“We need to organise a cover story,” Barbie said. “Have all the staff left?”
“Not yet. Plus there’s a couple from Utah staying in the guest cottage, but they went into Sacramento to watch a band, so they won’t be back for a few hours. I’m tracking their phone. And there’s another possible twist.”
“What twist?”
“So it turns out Marielle might not actually be Marielle…”
CHAPTER 33
NOLAN
“Morning, baby,” Nolan mumbled.
Alexa was the little spoon to his big one, her hair spread across the pillow, her ass pressed against his cock. The moment should have been perfect, but he couldn’t shake the niggling feeling that something was wrong.
His hand.
It had crept under her pyjama top to cup her breast.
Shit.
He quickly moved it down to her stomach, but no, he still felt uncomfortable. Was it the erection? Maybe it was the erection. Why were his thoughts so fuzzy?
Nolan tucked Alexa’s hair behind her ear and trailed his lips along her neck, but her skin tasted strange. Sort of…chemically? And there was a weird seam running along her jaw. Where had that come— Suddenly, the memories flooded back, not a movie reel but a series of gruesome, blurry snapshots.
Marielle choking Alexa.
The glint of light on scissors.
Alexa still and streaked with scarlet.
Juno’s focus as she tried to pull the bitch away.
The paper knife in his hand.
Marielle on the floor and blood, blood everywhere.
He sat up, breathing hard. “Alexa?”
She stirred lazily, stretching her arms out. “What time is it?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know! You’re hurt. So much blood, and…and…” He shook his head, trying to clear it, and instead woke a pounding headache. “She cut you.”
“The doctor patched me back together. He doesn’t even think it’ll scar.”
“But Marielle?—”
“She’s gone.”
“There’s a body in the study. A body! I don’t— How did I get upstairs?”
“Jez and Barbie carried you.”
“Jez and Barbie are here?”
“Only Jez now, and Storm, and Marcel, who’s kind of an assistant-slash-pain-in-the-ass. Barbie’s driving to Mexico.”
“Mexico? Why would she go to Mexico?”
