by Amy Saunders
Kori responded.
Belinda listened from the dark hallway, slipping off her sling backs and tiptoeing closer in her bare feet.
"You're positive," Kori said.
"Yes," Sawyer said coolly. "Come to my room after and it's yours." His voice turned sultry.
"I'm not Belinda, so lay off the subtext."
Belinda gritted her teeth, texting Jonas and Bennett. There was still no sign of them.
And she didn't like Sawyer's so-called subtext either.
"I don't know," Sawyer said. "You didn't seem to mind it the first time we met."
Kori straightened her back. "Things are different now."
"Very." Sawyer's bright blue eyes turned icy. He was probably referring to Brooke, his secret girlfriend, who was now dead, along with his business partner. Belinda hadn't thought of it like that, but now that she did, she felt sorry for him.
Belinda peeked around, but she saw no signs of anyone else. Except Victoria, who stood closer to the stage behind a curtain, also watching. Belinda readied herself. She couldn't let Kori just leave. She was the only one who responded to the threat, and if she walked out, they might never see her again. Either because Kori would run for it, or Sawyer killed her in anger.
Kori moved for the exit. Sawyer blocked her, attempting it casually, but looking more suspicious than that. Kori was about to try and push him away, when Belinda made a split second decision to come out of hiding.
"Where are you going?" Belinda said, forcing as much lightness into her voice as she could manage. "The recital just started."
Kori turned, glancing down at Belinda's hand. Her shoes. Belinda felt the straps dangling on her fingers. She'd forgotten to put her shoes back on.
"What's going on?" Kori folded her arms.
Belinda glanced at Sawyer, his jaw clenched. Well, she knew Kori wouldn't make it out that way. "Nothing. You just disappeared so I came to look for you."
"You were following me?" Kori glanced back at the shoes...not on Belinda's feet.
"You were acting suspicious."
Kori took a few swaggering steps toward her. Cocky. After everything she'd done, she was still cocky. "Sawyer and I were just talking. Nothing exciting." She forced a smile, but she was obviously irritated. "Anyway, sorry to ditch, but something to do with work's come up so I need to go." Kori turned to leave, but Sawyer held his stance in front of the door. He looked casual, but Belinda could tell nothing beyond death was moving him from that door.
Kori regarded them both, weighing her options, then bolted Belinda's direction, pushing her back into a group of students exiting one of the rooms. Victoria appeared from behind her curtain and Kori swerved to the left. Belinda got to her feet and took off after her. "Get help!" she said to Victoria as she sailed by.
She followed Kori to the passage behind the stage, coming to a halt just behind the back curtain. Kori faced her, baring a gun.
"Why did it have to be you, Belinda?" Kori said. "I keep trying to dodge you and scare you and distract you and you–you won't let it go!" Her hands shook. "After Brooke, I–I couldn't do that again. Not to you."
Belinda's throat felt tight. "You killed two people, and you tried to kill another one. Of course I couldn't let it go!" Belinda forced breath out of her lungs, holding her hands to Kori pleadingly. "Just tell me what happened. Please."
"What happened is a certain someone stealing my career."
"April?"
Kori brushed a curl from her eyes, focusing firmly on Belinda. "She promised she was done stealing. The past was behind her, she was moving forward on her own." Kori eyed her gun quickly. "Then a friend of mine tells me she's seen my jacket in April's workshop. And even better, some sketches that look a lot like mine from the collection I was working on for this show."
Belinda listened, staying on guard to drop to the floor if necessary.
"Then I learn that April and Sawyer not only know each other," Kori said, "but are in league to go into business together." She rolled her eyes. "Should've known when I met him. So I kept ears and eyes open, and sure enough I find out April's sending my leather jacket down the runway. And she knew I would be there."
Kori shook her head, angry tears filling her eyes. "I let it go, Belinda. I never breathed a word of what she did. Do you know how fast I could've ruined her with just the mention of theft?"
"So...so you just decided to get rid of her?"
Kori gripped the gun tighter. "I brought the jacket I'd designed and sewn, intending to confront her at the show. I learned where the surveillance cameras were and security guards."
The flirting with Finnegan. Kori had used him. Belinda felt sick.
"Then the perfect opportunity to deal with it fell in my lap," Kori said. "In the garment bag mix-up, I got the pink leather jacket. So when everyone realized what had happened and chaos broke out, I pulled April into one of the surveillance-free zones to talk."
"You didn't cause that?"
Kori looked confused. "No."
Okay. So was the garment bag thing just an accident after all?
Kori swallowed. "I didn't plan to kill April. I just wanted her to admit what she'd done and do something about it. But she denied knowing it was mine. Right to my face! Then she said she was sorry—sorry—but she needed that jacket to complete one of her looks. She wouldn't budge."
Belinda nodded slowly. Surely she had backup coming—soon.
"I worked into the wee hours of the morning," Kori said, "taking every opportunity that came to me, to get where? Here. Some small town fundraising runway show. Meanwhile, April doesn't work at all and she gets a job in a major design house and then a shot at her own line!"
Kori's voice quavered. "It was so unfair and I was holding that jacket and I just...." She paused, looking down at the floor. "It was all over and I realized I needed to get rid of it. So I switched the tags, putting my name on the pink jacket bag and April's name on the fuchsia jacket bag. After you got everything figured out, I hid the pink jacket in one of my totes."
Belinda had no doubt now what the police would find when they examined Kori's sewing against the fuchsia jacket. It would match. "So you set up Brooke for the murder?"
Kori's eyes were unfocused. "Not intentionally." She moistened her lips. "I saw her with a backpack. So first chance I got, I stuffed the jacket in there."
Belinda set her lips. "I know it's not fair. But I do think April had no idea it was yours. She was deceived too."
"Does it matter now?" Kori fought to steady her hands. "I was so sure I had it all worked out. The jacket switch, dumping it on Brooke. Then...then it all just started falling apart. Brooke was more than I took her for. And you...you were smarter than I thought, too."
Bennett appeared on the other end. Finally!
"I thought for sure," Kori said, "that all it would take to distract you was a little drama with your boyfriend. But nothing I've done to keep you out of this has worked."
Kori bent her finger to fire the gun. Bennett shouted, startling Kori. She swung around, aiming at him. He leaped sideways, and crashed through the curtain onto stage. The gun clicked but nothing happened. Before Kori could recover from her surprise, Belinda tackled from behind, and they bobbed around in an awkward dance until tripping and landing through the curtain beside the grand piano, the gun gliding across stage.
The Sykes child played while Bennett flailed around, the curtain twisted around his body, and Kori struggled to wrench from Belinda's death grip. Belinda pressed Kori's shoulders into the wood floor, grateful she'd been pumping iron lately. She was vaguely aware that her head vibrated from the piano, but she was more concerned with holding down Kori until someone—anyone—came to help.
"You were trying to break up Bennett and me." Belinda said through her teeth. With everything that just transpired, that of all things is what really ticked her off.
"I wasn't trying to break you up." Kori struggled. "I couldn't care less. But I needed you to be distracted. And I was at the P
ortside Inn too. Wasn't difficult to get an extra key card to Sawyer's room."
"And the note? You put that note with it?"
"I needed it to work." They were both shouting now, over the sound of the piano. "And I knew that boyfriend of yours wouldn't sit back and let you fool around on him. When I saw Sawyer coming onto you, I knew what to do."
That whole part of the last two weeks was starting to come together.
"Honestly, Belinda, you didn't make it difficult. I thought I had it in the bag when he kissed you at the party."
Belinda pushed down to keep Kori still. If Kori saw that, and she knew the same people in Portside as Belinda, did she take the photo that wound up circulating online? "Did you take it? Did you take that photo I found online of Sawyer and me?"
Kori said nothing in response, but her eyes said yes.
Belinda's nostrils flared and she smacked Kori across the face. "I can't believe I helped you get here!"
"What...what are you talking about?" For the first time since this started, Kori looked dazed.
Belinda leaned closer, her eyes fiery. "Do you think you got asked to this show on a whim? Mrs. Sykes didn't even know or care you were in fashion. I told her about you, and pretty much insisted she invite you if she wanted my help. I thought the show would get you good exposure. Get you in front of people who can and would buy your clothes."
Kori blinked in shock, the right side of her face blotchy.
"I thought you'd appreciate the opportunity," Belinda said hotly. "But in the long-run, I should've just said forget it and let you rot in New York."
Police officers stomped onto stage, lifting Belinda, whose fingers stayed frozen in claw formation. They restrained Kori, escorting her off stage where Jonas waited in the shadows. Belinda lifted her eyes from the floor to face a hundred or so wide ones in the audience. Then she realized that someone was still playing the piano, and turned to see Mrs. Sykes' granddaughter's tight gaze on her sheet music, her fingers dancing across the keys. Belinda wondered if she even knew other people had crashed her performance.
The girl finished with flair, stood, and bowed. After a delay, the audience burst into applause. The girl broke into a toothy grin, and she bowed again. Belinda and Bennett exchanged glances, clapping. Maybe this kid did have an Amazing Gene.
When things calmed down and the girl skipped backstage, Belinda seized the mic from the school director, apologizing, and faced the audience. "I'd just like to say a quick something." She had them all captive and it was time to set the record straight. "For those of you who've heard the rumor, I did not cheat on Bennett Tate." She glanced at him behind her, watching curiously. "And he's not a security guard! He owns an event security firm. If you're going to gossip, get it right. So that's it. Thank you."
Belinda did a quick curtsy and handed the mic back to the director, who could have been stunned for several different reasons at that point. When she turned to go backstage, Bennett blocked her way. He slipped his fingers along her waist and yanked her toward him.
Belinda wasn't sure how long they stood there kissing in front of everyone she knew, but when they finished—for the moment—the audience was quiet until someone yelled "Bravo!" Belinda was pretty sure that was Russell Carmichael.
"Was that outrageous?" Bennett said.
"What?"
"Never mind."
Bennett winked at her as giggles broke out across the audience, and then clapping erupted and a couple people even whistled. They bowed, Belinda grinning, too happy to be embarrassed. Then they ran off stage and into a more private setting to continue.... Well, to continue.
Chapter 28
And they tried to continue, but police hovered around backstage as Kori was taken outside in handcuffs, and every student and teacher stood on the sidelines in awe.
They found Victoria who told her this show was much more exciting than last year's, though they did have one kid run off stage in the middle of a performance to puke.
Jonas insisted he was finishing up what he had to do there, and then going home to sleep, which sounded good to Belinda. But he assured her he would check his front porch the next afternoon for edible presents.
Based on evidence in Brooke's belongings and the super secret notebook they'd recovered, the Sykes were facing an investigation for embezzling (though it looked like the husband was on his own), and Sawyer his own charges for withholding evidence. He'd attempted to run for it after Kori took off, but the police caught him in the parking lot. Belinda retracted feeling sorry for him when she heard that.
Everyone else could go home.
Amen.
Belinda still wondered about the garment bag mix-up, but Bennett figured Brooke had orchestrated that to try and expose April. He theorized that Brooke didn't realize Sawyer actually stole the designs in April's collection. Either Brooke was still after a story or wanted to protect Sawyer. Though it looked like April needed protection from Sawyer, not the other way around.
Mrs. Sykes was still on the lam, and Belinda figured with the way things were going, she'd never see her again.
After Jonas and the police entourage left, Bennett whisked her away from the craziness, and Belinda sat next to him on a bench on the wharf beyond the shops where they could watch the boats in the harbor. Watching the sailboats swing back and forth on their moorings felt so serene after everything that happened. He dangled his arm behind her back, just watching and listening. Belinda had been quiet, so he just let her be.
"It smells like fish," she said finally. "It's weird. You have all of these shops and nice restaurants and yachts from all over the world, and yet you come down here and all you can smell is dead fish. It's such a basic, almost primeval scent."
"Sitting here inhaling it isn't going to send you into a primal rage, is it?"
"I am craving fried flounder all of the sudden."
"I'll keep my eye on you then."
Belinda smiled. "It reminds me of our fishing escapade."
"Just as long as we don't get soaked again."
Belinda turned her head so she could see him. He sat up straight with one leg perched on top of the other. Even if it was cliché to say so, Belinda had to admit that Bennett was quite the catch. "You winked at me earlier."
Bennett looked at her through his sunglasses in all seriousness. "Do you want me to do it again?"
"I think I might." Belinda grinned. "I love all of these little surprises you keep throwing out there. You're very unexpected in the best way possible."
"That goes for you too."
"Does it? How have I surprised you?" Belinda adjusted her seat, leaning against him.
Bennett looked up at the sky, streaks of white clouds painting it. "Come to think of it, I'm not sure."
Belinda laughed, throwing her head back. "You and your honesty! You need to work on that sometimes. You could at least make something up, like, you were surprised how amazingly clever I am."
Bennett smirked.
"Alright, be that way." Belinda crossed her arms over her chest, sticking her nose in the air. "I'll just stop saying nice things about you."
"You don't have to. I know you like me."
Belinda stared him down for a minute, then looked away when it was clear he wasn't going to give. And she could hardly argue with him. It was a hundred percent true.
Bennett gazed off at the horizon, his face serious even for him.
"What is it?" Belinda bent her head up to see him.
"I wasn't gonna mention this, but you'll probably be mad if I don't tell you."
Belinda sat up to see him clearly, putting her arm through his. She braced herself for more bad news. "Tell me."
"I've lost a couple of bigger jobs already because of the arrest." It sounded very matter-of-fact, but Belinda felt him tense up. "And I'm sure there's more coming."
That's why he hung around while she worked that afternoon. He'd lost whatever upcoming jobs he had. "Bennett–"
"I would do it again." He put his hand und
er her chin, tipping her head up to see him. "I would lose all of my clients to keep you safe." He kissed the tip of her nose, then shrugged. "I'll have more time to work on the house while the weather's good for it. I need to finish fixing the shingles so I can have it stained. That takes time."
Belinda sniffled. That should be her right now. Losing things because of an arrest. She gripped his arm tighter. "While we're confessing things, I should probably tell you that I may be facing an investigation, and at the least a massive scandal, because of Mrs. Sykes' embezzling from the show." Jonas, though not directly involved, had given her the head's up. Though she'd already suspected anyway.
Bennett's eyes flashed under his glasses, but he didn't look surprised.
"You guessed?" she said.
His shoulders fell. "The news spot about your truck. Did you see it yet?"
She shook her head. She hadn't had a chance to watch the DVR recording of it.
"Delete it," Bennett said. "It'll only upset you."
"What did they say?"
Bennett shook his head angrily. "After everything you did for that woman.... And here I was sitting back thinking you were perfectly safe from harm."
Belinda looked down. She had a feeling she knew what happened. "They mentioned the fundraiser embezzling, didn't they?"
Bennett turned, surprised.
"The reporter asked me about it," Belinda said and heaved a big sigh. "All this work and the embezzling was the first thing she wanted to talk about."
Bennett's mouth puckered.
"I'd say it's her job and all," Belinda said. "But she wasn't looking for facts. She was looking for scandal." And she was probably going to get a good one. But there was nothing Belinda could do about it now. She wanted to blame Brooke, but didn't have the heart. Even if she did tip off that reporter, maybe Brooke never thought it would affect her.
Belinda wanted to focus on something else and squeezed his arm. "You know what you need? A cookie."