Reign of fear, p.20
Reign of Fear, page 20
“Your involvement in your brother’s murder.”
A shell-shocked Christian gaped at his father. Alan just dropped the bombshell as casually as though he was ordering coffee at his favorite café.
Christian needed a minute to breathe properly and slow down his heart rate. How should he respond? It depended on how much his father knew. Who provided the information? A denial would be the easiest thing. The simplest thing, but that would make a bad situation worse. Alan wouldn’t have brought up the subject if he didn’t have solid proof.
Swallowing hard, Christian said, “Why would you ask me something like that?”
Alan didn’t answer the question. Instead, he added, “You covered your tracks well. But imagine my surprise when I received a call from Donald Wilkins, the retired warden of the prison where Zach was serving his sentence. He had a lot to say about why and how your half-brother died.”
Christian didn’t say anything for a full minute. Alan sat in silence, waiting. Christian had buried that part of his past deep down somewhere, and whenever the guilt threatened to consume him, he found ways to cope—weed, painting, and even drinking to excess at times.
“There were extenuating circumstances, and I didn’t murder the man.”
“You may not have bashed his skull in during the scuffle, but you helped set things in motion.”
Christian hated when his father looked at him like that. Judgmental, disappointed, lording his mistakes over him.
Zach Rossdale was a stone-cold killer, a monster. When Ty Rambally came to Christian and asked for his help to neutralize Zach, Christian hadn’t hesitated. Ty had come to him out of desperation, a last resort. Christian knew that. In fact, Christian was the one who suggested that Zach had to go.
Christian had worked overtime to convince Ty that he and Abbie and their family would have no peace as long as Zach was alive. It would only be a matter of time before Zach came for Abbie or one of the kids again.
“Why would the warden call you after three years? Zach was blackmailing him. I assumed he was relieved Zach was no longer a problem.”
“Well, he’s our issue now. He wants money to keep quiet about your involvement.”
“Nobody honors a deal anymore,” Christian grumbled. “How much is he asking for, and how can we guarantee he won’t ask for more?”
“That’s not important. I’ll take care of it.”
“How?”
“Don’t ask questions you don’t want to know the answer to. You obviously weren’t thinking at all when you came up with the idea.”
“I had no choice. When...” Christian stopped. He was about to blurt out that a desperate and petrified Ty had come to him for help, but he didn’t see the point in dragging Ty into it. They made a pact, Christian and Ty, that Abbie would never find out how they made the Zach Rossdale problem go away.
“Zach was a murderous psychopath. Look, Dad, I’m not proud of what I did, but there was no other way. Zach was not a person you could reason with.”
“I understand you exercised what you thought was your only option at the time, but the implications are much bigger than you. Now LB might be in jeopardy, as well as your freedom. We don’t know if the warden mentioned the plot to anyone. Tell me, is she worth going to prison for?”
Someone needed to clear Dad of his delusions of superior morality.
Christian said, “This bears repeating since you’re eager to forget the facts. You never acknowledged Zach and Spencer were yours. They wanted to correct what they saw as a grave injustice and targeted Abbie as a way to get to us, to you.
“Spencer and Abbie paid dearly for your mistake. Abbie paid when Zach raped her and changed the trajectory of her life. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad Lucas came into the world, but getting pregnant at nineteen as a result of a violent assault was never Abbie’s plan.”
Christian shook his head in disbelief, as though he still grappled with the dark and perverse circumstances of the past.
He added, “She would have been a brilliant surgeon. Zach stripped her of the chance to make that dream come true.”
“And you missed your shot at her because Ty Rambally was in the right place at the right time. Isn’t that what’s really bugging you about this entire situation, the reason you can’t seem to settle down with any woman?
“You feel cheated and haven’t been able to get over it since. I suggest you do. For all our sakes.”
The self-satisfied smirk made Christian want to punch his father in the throat.
Christian had been thousands of miles away at the University of Texas, Austin, when things went sideways for Abbie at Yale. After her release from the hospital, still suffering from the injuries Zach had inflicted on her, Ty stepped up to care for her.
The attraction that had always simmered between them, just beneath the surface, exploded. The next thing Christian knew, he was sitting across from a tearful Abbie at a café in Bethesda, Maryland, listening to her tell him she was spoken for. She then removed her gloves and showed him Ty’s wedding ring on her finger.
Blindsided by the news, he almost cried right there in front of Abbie. Only three months prior, he had met up with her in New York.
At the time, she had been an unattached, carefree college student who still made his heart race. Abbie had maintained her sense of humor, even when he shamelessly flirted with her. And just like that, everything changed forever.
For weeks afterward, Christian grieved privately and had himself a good man cry. It didn’t matter whether he and Abbie would have worked out as a couple. What mattered was he never got the chance to find out.
“We can’t help who we’re drawn to, Dad. And although I struggle with my feelings for Abbie, I’ve been totally above board in all my actions and interactions with her and her family. What happened last year won’t be repeated.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because as much as I hate to admit it, you’re right. It’s time I took steps to bury those feelings. I need to look forward, not backward. Callie told me as much.
“But if you’re hoping I’ll end my friendship with Abbie, that won’t happen. Not in this lifetime.”
CHAPTER 59
KRISTINA
Returning from Cheryl Bradshaw’s office put Kristina in a fantastic mood. She leaned back in her chair, legs up on her desk, with a wide, satisfied grin on her face. She had more than one reason to overflow with confidence.
Ian came through by producing the diploma, irrefutable proof that she had indeed graduated from University of Oxford (Kellogg College). When she unboxed the thick, cream- colored paper with the gold Oxford seal and saw her name, Kristina Navi Haywood, with a MSc in Global Health Science and Epidemiology, she couldn’t help but break out in a happy dance.
Cheryl had a family emergency, something to do with her daughter, and would be out for several days. Kristina delivered the diploma to HR and made certain neither HR nor Cheryl had any reason to call Oxford to verify anything.
By the time her boss returned to the office, she would be so distracted by her family situation that taking issue with Kristina’s authentic, could-fool-the-experts diploma would be the last thing on Cheryl’s mind.
Kristina removed her feet from the desk, planted them on the ground, and reached for a pack of grapes she brought in for a snack. She popped a grape into her mouth. A wave of anticipation surged through her.
The unanimous text she sent had worked its magic. Abbie had so broken Ty with her infidelity that he was falling apart at work. Kristina would pick him up, dust him off, and turn him back into the strong, capable, amazing man she knew. Abbie’s affair with Christian Wheeler was a gift Kristina would be forever thankful for.
Her flash of inspiration to have Abbie followed came when Kristina discovered Seamus had taken out the wrong woman. It took a few days, but Henry Dalton, Kristina’s private investigator, hit the jackpot the day he followed Abbie to Boston Common.
Henry was worth every cent Kristina was paying him. The fantastic photos of Abbie and Christian during what appeared to be an intense conversation, according to Henry, was proof.
Now that Ty knew the so-called love of his life was a lying, cheating tramp, the time had come to drive the final nail into Abbie’s coffin. For that, she needed a fool-proof insurance policy in place. Couples reconciled all the time, and Kristina couldn’t afford to risk the possibility that Abbie could charm Ty back into her cheating arms.
Everything Kristina had ever wanted was within her grasp. It was her game to win or lose, and Kristina refused to be the loser this time around.
The queen was exposed and vulnerable. It was time to capture the king.
CHAPTER 60
KRISTINA
Standing at the entrance of MCI-Framingham—a prison for female offenders—Kristina’s pulse raced. This was it, the final play. The red brick structure loomed before her. Nausea roiled in her stomach. Kristina had never been to a prison before, but she reasoned it was the same as being locked up in a psychiatric ward.
People told you what to do, when to eat and sleep, and in her case, forced a ritual of pumping her full of medication. She would never forgive Callum for using his money and influence to force Kristina to check into a facility against her will.
The doctor he paid off was a well-respected London psychiatrist. No one believed Kristina’s protests that she wasn’t crazy and the incident with Sita Kapoor was just a simple misunderstanding.
After Kristina went through layers of security, signed the visitor’s log, and stored her ID, keys, and purse in the lockers provided per prison rules, Brynn Rossdale Harper appeared in the visitors’ room, grabbed a plastic chair from the stack, and then sat across from Kristina.
Kristina was unsure how to proceed. With dark hair pulled back in a ponytail, Brynn was thin with piercing brown eyes that produced an aura that made Kristina want to run—hostile and mistrusting yet curious.
“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me,” Kristina began.
Brynn said, “I admit I’m curious. And the only reason I agreed to this visit is because you said it had something to do with Abbie. As the mother of my nephew, my only living relative, everything about her interests me. So what brings you to this palace,” she said, gesturing around the room.
Kristina decided to butter up Brynn first. It would be easier to extract details from her if she was relaxed.
“I was friendly with your brother Spencer. We were at Yale together. I left for London after the tragedy and have only been back in the States for the past few weeks.”
Brynn sat up straighter in her chair and leaned in. “Really? Did you know Zach too?”
“I met him twice. Very intense, if I remember correctly.”
“Yes, Zach and Spencer were polar opposites. I’ll never forgive Abbie. Both my brothers are dead because of her.”
“You mean because of the accusations she made against them?”
“Yes. That self-righteous snob ruined our family. My mother never recovered from losing the twins. She died a few years after Spencer. A broken heart, everyone said.”
“So sorry, Brynn. That must have been hard.”
“How did you run into Abbie anyway?” Brynn asked.
“London, actually. Is Lucas your nephew?”
“Yes.” Brynn’s eyes lit up. “How is he?”
“I detected a resemblance between him and your brothers. He’s a lovely boy, very handsome. I don’t think he cared for me much.”
Brynn chuckled. “He’s intense like his father was, takes himself too seriously.”
Kristina silently congratulated herself for taking this route. Brynn blamed Abbie for her loss, although Kristina didn’t grasp the logic in Brynn’s way of thinking. Zach shot Spencer. After Zach raped Abbie, she wound up pregnant. Lucas was proof.
But Brynn didn’t see it that way. It wasn’t Kristina’s place to point out the woman’s flawed thinking. Kristina would do and say whatever she had to get what she came for.
“Does Lucas know Zach was his biological father?” Kristina asked.
“How is that any of your business?” Anger inched across Brynn’s face. Though Kristina had struck a chord, she needed Brynn’s cooperation. It was best to cozy up to Brynn like two girlfriends sharing confidences over a glass of wine.
“Let’s just say that during my interactions with Abbie, beginning with our time at Yale, I found her to be a conniving, manipulative, and untrustworthy person. Who knows what lies she told that precious nephew of yours about his father and your side of the family?”
Brynn splayed her palms flat against the table. Her features relaxed. In a subdued tone, she said, “You’re right. Abbie never told Lucas that Zach was his father, and if she did eventually, I’m positive she made up a story that cast my brother in a negative light.”
“How do you know Abbie never told Lucas about Zach?”
“Because when Lucas and I spent time together, he had no idea who I was. He believed Ty Rambally was his father.”
Don’t you mean when you kidnapped the boy?
“Oh. I’m sure he asked questions and Abbie lied to him.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, Lucas looks nothing like his siblings. So Abbie had to explain the situation somehow. I think you’re right.”
Brynn leaned back into her chair and assessed Kristina, as though scanning her thoughts.
She said, “Why are you curious about Lucas and my brothers? What did Abbie do to you?”
“She stole something from me and caused me great pain. I lost my baby because of her. I’m here to see that she never takes anything from me again.”
“Good for you,” Brynn said, filled with enthusiasm. Brynn’s gaze swept across the visitor’s room. The room was near empty; only two other inmates were present with their visitors. One of them got up from the table and headed to the soda machine against the wall.
Brynn leaned in closer to Kristina and whispered, “I think Abbie had something to do with Zach’s death, but I could never prove it.”
“What?” Kristina’s question came out like a yell, and she quickly covered her mouth when the officer in charge of the visiting room shot her a look. “What makes you say that?” she asked, her tone quieter.
“The story about a fight breaking out at the prison and Zach getting beaten, his skull bashed in by another inmate, never sat right with me.”
Kristina folded her arms and could barely contain herself. She wanted to whoop and holler and break out in a dance right there. Was Brynn about to deliver the piece de résistance to Kristina’s plan?
“If it was a fight, how do you figure Abbie’s involvement?” she probed.
“The whole thing was staged,” Brynn said, conviction ringing in her voice. “It was a set-up so my brother would be murdered and they could make it look like a tragic accident. But I know better. I’ll never get justice for my brother stuck in here.”
“What made you suspect foul play, Brynn?”
“The stonewalling. Everyone was tight-lipped when I started poking around. They were quick to close the case and rule it an accident. The conspiracy of silence went all the way to the top, including the warden. I asked for an investigation into Zach’s death and was told his death was ruled an accident. That the ruling was final.”
Brynn stopped to catch her breath. The pain was still raw as far as Kristina could tell. Brynn continued, “I suspect Abbie used her connections to get rid of my brother and made sure no one listened to me because I was accused of…anyway, Abbie is awful is all I’m saying.”
Shock whiplashed through Kristina like a tidal wave. Her pulse pounded between her ears. Abbie involved in a murder?
When Kristina could breathe again, she said, “Wow, Brynn. That’s truly awful. I had no idea Abbie was capable of something so heinous.”
“She is. You pegged her right. Abbie is scheming and manipulative. Don’t let up, and don’t, under any circumstances, underestimate her.”
Brynn leaned in and whispered, “She’s relentless, and if you don’t watch your back, she will take you down.”
CHAPTER 61
ABBIE
“Are you taking the kids to camp like you promised?” I ask.
“I can’t. Something came up. I’ll be gone for a few days.”
“Where?”
Ty hurriedly grabs clothes from our bedroom closet and shoves them into a suitcase on the bed. I usually pack for him when he travels, but apparently my services are not needed right now. He’ll arrive at his destination and realize he’s missing several important items. I watch him scurry around trying to figure out what to bring and in what quantities.
“Santa Clara.”
“Oh, California. The kids were looking forward to you driving them up to New Hampshire.”
“I can’t, Cooper. Parham Capital wants to go over the growth strategy one more time before they sign off on Series A funding. I can’t miss that meeting.”
“That’s great news. It’s what you, Stan, and Daniel have been working toward all his time. Looks like things are about to take off.”
He ignores me and continues opening and shutting drawers, grabbing items from the bathroom, and then lets out a frustrated groan when he can’t find what he’s looking for. I most likely know what he needs, but he won’t ask for my help and I’m not volunteering information. Call me petty. I just have no desire to act like an adult right now.
“So this is how it’s going to be? Us not talking, you pretending I don’t exist?”
Ty stops riffling through a drawer and turns to look at me. “What do you want from me, Cooper? To pretend it never happened? To pretend that the only woman who ever had my heart, my queen, defiled what we share?”
