Why did I let myself stay so long in the hospital? I should have broken out sooner. For her.
Stefan pushed me aside as he headed to the door. “Better enjoy your freedom while you can.” He brushed by Chrissy, who didn’t move.
I reached out and lightly touched her face, her dark eyes never leaving mine, before I rushed after him. “Stefan, what is wrong with you? Can’t you see there is something seriously wrong with your daughter?”
“You’re just trying to save yourself from going back to the mental hospital,” he said over his shoulder as he headed down the stairs.
“This isn’t about me,” I yelled, running after him. “It’s about Chrissy. She needs help.”
“She’s fine,” Stefan said, as he reached the bottom of the staircase and strode over to the front door, flinging it open. “She’s here, Officers.”
Two cops I didn’t recognize stepped inside. Stefan pointed to me, huddled halfway down the staircase. “There she is.”
I pressed my back against the wall. Trapped. Now what? One of the cops slowly came toward me. “Ma’am. You’re going to need to come with us. Would you come down the stairs?”
I shook my head. “You don’t understand,” I said. “There’s something wrong with my stepdaughter. That’s why I’m here.”
“More of your delusions,” Stefan snapped. “She tried to kill Chrissy again, Officers. My daughter is not safe with her in this house.”
“No. That’s not true,” I said, as one of the officers reached up to grab my arm. He jerked it so roughly, I thought he was going to pull it out of my socket. I let out a little scream, partly from pain and partly from frustration, as he began hauling me down the stairs. “Officers, please. Just look at Chrissy. She needs help. I didn’t touch her. I would never hurt her.”
“Ma’am, it would be better if you didn’t struggle,” the officer said, as I broke free and tried to run. He tackled me from behind and pressed me against the floor. I could feel my cell phone digging painfully into my thigh, and my eyes filled with tears, wondering if Daphne could hear everything that was happening. I should have listened to you, Daphne. I sent her the message mentally, as the cop yanked my hands behind me to handcuff me. I gasped as pain shot through my shoulder. They hauled me to my feet, as I continued to struggle. My eyes focused on Chrissy standing on the stairs, looking like a ghost herself.
I blinked the tears out of my eyes. “Chrissy,” I begged. “Tell them the truth. I would never hurt you. You know I wouldn’t.”
“Will you never stop? Officers, get her out of here. Can you see how much she’s traumatized my daughter?”
“Chrissy, please,” I begged. My voice broke. I knew it was all over, that I would never get out of the mental hospital, but in that moment, what I needed was to hear the truth from Chrissy’s mouth.
Chrissy just stared at me, with those empty, dark eyes.
I could feel the tears start to rise up again, and I closed my eyes as the cops dragged me to the door.
“Stop.” It was Chrissy’s voice, the voice of a sixteen-year-old, yet full of power. The cops paused. I opened my eyes.
Stefan stared at his daughter. “Chrissy …” he began.
“I said stop,” she said, and took a step down the stairs. “Becca never attacked me or tried to kill me. She didn’t try to kill my father either. Or herself.”
Stefan’s mouth dropped open. “Chrissy …”
She ignored him and took another step down the stairs. “My dad set this whole thing up. He wanted her to think she was crazy. He even made me help.”
I briefly closed my eyes. Of course he made her help. Suddenly, everything that had happened, all of Chrissy’s wild mood swings and unpredictable actions, ma
de a lot more sense.
I could feel the cops loosen their grip on my arms. Stefan took a step forward. “Chrissy, stop right now.” He turned to the cops, who were suddenly a bit more interested in him. “Look, she’s clearly not herself, after what’s happened tonight. After what her stepmother put her through. She doesn’t know what she’s saying.”
“Oh, but I do, father,” Chrissy said, taking another step down the stairs. “And even more than that, I have proof.”
Stefan gasped. “Proof? What proof?” He started to stride forward to his daughter, but both cops let go of me and grabbed him instead.
Chrissy smiled then, and took another step down the stairs, revealing papers clutched in her hand. “You want Becca’s inheritance. That’s why you did all of this.” She shook her hand at her father, who could only gape at her.
“My inheritance,” I broke in, completely puzzled. “What inheritance? I only have a trust fund from my grandparents. I can’t even touch that until I’m fifty-five.”
“Not that inheritance,” Daniel said, stepping through the front door. “The one from your aunt.”
“Aunt Charlie?” I looked wildly between Daniel, Chrissy, and Stefan. “Are you talking about this house? Stefan, you wanted this house so badly, you tried to have me committed? And why are you here?” I asked Daniel.
Daniel nodded to Chrissy. “She called me. We’ve been in contact.”
Stefan’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve been talking to the police?” he growled, his voice dangerously quiet. One of the cops holding him tightened his grip.
“She’s a key witness,” Daniel said, stepping in front of Stefan. “And you’re under arrest.”
“Wait,” I said, bewildered, as the two cops took the handcuffs off me and put them on Stefan. “Stefan, I don’t understand. Why did you want this house?”
“He didn’t want the house,” Daniel said. “At least, not just the house. He wanted the trust fund Charlie set up for you.”
“Aunt Charlie set up a trust fund? For me?”
But no one was paying any attention to me anymore. Stefan was glaring at his daughter, his eyes so full of hatred and disgust, she shrank against the wall. I took a step forward to go to her, but Daniel held a hand out. “Not now,” he said gently. “Chrissy needs to come with us. There’re things we need to do. But you’re safe now. You can stay here.”
“But,” I said as the cops dragged Stefan out. I had so many questions, with little hope for answers, at least at that point. Daniel held a hand out to Chrissy, gently coaxing her. Hesitantly, she reached out to take it.
Daniel turned to me. “Get some sleep,” he said softly. “We’ll talk soon.”
I nodded as he started to lead Chrissy to the door, but she paused in front of me.
She lifted her chin, but kept her eyes from meeting mine. “I’m sorry, Becca,” she said weakly.
I took a deep breath. “You saved me, Chrissy. And, in the end, you did the right thing,” I said. “Thank you.” As she turned away, I reached my hand out to stop her. “But why? Why did you turn on your dad?”
She dropped her gaze to the floor and started to walk away from me. I thought she wasn’t going to answer, but then I heard her voice, so soft I almost missed it.
“I drank the tea.”
Chapter 40
I was on my knees, covered in dirt, planting marigolds, when a voice behind me made me jump.
“Looks like you’re getting the garden under control.”
I sat back on my heels and looked up, shielding my eyes from the sun. “You startled me.”
“Sorry.” It was Daniel. I recognized him immediately, even without seeing his face, thanks to the sun in my eyes.
I stood up, my back and knees protesting after being crouched over for so long, and took off my gardening gloves. “Being out here—with the plants and the dirt—has been healing,” I said, putting a hand to my lower back and stretching.
“I can imagine,” he said.
“Can I get you something to drink? Some lemonade? Or maybe iced tea?”
“I can’t stay too long, but a glass of lemonade would definitely hit the spot,” he said. I saw he was wearing his uniform, indicating an official visit.
I led the way to the back porch. I had fixed it up with some new outdoor furniture—a table with an umbrella, and four comfy chairs. The lemonade was already on the table in a glass pitcher, along with a couple of clean glasses.
“Am I interrupting?” Daniel asked, as I filled one of the glasses to hand to him.
I shook my head. “Daphne has been keeping an eye on me. She’s developed a habit of popping in nearly every day. And if she doesn’t come up, then Mia does.” I gestured to the chair and seated myself. “It’s easier if I just plan in advance.”
He nodded and took a sip. “How are you doing?”
I shrugged. “About as well as can be expected, I think.” I decided not to mention I still had trouble sleeping at night, and if I did happen to doze off, I would be tormented with nightmares where Stefan was chasing me around the house with a knife. The doctor—my NEW doctor, NOT Dr. “Just-Call-Me-Pete”—told me they would pass in time. She also had prescribed me some sleeping pills, but I wasn’t ready to use them yet. And even though I had gotten rid of all of Stefan’s clothes and belongings, I still occasionally felt his presence lurking in the house, especially in the dark stillness of night. I wondered if moving to my aunt’s bedroom would stop all of that.
We were silent for a moment. I watched a couple of chickadees land on the birdfeeder.
“It looks like the state of New York is going to extradite Stefan,” Daniel said finally. “The embezzlement charges appear to be a stronger case.”
I made a face. “Of course, embezzling millions from a law firm definitely takes precedence over intentionally driving your wife mad, so you can involuntarily commit her and take her inheritance. Not to mention forcing your sixteen-year-old daughter to take part in it. That makes perfect sense.”
He sighed. “I know it looks bad, but it wasn’t just the law firm. He also stole directly from dozens of wealthy individuals, some of them the firm’s clients. And your case isn’t as rock solid. He never tried to kill you. The evidence we do have makes that clear. And the fact that a side effect of your allergy meds is paranoia … well, it weakens the case even further. Quite honestly, the case against Chrissy is more damning than the case against him. She actually admitted to drugging you on two occasions. Stefan has wisely lawyered up.”
“What about Chrissy’s testimony against him? Doesn’t that count for something?”
Daniel shrugged. “What about it? He’s claiming she’s a confused teenager who was out to get you. And she’s got very little proof backing up her side of the story—not even texts she claimed they exchanged. He must have deleted them off her phone. And your paranoia escalated the situation. His lawyer is arguing that clearly, he never should have left you two alone together for so long, but that’s hardly a crime.”
A sparrow joined the chickadees on the bird feeder, who immediately began squawking at the intruder. The sparrow ignored them. “So, he gets away with it?”
“He’s hardly getting away with anything. If Chrissy hadn’t turned on him, we never would have been able to seize his laptop and personal files. Those records are what’s going to put him away for a long time in New York.”
I watched the birds continue their squabbling by the bird feeder. “Still doesn’t feel … right, somehow. And there’s still so much I don’t know. Like how he was able to get his hands on my medical records from fifteen years ago. Isn’t HIPPA supposed to prevent that?”
“There are a lot of things he shouldn’t have been able to do. How was he able to trick Aunt Charlie’s attorney into thinking he was telling you about your inheritance, when he was really telling that woman who impersonated you?”
“Sabrina.” I spat the name out. “I always knew there was something off with her.”
Daniel half-smiled. “Well, she’s getting her comeuppance now. She’s up to her neck in all of this.”
“I suppose,” I said morosely, playing with my lemonade glass. “I just feel like such a fool. How could I have fallen for all of this?”
Daniel put his glass down and leaned across the table to grasp my hand. “Hey. Look at me.” I reluctantly raised my face. His dark-blue eyes were intense. “Don’t even go there. There are a lot of people to blame for this, starting with that doctor fifteen years ago who suspected you might have had an adverse reaction to your allergy medicine, and didn’t follow through.”
“Well, to be fair, maybe he did tell me in the hospital, and I blocked it out, along with everything else that happened,” I said.
Daniel looked skeptical. “Maybe. But it still feels sloppy to me.”
“And, in New York, I wasn’t on allergy medicine when I met and married Stefan. I didn’t have allergies in New York. How would he know I would have allergies here? And that I would have that reaction to the medicine? Or was that just a lucky break?”
Daniel’s eyes got a little darker. “He knew. Although he shouldn’t have been able to access your medical records. If you hadn’t started taking that brand on your own, Chrissy was supposed to secretly swap it out.”
I closed my eyes. It was worse than I had imagined. How could he have pretended to be in love with me to my face, and plan all of that behind my back? “Did he also know about Mad Martha and Nellie?” My voice sounded strangled.
Daniel paused. “We’re not sure about that, although everyone is assuming that was the case. He had access to the stories about Mad Martha and Nellie, and he was definitely coaching Chrissy to gaslight you. It makes sense that the whole thing was a setup. What other explanation could there be? After all, ghosts don’t exist, right?” He smiled as he said it, but it seemed forced.
Could it all have been an act? I thought of Chrissy’s empty eyes when she was sleepwalking, and the horror on her face when she woke up and I told her she had been sleepwalking. Was she really that good of an actor? I thought of the locket, the journal. Could all of that have been a massive setup designed to play into my fears, just so Stefan could get what he wanted?
Secrets of Redemption Box Set Page 33