Framed: A Psychological Thriller (Boston's Crimes of Passion Book 2)

by Colleen Connally

  Brophy motioned to the officers to wait, and then said to Ashcroft, “Make it brief.”

  Donald nodded to Brophy. He walked over to his wife. “We’re done, Vivian. Done. From this moment, you are cut off…from everything. I’m going to make certain you suffer and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it, you conniving bitch!

  “You unleashed your wrath on us. Now, you will feel the full reach of ours…and it will hurt.”

  Without giving her a chance to respond, Donald turned and walked out.

  Giving him this time had been part of the agreement for Donald’s cooperation in the sting. Surprisingly, Riley was the one to convince her uncle it was in the best interest of the family to help.

  At first hesitant, Ashcroft had asked for a little time before making his decision…Brophy suspected the time it took for the DNA results to come back on Noah.

  When Donald signed off on the operation, the set-up began to take shape. So many loose ends had to be maneuvered around to fit together for this to work.

  Warrants had to be obtained. Darren Kennedy had been assigned to this undertaking. Every detail made to ensure that everything was done legally.

  A policewoman posed as a new hire in the Ashcroft staff and enabled access to everything needed to make the scheme work. Household cameras were linked to IT boys down at Central. Vivian was under twenty-four-hour surveillance.

  Brophy himself had searched Vivian’s car and found the weapon. That’s when Kincaid took over. He had connection to a movie set. Vivian’s gun had been replaced with the function gun, which basically was a realistic toy gun.

  To ensure the safety of Riley, her gun had been replaced with a blank gun without blanks. Kincaid arranged the cameras and monitors—which were much higher quality than what Brophy had access to at the police department.

  The stage was set for the deception. This time, the tables had been turned.

  Vivian was caught in a web she would never be able to untangle herself from. Riley had made certain of that.

  As he watched the scene unfold, he knew with a certainty he rarely felt that Vivian Ashcroft would spend the rest of her life behind bars. A fate worse than death to the woman.

  “I guess it’s like the old German proverb says—revenge converts a little right into a great wrong.”

  Turning around to Cruz, Brophy asked, “Where the hell did you come up with that?”

  “Internet. Just looked it up.” She laughed. “Makes me sound intelligent, doesn’t it?”

  “Yeah, right.”

  She shrugged slightly. “Okay. Okay. Point taken. So how about after you get your paperwork done, you come out with us for drinks?”

  “That may take awhile. Why don’t you let me know where you guys end up and I will meet you.”

  “It’s all good.” Cruz moved closer. “But if you think I’m going to let you pass up the opportunity to celebrate, you’re mistaken. Call me…any time. My mom’s got the boys tonight. The least you can do is come over for a drink.”

  “The least…” Brophy let the word hang. With a smile and a wink, he said, “I’ll be there.”

  Brophy followed the handcuffed suspect out of the house. Darren stood in the doorway.

  Tilting his head back to Cruz, Darren asked, “Things looking up for you?”

  “Yeah,” Brophy said. “I think they are.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  The sun setting over the skyline shadowed the Back Bay townhouse on a beautiful Friday evening in late October. Fall in New England was an anticipated time: the crisp air, the colored trees, the pumpkins on sale at roadside stands.

  A great setting for the story of a lifetime.

  Inside, lights and cameras lit up the Ashcroft living room. In the foyer, an audience watched, mesmerized by the exchange.

  “Final question,” Kincaid asked, lightening the mood. “Where do you go from here?”

  A slight smile emerged on the man’s face. “I don’t know. I have some plans, but I have been advised to take things slowly. Adjusting will take time. Right now, I’m taking it one day at a time and enjoying my family.”

  “Thank you, Harrison Ashcroft, for giving us your time. We wish you the best.”

  Kincaid wrapped up the interview. From the look on Mark’s face, he had nailed it.

  The interview would air nationally tomorrow night. He had finally landed a segment on 48 Hours. It had come with a job opportunity—in New York.

  He rose and shook hands with Harrison. A firm handshake.

  The two men stood in the Ashcroft townhouse. Donald Ashcroft had opened it up for the occasion.

  The last few months had seen many changes in the Ashcroft family. The scandal had humbled the once proud family, no one more than the youngest son of Florence and Witt Ashcroft.

  All his life, he had been in the shadows of his father and brothers, dominated by a crazed wife. He could have become reclusive. He hadn’t.

  Surprisingly, it had been Donald who had reached out to the governor of South Carolina. He requested an immediate pardon for the man who had served thirteen years for a crime his wife and lover had committed.

  Donald had been alongside Riley and Miss Tillie to greet Harrison as the freed man left Lieber Prison less than two weeks after Vivian’s confession. Offering his support, he helped Harrison bring his mother north.

  Quite naturally, Harrison was skeptical. But from what Kincaid had observed, it seemed as if Donald needed Harrison more than Harrison needed him.

  The youngest Ashcroft brother had immediately sought a divorce from the woman he had known as Vivian. He had gotten it, uncontested. Technically, the marriage had been a fraud from the beginning.

  Kincaid supposed that Donald could have sought an annulment, but it would have called into question Noah’s parentage. It was not a step Donald made.

  Noah broke all contact with his mother and stood firmly beside Donald. Something in Kincaid told him, though, that Noah would suffer in the end for his mother’s deeds. Being a true Ashcroft, Donald would never let Noah head WSA.

  Kincaid had heard the kid had changed his major from business to pre-med.

  Walter had taken a plea deal and had begun serving his ten-year sentence in Alderson, a minimum security prison, in West Virginia. A far cry from the prison Harrison had served his time, but Walter had become a shell of a man he once had been.

  Cora had taken Freddy out to Colorado to recover. He had a long road ahead of him, but his odds of having a normal life were improving. Kincaid felt a twinge of sympathy for the guy.

  Reconstructing the events, it now seemed likely that Ellis and Vivian had been the ones to give Freddy the overdose that almost killed him, when he had overheard them talking about killing Riley.

  Nothing that could be proved, only bits and pieces of Freddy remembering. But now Freddy had a fresh start.

  As had Harrison, who had taken the last name Ashcroft after his release. “Dad gave me the adoption papers for my eighteenth birthday. I never officially used it. It was part of the plea deal agreement. Now, I wear it proudly.

  “But let me make it perfectly clear: I wear the name of Jack Ashcroft’s son.”

  The meaning made it clear—it was the man who raised him, not the one who sired him, who was his father.

  Kincaid studied Harrison for a moment. He had kept his head shaved, but for the interview he wore a Brunello Cucinelli sports coat and sweater. Clean-shaven and manicured, he looked every inch an Ashcroft.

  The guy had a hard road in front of him, but something told him that Harrison would make it.

  Kincaid glanced around the room. Riley stood over by Noah, who must have told a joke because she laughed. Her eyes glistened; her face beamed. She looked incredibly lovely in that moment.

  Since Harrison had been released, she had lost her edge. Though he doubted she would ever admit she had softened.

  She caught him staring at her and gestured for him to join them. He moved over to her side, easing his arm about he
r waist.

  “Are you ready to leave?” he asked. “We have a couple of errands to run before dinner.”

  Looking down at her watch, she nodded. “Just give me a minute to get my jacket.”

  “I’ll go get the car. I’ll meet you out front.”

  By the time he pulled up to the entrance of the townhouse, she was waiting. They drove in silence until they hit the rotary in front of Holy Name Church in West Roxbury. She reached over and turned the radio off.

  “I thought the interview went wonderful,” she said.

  “Thank you. Harrison was extremely comfortable in front of the camera. He came across well.”

  “He was nervous, but you would never have known it.”

  “I think he’s going to be okay,” Kincaid agreed.

  She gave a simple nod. Another silence ensued, and then she began, “Clayton is negotiating with my uncles’ attorneys about the settlement of my grandfather’s will. It will be awhile. Dennis is digging into the estate. Clayton said that between Walter losing money and Vivian hiding money, a great deal was lost.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me. Are you okay with it?”

  “I don’t think I can complain. Donald has authorized for twenty million to be transferred to me…” She hesitated. “I’m splitting whatever I get with Harrison.”

  “I think that’s very generous of you.” Glancing over at her, he added, “Not many people would do that.”

  “He is my brother. Coming out of prison, he doesn’t have anything. He is considering suing for wrongful conviction, but hasn’t made his mind whether to or not, yet. Clayton said that Dad included him in his will, but there wasn’t anything left after Walter and…”

  “I know.” He didn’t want to talk about her family tonight. No, not tonight.

  Since the night Vivian confessed, their relationship had been in limbo. She wanted to take a step back to stand on her own two feet. At the time, he understood.

  So much had happened between them. She had been confused and dazed with the news of her parents’ death. Her whole world had been turn upside down.

  Riley had always believed her father had been murdered. But to have believed that her mother had died of natural causes all her life, only to have discovered that Vivian and Ellis had had a hand in her demise, had been devastating to her.

  She needed time to contemplate what she wanted in life. To deal with the reality of what her life had become.

  That time had passed. Three months, seven days to be exact.

  He had been there for her as a friend and confidant. Forcing himself to show restraint, he hadn’t touched her other than a few small kisses that had been more compassionate than passionate. He hadn’t wanted to press her.

  Moreover, they both had been busy. His career had demanded his attention. He had made a name for himself. His mother told him that his grandfather would have been proud. The sentiment meant more than any award or accolades he received.

  For most of the three months, Riley had been in Charleston, taking care of Miss Tillie and Harrison. Having taken a leave from her school, she concentrated on picking up the pieces of a family torn apart.

  Tonight marked an end of sorts. His story was over. The interview would air and he would move on to the next one. But…what he feared was that she would move on as well…without him.

  She sighed. “Where are we going?”

  “You’ll see.”

  Driving along familiar streets, Riley frowned when he turned down her old street. The frown deepened when he pulled into the driveway.

  From the look on her face, she hadn’t expected ever to see the house again.

  “Why are you taking me here?” she asked, doing little to hide her irritation. “This isn’t funny.”

  “It’s not meant to be. For once, trust me.”

  Not waiting for Kincaid to pull to a full stop, she opened her door. He watched her walk up the sidewalk to the front door. She glanced back over her shoulder as he made his way behind her.

  “Go ahead. The door’s open.”

  “What’s going on here, Josh? We can’t just walk into somebody’s house…”

  “We’re not. I’m the one who bought it,” he said bluntly. Rounding her, he turned the handle. Pushing the door open, he stood back. “After you.”

  Looking at him oddly, she stepped inside. Abruptly, she turned. “What’s going on?”

  “Dinner.” He took her hand in his and led her to the kitchen. In the nook, two place settings were out on the table with candles and a bottle of champagne chilling in a bucket. “I have everything prepared. It won’t take long to bake the lasagna. I made it last night.”

  Her hand covered his. He whirled her around into his arms.

  “I don’t understand…you bought this house. Why…?” She choked on her words. Tears welled in her eyes when he dropped to one knee. “Oh, Josh, what are you doing?”

  “Probably making a big fool out of myself, but you see, I know this guy who has done some foolish things in the past, but you weren’t one of them. Matter of fact, you have been the best thing that has ever happened to him and he is totally…madly in love with you.

  “Riley Ashcroft, I love you. Marry me.”

  Her eyes met his and time stilled. Rising, he kissed her. “Marry me.”

  She stared up at him with her large, expressive eyes. “Josh, I don’t…don’t know.”

  “I do,” he said in a low, firm voice. “I know how strongly I feel about you. I’m not going to let anything come between us. I will do whatever I have to…to make up to you for the story I ran.”

  “Ssh,” she whispered, placing her finger over his lips. “It’s not you who needs to ask forgiveness. You did your job. I didn’t expect anything less. It’s what made me feel so helpless. I had been working so hard to get Harrison out of prison.

  “Finally…finally, things were happening…I was upset because I feared that I had failed and I just couldn’t accept that outcome.”

  He pushed her hair back from her face. “My stubborn, brave darling, I had to run the story. It was the hardest decision in my life…but I didn’t have a choice. Know, though, I did everything…everything in my power to help bring around Harrison’s release.”

  “I know. You did.” She looked directly into his eyes. “And…you bought this house for me?”

  “For us. When I saw it was for sale, I wasn’t going to let it go. I had been looking for a house. My grandfather left me enough to buy it outright so Walter wouldn’t block the sale. I think it’s time I settled down.”

  “But I thought…I heard you had been offered a job in New York.”

  He nodded. “I was. I turned it down. I have everything I’ve ever wanted here in Boston. My dad isn’t in the best health. My mother needs help with my younger brother and sister. Most importantly, you’re here…you are here?”

  “I believe I will be.” She leaned up and kissed him. “I have been so afraid of loving you too much. For years, I never allowed anyone to get close to me until you. You showed me what I have been missing in my life and it scared me.

  “I’m not scared anymore… Ask me again.”

  “With pleasure.” He smiled. “Riley Ashcroft, will you marry me?”

  “Yes, yes, yes.”

  He silenced her with a kiss.

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  Books Under Penname Colleen Connally

  Secret Lives Series:

  Seductive Secr
ets

  Broken Legacy

  Seductive Lies

  Boston’s Crimes of Passion

  Fragmented

  Framed

  Books under Jerri Hines:

  The Southern Legacy Series

  Belle of Charleston, Book One

  Shadows of Magnolia, Book Two

  Born to Be Brothers, Book Three

  The Sun Will Rise, Book Four

  Winds of Betrayal Series:

  The Cry For Freedom

  Embrace of the Enemy

  Kiss of Deceit

  The Heavens Shall Fall

  Set Fire To The Rain—Coming Soon!

  WINDS OF CHANGE

  The Governor’s Daughter

  The Bastard Son