We stare at each other another long moment.
“Seems like Ben dying before he could remove you from either of these positions has worked out really well for you. Has anyone asked you where you were on Saturday night?”
It takes everything in me to match Randall’s cool and calm demeanor, because I refuse to give him the satisfaction of seeing how much his comments have pissed me off. “I suggest if you plan to throw insinuations around then you need to be prepared for me to protect my name and my reputation. What you are suggesting is abhorrent.”
Randall smirks. “According to your original partnership agreement, Camille is entitled to compensation, a percentage of the income made from the firm for the next ten years. Between that and handling his estate, you have your fingers in every aspect of her financial well-being. Ben believed he had cause to have you removed from his practice, but his death prevented him from seeing that through. If I feel that you do not have my daughter’s best interests at heart with regard to either of the roles you are currently fulfilling, I will make sure a suitable replacement is found.”
I sit there, stunned, and watch Randall Everett exit my office. A few seconds later, my phone buzzes in my pocket.
It’s a text from Camille.
Mom just told me Dad is on his way to see you. I have no idea why and I’m sure he’s going to be an asshole. I’m apologizing in advance.
I read her message then put my phone back on my desk. Camille had always made it sound like she and Ben didn’t spend much time with her family, but it’s clear her dad was still in close contact with Ben. That’s the only way he would be that up to date with the inner workings of this office.
No matter how hard I try, I can’t focus on the work in front of me. Randall Everett’s flippant comment regarding my whereabouts on Saturday night has me rattled. Sullivan didn’t ask me where I was when Ben was murdered, but he will.
And while Camille was able to show a clear digital trail of her time spent in St. Francisville, I don’t have anything as ironclad.
I went home after I dropped Ben off. Changed into some old clothes, stained by oil and grease, and spent the rest of the day buried underneath the hood of the 1970 Pontiac GTO I’ve been restoring. And while it’s normal for me to lose hours in my garage, there’s not a single person who can verify where I was or what I was doing.
As far as alibis go, I’ve got an extremely weak one.
Once it’s known Ben wanted me out, it will only take a few whispers in the right ears to catapult me into the top spot of suspects. Especially given how I am financially benefiting from his death.
If Randall Everett decides he wants everyone to believe I killed Ben, that’s exactly what will happen.
Chapter 12
Aubrey
The Alibi
Saturday, October 10
I’ve got a little time to kill so I figure I’ll do what Camille requested while I wait. St. Francisville is small and I only have to drive about a mile before I’m in front of one of the multitude of boutiques here.
It takes a little while to find a parking spot, and the sidewalks are packed with tourists and shoppers enjoying this gorgeous fall day. The store I picked has everything from clothes to dishes to art. I make a lap while I try to decide what I’m going to buy and hope the sticker shock I have when I check the price isn’t too obvious.
Camille and I had an awkward conversation about what it would be like shopping in a store like this. I kind of blew her off at the time, but now I understand what she was trying to tell me. She said I might feel uncomfortable in some of these stores. Out of place. And she’s right. She said it would show in the way I touched things, because I’d be more afraidI’d break something than excited about purchasing it. And she was right about that too.
It’s why she decided I should look the part, because she felt it was highly probable someone would ask for her ID when I presented her credit card if I looked guilty using it. The last thing either of us wants is for me to be arrested for theft.
I agreed there was a chance that could happen, but I went along with the disguise for a more personal reason. If Ben somehow gets wind of what we’re doing, I don’t want to make it easy for him to turn this on me for the part I played. If he pulls any of these stores’ security footage for proof of who was using her credit card, hopefully he won’t be able to identify me.
Salespeople who work in high-end places like that pick up on body language in a second, so I try to relax and act like it’s completely normal a plain white bowl costs $475.
Finally, I settle on a small glass rosebud vase because it’s something my mom would have loved. I don’t even check the tag before I bring it to the counter. I must put on a pretty good act because she doesn’t ask me to confirm my identity.
With my package secured, I get in the car and head right back to the feed store. Luckily, the same space I was in earlier is still vacant.
Is Ben watching my movements right now and wondering why Camille is coming back here? No idea. Do I care if she’ll have to explain this away if he asks her about it? No, I don’t.
It’s only a few more minutes before I see Deacon’s black SUV pull into the lot. He cruises up and down each row until he spots Camille’s car. There’s an empty space four down from where I’m parked so he takes it.I’m next to his car just as he’s getting out. His eyes are hidden behind dark sunglasses, and between them and the heavy tint on the windows of his vehicle, I’ve always wondered how he can see where he’s going.
Serenity hops out of the passenger side. She comes around the front of his vehicle and scrunches up her nose when she gets a good look at me.
“That wig is horrid.”
