My pulse skyrockets, pounding so loudly, I’m surprised I can still hear Vernon. “So you’re just going to kill me? Aren’t you worried about being caught? I told my assistant I was meeting you.”
That isn’t entirely true. I just said I was signing papers for Blake’s estate, but everyone would figure out who I was meeting with from that statement.
“No, I’m going to make it look like you committed suicide.” He mocks sadness. “And I’ll be so devastated to find you and a suicide note admitting your guilt in killing Blake. You just couldn’t take it anymore.”
Shaking my head, I remind him, “They won’t pay if it’s suicide. You should know that.”
He clicks his tongue. “This is something people don’t understand. There’s a suicide clause on most insurance policies that will still pay if the suicide occurs outside the time period stated. And guess what?”
He sounds way too excited while discussing my death. I don’t want to know, but I ask anyway, “What?”
“The clause ended years ago. So we’re good to go.” His voice is chipper, as if he’s telling me the rain stopped so we can still go to the park.
I nod, trying to buy time until I can figure out how to get out of this. “But the security system. It’ll show you got here first.”
He smiles wide. “You know, I was worried about that.” Then he shrugs. “But it wasn’t even on. And I’ve already logged into the system on my phone. I can just take care of the video later.”
Panic grows. I didn’t even think about the fact that Chris and I left first last night, and the cops wouldn’t have set the alarm system.Andwhy did I not change the password?I knew Vernon had the panel’s codes, but I didn’t think Blake had given him the password to log in to the system.
Vernon moves closer, and my body tells me to run. Self-preservation starts an internal debate about whether he would ruin his plan by shooting me in the back if I ran, but fear has me not wanting to risk it. I already know too much, so there’s no way he’ll just let me get away, even if that would make the suicide claim impossible.
Maybe there’s another way. There has to be. I can’t die after everything. I’ve worked so hard to live. I’ve done things I never thought I’d ever do to live. I met a man whom I love more than anything, who says he loves me too.
I can’t die. Not here. Not today.
“Please, Vernon. I thought you cared about me. Let’s talk about this. We can figure it out.”
His face morphs into an expression of annoyance. “Lily, I did. But we’ve moved past that. Sadly, I have to worry about myself now.” He points at a piece of paper and a pen I hadn’t noticed on the island in front of one of the stools. “Now, please sit down so we can get this note written. I havethings to do this afternoon. I don’t want to waste any more time.”
My legs quake as I take the few steps over to where he indicated. Sinking into the seat, my hands tremble harder as I pick up the pen. Vernon moves so he’s standing next to me.
“Alright, so I think you should start the letter by saying how much guilt you’re carrying…”
I stop listening as an idea starts to bloom. He has the gun by his side, so it’s not pointed directly at me, which seems like a dumb choice on his part. If I can somehow knock him off balance, it would give me just enough time to run.
“And then, you can write something about…”
He continues to ramble on, and I take some deep breaths to calm myself.
Okay, Lily, it’s now or never.
After my little pep talk, I suck in one last breath before ramming my elbow straight into his stomach.
His grunt is loud, and I leap up, knocking over the stool in the process as I start sprinting toward the door. I hear his footsteps thudding behind me, along with cursing and more threats, and I worry I might pass out from terror at what will come if I can’t pull this off. It hits me that I can’t remember if I locked the front door or not when I’m a foot away, and that could be the end of me. Reaching out, panting and desperate, I whip the door open, flying down the stairs and directly into the large group of…police?
Shouting echoes, disorienting me, but I can’t make out anything that is being said. Someone wraps their arms around my shaking body and pulls me through the crowd.
I don’t even realize I’m crying until a familiar voice says, “Lily, please calm down.”
My head whips up and sees Barrington watching me, concern lining his face. “What is… I don’t understand. How… But Vernon…”
Barrington awkwardly rubs my back at my failed attempts at forming a coherent sentence. “It’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay. I’ll explain everything soon enough. But we need to secure this scene first.”
My chest burns as my heart works to calm down, and my breathing starts to return to normal, even as my mind is racing to make sense of what just happened and the scene that now surrounds me. How are they here? How did they know I would need help? Are they here for me or for Vernon?
He guides me over to a waiting SUV. “Have a seat in here. I need to go help. I’m assuming you’ll want to call Rivers?”
I blink a few times and nod. “But my phone…” I trail off and point vaguely toward the house, shock still trilling through my body.
