The little arrhythmia in Margaux’s movements was barely there.But itwasthere.
“It is,” I said.“Isn’t it?”
“I don’t know where you heard that story,” Margaux said, “but it’s ridiculous.Why would Robert have any interest in that part of Vivienne’s business?”
It was like feeling a piece of ice slip underfoot.
“Because Vivienne washisbusiness,” I said, fighting for a conviction I’d suddenly lost.“And cutting you out of the picture would have made it easier to deal with Vivienne.”
Margaux buckled her bag and hoisted it to her shoulder.She didn’t look at me as she started toward the door, saying, “I don’t have anything to say to you.”
“That’s a mistake,” I said.“Because you don’t have an alibi for the night Vivienne was killed, just like you don’t have an alibi for the night Robert was killed.But youdohave opportunity and motive.You found the body, Margaux.I mean, my God, that’s rule number one.You don’t have to talk to me, but youwillhave to tell the sheriff.”
Margaux spun around so quickly that I almost took a step back.“How dare you?How dare you come around and—and start picking through the rubble like you have any idea what you’re talking about?”
“Someone killed Vivienne to silence her.Someone killed Steven to silence him.Someone killed Robert Kessler and got away with it.And the link between all those people, Margaux?It’s you.You hated Robert.You ‘found’ his body.You needed to get rid of him so he’d stop whispering poison into Vivienne’s ear.And you managed to find a way to make sure Simona took the fall for it.But Vivienne figured it out, eventually.She told Steven she’d made a mistake.And Steven made an even bigger mistake by telling you.That’s why you had to get rid of him.That’s why you had to get rid of Vivienne.You might have hated her, sure.But you were afraid of her; that’s why she had to go.”
Margaux stared at me, disbelief sharpening her features until they were almost vulpine.And then she laughed.It went on and on.And when she stopped, she said, “You’re as stupid and arrogant as she was.Did you know that?It worked out rather well, how you took over for her.The same bumbling questions.The same arrogance.You are just like her.”
“Maybe,” I said.“But you’ll still have to explain this to the sheriff.”
“I didn’t kill Robert.God knows I wanted to.”
“You’ll have to do better—”
“I was with Simona,” Margaux said.For a moment, the façade cracked, and the pain rushed to the surface.“That’s where I was the night Robert died.”
It was like the pieces of a puzzle clicking into place.Somehow, I heard myself say, “But Simona didn’t have an alibi.”
“Of course she did.She was with me.But I was too much of a coward.I begged her not to say anything.I was sure that—” Margaux’s voice broke.Her hands opened and closed at her sides, and the light rippled along her nails.“How could they convict her?She hadn’tdoneit.She was innocent.”
But they had.And by then, it was too late.
“Why?”I asked.
“Because Vivienne hated her.Because Vivienne would have crucified me for sleeping with the enemy.”Margaux started to shake her head, then stopped.A hint of sweat showed on her upper lip.“The things I did for—for that woman.”
Staring into that grief, still raw after all these years, I tried to find a hint of deception.I couldn’t.But the part of me that had read too many detective novels said, “That’s easy to say with Simona not around to verify it.And you still don’t have an alibi for when Vivienne died.”
Margaux’s smile was bleak.“You want to know where I was?”Her gaze moved past me to Thatcher.“I went for a drive.With my newest author.Isn’t that right, Thatcher?”
I turned in time to see the confusion on Thatcher’s face—the first moment, while he was still processing, and the truth rode on the surface.
I remembered Thatcher’s excited questions the first night of the conference.
I remembered him asking me if I’d ever heard of Margaux Mendez.
And then I watched him decide.
He adjusted his beanie and said, “Yeah.We were on a drive.”
“No, you weren’t,” I said.
“Thatcher,” AJ said.“What are you talking about?”
“You were with us,” Charlie said.
“I know you think this is—” I stopped because for a moment, I didn’t have words.“I know you think this is going to help you.Help your career.But you’re making a bad choice right now.”
