by Trisha Grace
But he assured her that Mr. Black had the tip taken care of as well.
Judging from how brightly Amos was smiling when he told her that, she assumed Liam was a good tipper.
Adjusting the grip on her flowers, she joined Judith and Priscilla outside.
“So, where are we going?” Helena asked.
“Helena and I will follow. I drove.”
Priscilla dropped her phone into her bag. “I just sent you the address.”
Judith dug into her purple tote. “Hang on.” She patted down her jeans pockets. “I think I left my phone in the restaurant. You two go ahead. I’ll meet you there.”
Helena followed. “It’s okay. I’ll go—”
Judith waved it off. “Don’t worry about it. You go with her.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.” Judith hurried back to the restaurant.
“This way.” Priscilla cocked her head to the side. “What happened to your car anyway?”
“Oh, I didn’t have it with me, so I took an Uber.”
Cassian had offered to drop her off, but she’d rather the brothers stayed with Liam. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him, but she worried about him as he did about her.
Priscilla shrugged and strode ahead. “What are you and Judith working on?”
“A game.” She laughed when Priscilla shot her a what-else look. Still, Helena wasn’t sure if she should say anything. She didn’t think Priscilla would steal Judith’s idea, but it was Judith’s idea. Helena didn’t really want to talk about it. “I’m not all that sure about the details. I just draw what she wants me to.”
“I’m thinking about quitting.”
“You should.” Helena shifted the strap of her bag. She had once walked in on Priscilla being harassed by one of the male game developers. She wasn’t sure how frequent a thing it was, but the guy had his hands up Priscilla’s sweater while she was trying to slap them away.
Helena had shouted at the guy and threatened to call the cops. The idiot brushed it off as a misunderstanding and strode off. She had asked Priscilla if it had happened before, but her friend was so busy sobbing she couldn’t answer.
Helena didn’t push. When she spoke to Priscilla about quitting, all her friend said was she couldn’t. She needed the job. “Have you got an offer elsewhere?”
“No.” Priscilla’s black sedan beeped, and she opened the door. “But I can’t work there anymore.”
Helena got in after Priscilla.
“You can’t trust men, Helena.”
“Not everyone is like that.” Even Bobby—who could be so cruel—had never tried anything with her.
“Not everyone? You think Ronald, looking all decent and sweet, is a nice person? Do you know what incels are? Do you know he’s an active member on those incel chats and forums?”
“I know.” She looked over at Priscilla. “How did you know?”
“He talks about it. He doesn’t bother hiding it, except in front of you, of course.”
Helena chewed on her lips for a moment. “Priscilla, did they hurt you?”
Her friend didn’t answer. Her only reaction was the tightening of her fingers around the steering wheel.
“You should report it to the police.”
“It would be my word against theirs.”
“Theirs? More than one of them made a move on you?”
“Made a move,” she scoffed.
“Priscilla, you—”
“Do you know why they targeted me?”
She shook her head. She had assumed that they targeted every woman. They made her really uncomfortable too. Lewd jokes. Eyeing her whenever she walked past. She’d been so annoyed she complained to Nigel about it.
But after a while, they stopped. Maybe because she tried her best to keep her distance. Maybe because they thought Ronald was interested and they were respecting him. Who knew?
“They targeted me because I’m not interested in men,” Priscilla said. “They said they could change my mind, all I needed was a good … you know.”
Helena’s jaw dropped. She didn’t know what to say. “I’m sorry, Priscilla.”
“Men like Liam are the worst.”
“Liam is nothing like them.”
“You think? You think because he helped you and wines and dines you that he’s Prince Charming?”
Helena sucked in a breath. This isn’t about Liam. She cracked a smile. “I’m sorry about what happened to you.”
Priscilla turned and smiled at her. “Thank you.”
Helena reached over and gave her shoulder a squeeze. “If you need to talk to someone, I’m here.”
“You’ve been really sweet, and what you did for me …”
“I did what anyone else would.”
Priscilla’s eyes reddened. “You would think.”
“Do you want to report it? I’ll go with you to the station. I’ll be a witness.”
She shook her head. “Men are all the same.”
“That isn’t true.”
“Why? Because that scarred-up prince of yours is so sweet?” Priscilla’s gaze dropped to the flowers, and her lips twisted into an ugly scowl.
Helena blinked. Scarred-up prince. “I didn’t mention that he has a scar.” She reached into her bag, searching for her phone.
Priscilla reached into her bag too, and the thought flashed through Helena’s mind that she might pull out a gun. Instead Priscilla took out Helena’s phone. “Looking for this?” She rolled down the window and threw Helena’s phone out. “You’re mine, Helena.”
Liam clutched the phone in his hand after yet another call failed to go through. “Something’s wrong.” He exhaled slowly through his nose as he tried to calm down.
Losing it right now wasn’t going to help Helena.
“Judith, that’s the friend Helena met at the hotel, right?” Killian asked.
Liam nodded. He rubbed a hand over his mouth. “She knew Helena was with me at the mansion. She wants to move in with Helena.”
He swallowed a curse. He shouldn’t have let her go out today. He should have made sure it was completely safe instead of assuming the stalker was a man.
Killian strode over to Ronald. “GS Inc. logs all of their computer activity, right?” He pushed the office chair Ronald was on to a nearby laptop. “Open the file.”
Liam shook his head. “Judith hasn’t been working here for a while. She has all the time in the world.”
Trevor directed Ronald’s attention to the laptop. “Open the file.” He looked over at Liam. “No more assumptions.”
“Here.” Ronald turned the laptop toward Killian when he was done.
Liam pointed at him. “Give me Judith’s number. Now.”
Ronald took out his phone, fumbling with it. But he had the number on the screen by the time Liam got to him.
Liam called the number. It went through, but the call went unanswered. He tried again.
On the third try, Judith answered it. “Hello?”
“Judith?”
“Yes. Who’s this?”
“Where’s Helena?” he barked into the phone.
“Helena? Who—Liam?”
“Where’s Helena?”
“She’s with Priscilla. We’re going to get dessert. Why are you calling me?”
“Stop playing games, Judith.”
“What games? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Liam released a slow breath through his nose. “Don’t hurt her.”
“Hurt her? Are you okay?”
“Liam.”
He looked over at Killian.
“Priscilla wasn’t here on the days the sketchbook was left and the windows were smashed.”
“Wait,” Judith said on the other end of the line. “You think I’m the stalker? I can’t draw to save my life. Why do you think I needed Helena’s help in the first place? I’m a game developer. I’m good at writing code.”
“Where’s Priscilla right now?”
“I don’t kno
w. My phone went missing so I came back to the restaurant. The manager just found it in the bathroom. I didn’t even go to the … Priscilla and Helena did. Hang on.” There was some noise for the next few moments. “I don’t see them.” Judith panted. “Oh, my God. Did I just send my best friend away with her stalker?”
Liam cursed and almost threw his phone against the wall.
“Didn’t find what you need?”
Everyone turned at the voice.
Edward Eolenfeld trotted into the office with a wooden walking stick. “I thought I’d come join in on the fun.”
“This isn’t a game, old man,” Cassian said and moved away from Edward Eolenfeld when he drew closer, as if the old man was a plague carrier.
Edward’s gaze scanned the faces of his brothers, and there seemed to be a flicker of recognition.
“Yes,” Elias said. “We’re the illegitimate Eolenfelds. I’m sure there are more out there. We’re just all sired by Frederick Eolenfeld.”
Edward Eolenfeld sat when his chauffeur and all-around assistant, David, pulled out a chair for him. “Where’s Helena? I thought I’d drop by to see her.”
“She’s missing.” And Liam didn’t have time to deal with him.
“Missing?” Edward tapped his walking stick against the carpeted floor. “I thought this was about locating her stalker?”
“I got it wrong, and now she’s with her stalker.”
Edward’s brows twitched. He turned to David. “Call the parasites. Let them know that whoever gives me the lead that helps me find Helena will be guaranteed a place in the will.”
David nodded, then stepped away as he pulled out his phone.
“We’ll know soon enough,” Edward said.
“Why would they know where Helena is?” Liam said.
Edward chest rose slowly. “They’ve been keeping tabs on her since we started getting closer.” He put his other hand over the one on the walking stick. “We’ll find her.”
“Hopefully not too late,” Ronald said, which earned him another hard smack on the head from Elias.
Chapter 25
“You’ve always been sweet, kind of naive.” Priscilla shook her head. “Just because he helped you and you’re suddenly in love with him. All men are the same, Helena. He’s nothing but another scum.”
Stay calm, Helena reminded herself and tried to relax in her seat—or at least pretend to be relaxed. Be brave. “Where are you going?”
“I’m doing this for you.”
“You took Judith’s phone.”
“I didn’t do anything to it. I just put it in the bathroom.”
Helena nodded. “Because you’re not like the men.”
“Yes.” Priscilla was holding the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles were white.
“How did you know I was staying at the mansion?”
Priscilla rolled her eyes. “Bobby Eolenfeld won’t stop following you around. I just needed to follow him to find you.”
“If you are nothing like the men, why did you record me in secret?”
“That was my only way of being close to you. You and Judith were always talking among yourselves and leaving me out.” Priscilla looked over at her. “Do you know how much you hurt me when you do that?”
“I never meant to make you feel left out.”
“I know. I know you’re not like that.”
Helena licked her lips. “Did you post those videos anywhere?”
Priscilla’s eyes widened. “Of course not. I’d never do that to you. They’re—they were—for my eyes only.”
“And the sketches?”
“You don’t like them?”
“You drew me hanging from a noose.”
“I wouldn’t hurt you, Helena.” The muscles along Priscilla’s cheeks twitched. “But sometimes you make me so angry.”
Helena didn’t know what to say. All she knew was that she couldn’t possibly explain to Priscilla how crazy her behavior was. “I understand.”
She didn’t. She really didn’t.
“I’m sorry.” She wasn’t. “I thought my stalker was a man. That was why I was so worried. I had no idea it was you. If I knew, I wouldn’t have minded.”
Priscilla turned, and her skeptical gaze studied Helena for a moment.
“I mean it, Priscilla.” Helena forced herself to put her hand on Priscilla’s arm. “I never realized you were interested in me.”
“I love you, Helena.”
She swallowed. She couldn’t say those words to Priscilla. Besides her family, she’d never said those words to anyone else. Except Liam. “Where are we going now?”
“Well, we can’t go back. I’m sure your Prince Charming has already found out I’m your stalker.”
“So? I don’t care. Even if he comes with the police, I’ll just say it was a misunderstanding. He deleted all the videos, right? The police won’t be able to find anything.”
“The videos.” Priscilla started shaking. “He deleted all my videos. Do you know how long I’ve been collecting them? Do you?” she shouted.
“I’m sorry. We can record new ones.” Helena shook her head. “You don’t have to record anything anymore. You have me. You can see me and talk to me whenever you want.”
“Liar!”
“I’m not like those men, Priscilla.” Swallowing her disgust, Helena ran the tips of her fingers down Priscilla arm. “It’s okay. If you want to go, we’ll go. But we’ll need clothes. We’re about the same size. Let’s go to my place and grab some clothes. Bobby isn’t speaking to me, so he and Nigel won’t be there.”
Hopefully, Aunt Beth would be. If her plane hadn’t been delayed.
“I have money there too. I have a small safe for emergencies, like when I have to bail Nigel and Bobby out of jail.”
Priscilla scowled.
“I won’t ever have to do that again. I’ll be with you. You wouldn’t do that to me, right?”
“Of course not.”
“Then let’s grab the clothes and money and get out of here.”
Priscilla didn’t reply, and Helena was worried her persuasions weren’t working.
“Don’t be like Liam,” she said. “That beast locked me in the bedroom. He refused to let me get any of my own clothes. He insisted I wear his. He insisted I only wear the clothes he bought me. He dictated what I’m allowed or not allowed to wear.”
Helena stewed in the silence while her heart thumped wildly in her chest. It isn’t working. “We’ll be safe. Even if they know who you are, they won’t think you’d take me home. No way will they think you’d care about my comfort. No one will know.”
Except Aunt Beth, she hoped. Please be home, Aunt Beth.
Helena licked her lips and forced herself to shut her mouth. She wanted to beg, but she didn’t want Priscilla to think she was desperate to go home. She didn’t want to raise any suspicions.
“Fine. But we’re not staying long. We grab the clothes and money, then we leave.”
For the rest of the drive, Helena made small talk with Priscilla. Any mention of any other men tended to fan Priscilla’s temper into a rage, so she steered clear of that topic. Instead, she talked about where they could run away to. India, perhaps.
She had no intention of running away, but she wanted to paint a picture of a future with Priscilla. She wanted Priscilla to think she was really considering doing that with her.
Besides, Helena didn’t dare be quiet. She was afraid Priscilla would start thinking through where they were actually going and decide at the last minute that it was a terrible idea.
Helena didn’t have a plan B. This was the only plan.
Even if Liam had found out that Priscilla was her stalker, he wouldn’t know where to find them.
If Priscilla changed her mind, Helena wouldn’t know where they were heading either. Which meant her chances of getting help would only get slimmer. But this, if this worked, she might have Aunt Beth as backup.
And if Aunt Beth wasn’t there, at least Helena would
be in her home territory. She would have some kind of advantage, right?
But her parents didn’t. They were murdered right in their own bedroom.
Helena swallowed. Don’t go there. She couldn’t allow it. She wasn’t that shivering young girl anymore. She could fight this.
Helena’s hands were shaking so badly that she dropped the key twice after getting it out of her bag.
Priscilla took the key from her and ran her hand gently down the side of Helena’s face. “Are you scared of me, Helena?”
Yes.
Liam had tried to intimidate her. He had loomed over her and lied about killing Nigel, but even then, she wasn’t afraid.
She was now.
“Are you?” Priscilla gripped her chin, and Helena swallowed. “I told you, Helena, I’m nothing like those men.”
Helena nodded, then her eyes widened when the door opened.
Priscilla dropped her hand.
“I’m back!” Aunt Beth announced in a sing-song voice as she threw her hands up.
“Aunt Beth! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home?” Helena blurted, and locked panic-stricken eyes with her aunt. They had been co-conspirators when she was younger. They had gotten into trouble and lied through their teeth to her mother.
Aunt Beth blinked once, then smiled brightly. “I wanted to surprise you.” She turned her attention to Priscilla. “Hello.” She extended her hand. “I’m Helena’s favorite aunt.” She waved them in after Priscilla pumped her hand twice. “Come in. Come in. You have to look at the photos I took on this trip.”
“Aunt Beth’s a photographer. She’s traveled the world.”
“Sit. Sit.” Aunt Beth gestured to the couch, then went to kneel by the camera bag next to the humongous worn backpack on the floor. “I’m always telling Helena that she should get out and have some fun.”
Priscilla nudged Helena further into the room and sat right next to her on the couch. She stretched her legs out, probably as an obstacle to make sure Helena couldn’t run.
She couldn’t. Not when Helena would have to jump over Priscilla to get to the door. Not when Aunt Beth was still here.
Priscilla grinned at Aunt Beth and put her hand on Helena’s leg. “We were just talking about going to India.”