Regina climbed in the front and started the engine. “Where to?” she asked, turning her head to lookaround.
“You know,” Gildareplied.
Regina smiled, and Leslie saw the way the two women’s gazes connected in the rearview mirror. She was definitely the crowd in this two’scompany.
“Look straight ahead and don’t wave to anyone if you happen to see someone you know,” Gilda said, pressing the gun barrel into Leslie’s side as the car pulled out onto the mainstreet.
Leslie complied, but as they drove down Main, past Cherry’s yoga center and Trib’s, she prayed someone she knew would see her. Maybe even Declan, walking to Trib’s…That would be a really nice thing to happen, God,she thought as the car turned off the main drag and headed out oftown.
And that was when she realized where they were taking her: to ShenstoneHouse.
Where it allbegan.
* * *
As they droveup the dark, winding driveway, Leslie gathered her thoughts. For the first time, she felt somewhat optimistic. If she didn’t show up for dinner, this was the first place Declan would look forher.
And with a murderer on the loose—and currently in the same vehicle as she—he would be right to doso…
But… Oh God. Nausea surged violently in her belly as she realized that if he showed up here, he would walk right into a situation for which he was ill-prepared—unlike last night. A gun against an iron rod was not goododds.
He can’t come here.That was clear. She couldn’t risk it—risk him, risk Stephanie’s father, riskanyone. Or Cherry or Orbra… The nausea swished like a storm and she beat it back.I have to remain clearheaded andcalm.
“I’m supposed to meet people for dinner at Trib’s at seven,” she said as the car came to a stop in the parking area of Shenstone House. “If I don’t show, Declan’s going to be looking for me. He’ll probably comehere.”
The two women exchanged glances, and Leslie could tell they were trying to figure out whether to believe her or not—or whether there was a trickinvolved.
“Believe me, I don’t want him in the middle of this,” she said, using her best CEOvoice.
“It’s only six forty-five right now,” said Regina. “We’ve got time. This won’t take long.” Her smile was cold and calculating. “By the time he figures it out—or any of them—it’ll be too late. So don’t dawdle, or maybe wewillwait until your boyfriend shows up—and then he can join you in yourfate.”
Leslie couldn’t argue with that, and she also realized she’d set her bag down in Gilda’s shop when she was cleaning up the spilled pencils…so she couldn’t even contact Declan if she wantedto.
That wasn’tgood.
However…she had one last possible way out. One little trick up her sleeve, so to speak. She looked up at the looming house. Her house. It glowed softly with light—though, strangely, one of the windows near the front seemed to be dimmer than the others. But the building seemed to welcome her, comfort her, by its very stability, familiarity, andage.
“I told you to stop dawdling.” Gilda rammed the gun barrel into the soft skin above Leslie’s hip, causing her to grunt with pain. “No one will hear a gunshot uphere.”
“But leaving a body with a bullet in it…not really part of your plan, is it?” Leslie said coolly. “And since my purse—and my blood—is all over the back of your office, it won’t be hard for the authorities to put the pieces together. Will it? I’m going to go inside, don’t you worry, but you don’t have to be rough about it. I’ve already told you I have no desire to stall and get anyone elseinvolved.”
“Smart woman,” said Regina, following Leslie as she led them around to the front door. “No wonder you were so damned successful.” Her voice contained an envious sneer. “I would have been a celebrity CEO myself if all of this hadn’thappened.”
Exactly the segue Leslie was hoping for. She shoved the door open and walked into the front hall. The dismantled staircase swept in its elegant curve in front of her. The room was lit by two small table lamps. As she stepped in, Leslie swore she felt the house gird itself…sort of take a deep breath, andstraighten.
“So you killed Kristen van Gerste,” Leslie said. “Regina. It was you. Because you”—she looked at Gilda—“didn’t move here until years later.Right?”
“That’s right.” Gilda was looking around, gun still in hand. The gun was what worried Leslie the most, but at least neither of her captors were physically holding on to her at themoment.
“But why did you kill Kristen?” she asked Regina. “Wasn’t she yourfriend?”
“Yes. But—” Regina’s voice tightened. “Marcus Levin was an asshole, and I couldn’t stand to see her with him. He was such a prick, and soarrogant.”
Comprehension dawned for a second time that evening. “You were in love with her. With Kristen, weren’tyou?”
Regina’s eyes suddenly filled with tears, and she glanced at Gilda. Her lover nodded, strange compassion etching her face—even as she held a gun in herhand.
“I never told her,” Regina confessed. “I never let on. But that night…after she left the prom, I ditched my date right after he dropped me off at home. I slipped back out and found Kristen—she was still walking home, and like a good friend, I was there to comfort her. We—we decided to come here, so we could drink some of my dad’s whiskey inpeace.
