Patricia Drake’s chin jutted out. “He went too far.”
Elizabeth watched her mother as she spoke. Her lips quivered. “He did,” she agreed, her voice low, grim. “But he didn’t have to die. You could have talked to him. You always kill everything!”
“He wasn’t listening.” Patricia’s cold expression melted as she peered lovingly at her daughter, brushing a strand of dark hair from her cheek. “I couldn’t let him hurt you all over again. He wanted Carson dead.”
When Elizabeth would have argued, Patricia implored, “I heard your father give the order, Elizabeth. I had no choice. He had to be stopped.”
Annette shuddered. A part of her had wondered if Wainwright and Drake would really go to that extreme. Killing her was one thing, but Carson? For all intents and purposes, he was one of them. Now she knew. If she didn’t get out of here alive to warn him ... it could still happen.
Say something! Anything!“The way you stopped Lana Kimble when you were afraid Randolph might choose her over you,” Annette insinuated. More conjecture, but it was worth a try.
Patricia’s face darkened with renewed rage, but there was no mistaking the flicker of surprise in her eyes. “I didn’t kill her. She fell. It was an accident. We were arguing. Besides, Randolph never really loved that pathetic little slut. It was me he needed. She would have ruined him.”
Jesus. Annette had guessed right. “So you were just protecting the man you loved?”
“Of course,” Patricia insisted. “He would never have achieved all that he has without me. I’ve always made sure my family was protected.”
No shit. Like a bear protecting her cubs. Annette fought the quaking that had started in her limbs. She needed more time.Think!The prescription bottle in Dane’s room. It had belonged to his mother. “The way you protected Dane?”
“He wouldn’t stop causing trouble!” Patricia’s voice grew higher and thinner as she spoke. “I told him to stop, but he refused. Trading the rings for drugs was the last straw. He left me no choice.”
Elizabeth stared at Patricia. “What did you do, Mother?”
Patricia glanced around the room as if buying time while she came up with an excuse. “I ... I gave him something to help him sleep, dear. That’s all. Maybe he’ll do better after he’s had some rest.”
“Doesn’t matter now,” Annette blurted, hoping to keep the tension mounting between mother and daughter. Both glared at her. “Like I said,” Annette improvised, “Dane told us everything.I know what you did.”
“Dane’s an idiot,” Elizabeth contended. “Drugs have ruined him. But he would never do anything to hurt me.”
What now?Annette had just one genuine ace up her sleeve. “Dane is dead, Elizabeth.”
Elizabeth’s mouth went slack. Her eyes widened for a moment before the fury resurrected. “I don’t believe you.”
“He took those tranquilizers your mother gave him, rented himself a hotel room, and checked out.” Annette needed Elizabeth confused, emotional. Anything but determined.
“You’re lying.”
Annette shrugged. “Call the Holiday Inn Express in Fultondale. Ask them to check room two fourteen. Your brother’s there, he’s dead.” She glanced at the older woman. “Why don’t you ask your mother exactly what she did?”
The weapon in Elizabeth’s hand shook. “I don’t believe you.” She jerked out her cell phone, entered a number, and waited for an answer.
“Don’t listen to her,” Patricia scolded.
Elizabeth ignored her mother. “Dane! Call me as soon as you get this message. I need to hear your voice.”
“He won’t get your message,” Annette warned. “He’s dead. She killed him.”
Elizabeth stared at her phone as if willing it to ring.
“Elizabeth, baby,” Patricia pleaded. “I had to do it. It was the only way to protect you. Dane just kept getting worse and worse. It was time to give up on him and put him out of his misery for all our sakes.”
Elizabeth’s demeanor went abruptly and eerily calm. “You didn’t have to do that, Mother,” she said placidly. “I could have talked to him.” She backed a step or two away from Patricia. “You always overreact. You kill everything I love. I can’t even have a pet because of you! You’ll probably kill Carson, too, if he makes a single mistake.”
Annette felt sick at the idea of what these two had done. What they would continue to do if someone didn’t stop them.
“I’ve always protected you,” Patricia reminded her as she reached out to her daughter. “I won’t ever let anyone hurt you.”
The sound of the weapon discharging exploded in the room. Annette’s breath trapped in her lungs.
