by Mia Taylor
“You’re never going to be old,” Ryker reminded her gently. Victoria turned to look at him.
I’m certainly old enough to know better, she thought grimly.
~ ~ ~
Ryker turned on his usual charm, reminiscing with Victoria about galas and vacations they’d experienced together. He reminded her about the places where they had made love and the people they had met.
By the end of the two-and-a-half-hour drive from Manhattan to Sag Harbor, Victoria was laughing and joking back with him.
She’s coming around, he realized with relief. This is not going to be as difficult as I thought.
When the town car pulled up to their house on Sag Harbor Cove, Victoria hurried around to help him with the bags, the two of them struggling up the steep steps of their exclusive cottage toward the main house.
“I’m glad you agreed to come, Toria,” Ryker told her sincerely as they carried the last of the bags into the sprawling house.
“I’m glad you suggested it,” she replied, slipping toward him to put her arms around his neck. For the first time in weeks, the two shared a deep, passionate kiss and Ryker felt a flood of relief flow through him.
Okay, she’s still here. She’s not far away. I just have to do what I do best. Seduce her.
As the two continued their embrace, Ryker’s hands growing more urgent, he slipped her jacket off to the floor and his hands cupped her face.
“Ryker,” she whispered as his mouth made its way down her throat.
“Mm?”
“I want you to cut Evangeline Crowe out of your life completely. I never want to lay eyes on that woman again outside a courtroom.
It was at that moment that Ryker knew for certain that he was in a lot of trouble.
~ ~ ~
The man sat crouched in the depth of his hiding spot behind the thick drapes, waiting quietly. He heard the door open and bided his time, ensuring the couple had made their way fully inside before making his move.
It’s like shooting fish in a barrel, he thought with some regret. He was trained for better than this, but a job was a job and beggars could not be choosers.
He stared at the two as they enveloped each other in a tight embrace, ensuring they were fully engrossed in each other before making his move.
He stepped out quietly and aimed the gun.
All he heard was a blood-curdling scream before he pulled the trigger, the silver bullet flying out into the darkness.
~ ~ ~
“Ryker!”
Victoria shoved his limp body but he did not move. She kicked out at him roughly and he began to stir.
“What?”
“Someone is pounding on the door!”
Slowly, Ryker’s dark blue eyes opened and he stared at his wife.
“What time is it?” he demanded angrily.
“Three o’clock. They aren’t going away, Ryker.”
As if the severity of the situation suddenly hit him, he threw his legs over the side of the bed. Again, a furious thumping on the front door assaulted their ears.
“Stay here!” he ordered his wife but Victoria followed him despite his warning.
He rushed toward the door.
“Who the hell is it?” he yelled. “I’m armed—”
“Ryker Duvall?” a man called back. “It’s New York City police. We need a word, sir.”
Ryker and Victoria exchanged a panicked look.
He peered out the picture window and Victoria caught glimpse of two uniformed officers accompanied by a plain-clothed detective standing on the veranda.
“Open the door!” Victoria urged. “What the hell are you waiting for?”
Reluctantly, he obliged and stared balefully at the officers.
“What is going on?” he demanded. “It’s three o’clock in the morning… oh my God! Is it Mom?”
Victoria rushed toward them, terror striking her heart also as she looked at the officers for confirmation that Lenora Duvall was hurt—or worse.
There’s no way. Nothing will ever keep that woman down.
“No, Senator. It’s not your mother. May we come in?”
Ryker looked relieved and nodded, ushering them inside.
“Is someone hurt? My brother?” Ryker demanded. “Please tell us what’s happening.”
The detective sighed heavily.
“I am Detective Brock,” he announced, showing his badge, but neither Victoria nor Ryker was paying attention to the item as they stared imploringly at him.
“Are you aware that Gerald and Evangeline Mathers have moved across the hall from you?” Detective Brock informed them.
Victoria felt the world begin to crumble onto her head.
Is this a sick joke? Does this ever end?
“No,” Victoria whispered. “Did you know that, Ryker?”
He shifted his gaze downward, shaking his head.
He’s lying, Victoria thought, her heart shattering into a million pieces. He knew. How long has she been there? What is she doing there?
A thousand questions coursed through her but she knew that the police were not knocking down the door of their vacation home to ask if they had brought the Mathers a housewarming gift.
“What happened?” Victoria breathed, realizing this had something to do with the Mathers. The detective sighed deeply and flipped open his notebook, studying the couple.
“Gerald Mathers was shot and killed by his wife earlier this evening. She is incoherent but she mentioned Senator Duvall many times.”
Victoria was finding it difficult to breathe.
“What did she say?” the couple asked in unison. Victoria cast Ryker a look of disgust.
I bet you’re worried about what she has to say.
“She said that you did it.”
Ryker guffawed.
“I thought you just said she shot and killed her husband,” he retorted. “Evangeline has not always been the soundest reasoner.”
“Please forgive the intrusion, but you understand that this must be investigated,” the lead cop said, embarrassed. “She has gunshot residue on her hands and she was lying beside him with the gun in her hand, curled in the fetal position when we arrived. But she kept saying it was you, over and over.”
Victoria turned her head so her expression could not be read.
“Well, we have been here since six o’clock this afternoon. We left the city around three thirty. What time did this happen?” Ryker asked and Victoria was consumed with goosebumps.
His words sound… rehearsed. Like he knew this was coming.
Her head began to spin as she thought of the impromptu trip and how she’d tried to refuse going. It had all been part of his plan!
Oh, Ryker, what did you do?
“Can anyone verify that you were here?” Detective Brock asked, glancing at Victoria. “Mrs. Duvall?”
Victoria felt violated, thinking of how many times they had made love over the past hours. She had been so sure that this would be the step to rekindling their marriage, to forgetting any indiscretions, but here it was again, Evangeline Crowe, back in her face.
For a fleeting moment, Victoria considered denying Ryker’s whereabouts.
He would deserve it. He and Evangeline can rot in prison together. They deserve each other.
But Victoria knew that would only be slipping to his level and she refused to do it. He hadn’t stolen her dignity from her, even if he’d taken everything else.
“We were here,” she confirmed. “We took a car. I’m sure the service will be able to provide you with the name of the driver.”
Detective Brock nodded, jotting down the information he had been given.
“I’m sorry we bothered you folks,” he told them, gesturing for the uniformed officers to leave. “We had to follow up, however.”
“Of course,” Ryker answered almost jovially and Victoria eyed him with disgust.
He may not have been there but he had something to do with this. How did he get Evangeline to shoot her hus
band and why? So they can be together? Did Gerald find out about their affair?
Slowly, Ryker closed the door and the two stared at each other.
“Wow, I had no idea—”
“Shut up, Ryker.” Her voice was like whiplashed lava. “I know you know she moved there. I don’t know why you didn’t bother to tell me.”
“Victoria…”
“Don’t attempt to placate me. I know you had something to do with this,” she hissed and Ryker stared at her in disbelief.
“You know I was here when it happened. She was caught red-handed, Victoria. How can you say that? And why would I want Gerry dead? He was a good man from what I knew about him.”
Victoria had no answer.
She only feared that she would be next.
~ ~ ~
Ryker was enraged.
That fool! That stupid, incompetent idiot! He was supposed to have killed her too. Why didn’t he finish the job?
Ryker reasoned it was his own fault. He had found the man through a friend of a friend and been assured that as a military vet, he knew how to kill accurately and without leaving any evidence in his wake.
He just can’t follow instructions.
It was too late to do anything about it. The damage was done and Evangeline had brought him into the mess, but thankfully, he had a solid alibi between Victoria and the car service.
His phone was ringing.
“Senator Duvall,” he said.
“Ryker!” her voice was so hysterical, he almost did not recognize it in its feverish pitch.
“Evangeline, are you crazy, calling me?” he screamed. “Do not ever contact me again!”
“There was a man there! He shot Gerry and he was going to kill me too!”
“Evangeline, I don’t know what you think you saw or what you think—”
“I’m telling her everything!” Evangeline shrieked. “I know you had something to do with this and I am going to ensure your wife knows exactly the kind of man she married!”
Ryker stared at the phone, his face blood-red with anger.
“I had nothing to do with you killing your husband, Evangeline, but mark my words, if you so much as Google my wife’s name, I will make sure my face is the last one you ever see.”
He ended the call before Evangeline could respond, his pulse erratic.
What the hell am I going to do now?
~ ~ ~
Benjamin’s pulse was also racing.
Word of Evangeline’s arrest had spread like wildfire and he had an overwhelming suspicion that the event had something to do with Ryker Duvall.
He comes here asking me to murder his ex-wife and suddenly his ex-wife is being charged with murdering her husband? Quite the coincidence, isn’t it?
Benjamin gritted his teeth together and picked up his cell. He needed to get in touch with Victoria Duvall.
And say what? Oh, you know how you asked me to look into your husband? Yeah, I think he murdered his ex-wife’s husband. Well, yeah, you know, he came in here last week asking me to murder her too, so…
He placed the phone back on the desk and jumped up.
He needed proof if he was going to accuse Ryker Duvall of such an act.
If he did orchestrate this somehow, what will he do to his wife?
His cell rang in his hand and Benjamin sighed, looking down at the number.
“Hello?”
“What did he do to my daughter?” Samuel Crowe’s voice was hoarse and Benjamin wondered if he had been crying. Benjamin stifled a sigh.
“I don’t know if he did anything, sir,” the investigator replied honestly. “But I—”
“What the hell am I paying you for?” the old lawyer snarled. “My daughter is on the brink of a nervous breakdown because of this man. I hired you to stop him from doing any more damage and you have failed me. You have failed Evangeline.”
Benjamin bit back the urge to inform Sam that his daughter was not exactly an angel either.
He is a man in pain. He is depending on me to stop a sociopath.
“I will call you later today,” Benjamin promised. “I am on my way out to meet with Evangeline right now.”
Samuel grunted.
“I don’t know whose side you’re on, Hamilton,” he growled. “But you better make this right.”
As Benjamin ended the call, he knew whose side he was on—Victoria Duvall’s.
~ ~ ~
Evangeline Crowe-Mathers looked the part of a woman struggling with her sanity as she stared at Benjamin through the glass partition.
“Are you an angel?” she asked in a silly, singsong voice. Benjamin blinked and glanced at the guard, who shrugged and whirled his index finger against his temple.
“Evangeline, how are you feeling?” he asked tenderly. He knew that the woman was not blameless in the scenario, but she was broken and Benjamin wondered how much longer it would be before Ryker Duvall’s beautiful blonde wife looked the same way.
“Ryker did this,” she told him, nodding. A small beguiling smile toyed on her lips and she sat forward.
“I believe you,” he assured her. “But I need you to tell me what happened.”
Shock seemed to settle into Evangeline’s black eyes and her mouth parted.
“You do?” she whispered into the phone and Benjamin nodded.
“I do. But I need you to walk me through everything you remember about that night.”
Evangeline took a deep, shaky breath and laid her head in her arms, cradling the phone against her ear like a sleepy child.
“We had just come home from dinner,” Evangeline remembered. “We walked into the living room and a man came out holding a gun.”
“Where were the boys?” Benjamin asked.
“Out with friends, I think. I can’t remember.”
“Okay, no problem. Then what happened?” Benjamin encouraged, smiling at her warmly.
“I screamed and he shot Gerry before he could move. Twice in the chest.”
“Go on.”
“He ran over to me but I couldn’t stop screaming. He put the gun in my hand and pointed it at Gerry again and fired. He tried to point it at my head but suddenly he just stared at me.”
She lowered her voice dramatically.
“I was so weak. The bullets were made of silver or something. I tried to shift…”
She paused to inhale.
“I begged him to stop. I told him I was a mom and he just kept looking at me like he knew me.”
Benjamin’s ears perked up.
“Did you know him?” he demanded but Evangeline shook her dark hair.
“I don’t think so. He just dropped my hand and ran for the door. I lay there, crying, until Sammy and Ryan came home.”
“When did they come home?” Benjamin asked. She had no answer for him.
“It seemed like hours. The next thing I remember, the police were there and the boys were looking at me like I was a monster for killing Gerry.”
“What did he look like?”
“Who?”
Benjamin stuffed down his annoyance and forced a smile.
“The shooter. Did he look like Ryker?”
She shrugged again.
“He was wearing a balaclava.”
“But why were you so sure it was Ryker?” Benjamin asked, his brow furrowing. He may not be able to make sense of Evangeline’s fuzzy thinking after all.
She might simply be a woman on the edge.
“Because he was worried I would tell Victoria that he was getting ready to leave her for me.”
Benjamin was stunned by the bluntness of the confession.
“Did he tell you that?” Benjamin asked, raising an eyebrow in question.
“He didn’t need to tell me that,” she replied smugly. “I know Ryker better than anyone else in the world.”
It’s going to be difficult distinguishing fact from fantasy here, Benjamin realized.
“Evangeline, this is very important,” the investigator said. “Is there
any chance that the twins saw the man leaving as they were coming home?”
Evangeline seemed to have lost interest in her visitor as she began to look around, her eyes trailing around the ceiling.
“Any idea when Daddy is coming to get me out of here?”
“I’m not sure,” Benjamin replied slowly. There was not a chance in hell that the sultry vixen was leaving the cage where she had been secured, not even with Robert Kardashian as her lawyer.
“Tell him to hurry up,” Evangeline instructed, lumbering to her feet. Suddenly she turned and flashed him a winning smile.
“I remember that the shooter had soft hands. He stroked my cheek. That’s why I thought he was Ryker.”
Benjamin’s blood turned to ice.
“He wasn’t wearing gloves?”
Evangeline snorted.
“It’s not very romantic to touch your lover with gloves on, is it?” she retorted.
Benjamin needed to get his hands on the police report.
Chapter Seventeen
Game Over
“It’s official, Mrs. Duvall,” Gregory told her solemnly. “Someone has been sticking their fingers into your accounts.”
No more bad news, please, no more. I can’t handle it.
“Who and how much?”
The meek accountant sighed and hung his head heavily.
“I would say that seventy percent of the missing money can be accounted for through theft. The other thirty percent was simply mismanagement of funds, overstock, poor accounting.”
“Who stole the money?” Victoria asked again.
“I’m afraid that is not my territory, Mrs. Duvall,” Gregory answered. “I have several forensic accountants I can call in to speak with, however.”
“Do it.”
The words left no room for argument or further discussion. Gregory turned and left Victoria blinking back tears of frustration.
“Tricia, where’s Jade?” she demanded into the intercom.
“I will have her paged, Mrs. Duvall,” the assistant replied monotonously.
“Have her drop whatever she is doing and come in immediately.”
“Yes ma’am.”