Balogun tapped her nose. “But they didn’t know that. They just saw a curious looky-loo. They didn’t realize he was scoping out their positions, and confirming no one would see him go up to the third floor... and then sneak back down.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, head falling into my hands. “I should’ve seen that. That shitbucket told me to my face that he hid out in the library all night because he hated the party. He didn’t want to be there. It didn’t occur to me that he could’ve just gone home if he was having such a horrible time,” I said. “Why would he spend all night in our library? Unless he had another reason for being there.”
“That’s the question we also asked ourselves,” Kaplan confirmed. “Nothing about his movements or his actions that night made any sense... unless he had an ulterior motive.”
“So he killed Mrs. Prado, Omma, and framed Courtney all to protect his secret,” Rhodes finished. “What a fucking monster.”
“And it was that monster your family would’ve been left alone with after Agassi left,” Balogun said. “Agassi’s job was over. He no longer had a reason to live in your manor, and he no longer had the means to supply Layton with pills. That man would’ve continued to have access to your home, and your child, with you all none the wiser. So, to right his wrongs in his eyes—”
“He killed Layton.” I sighed, rubbing my aching temples. “He knew what time he’d come for Lily’s piano lesson. He knew he could intercept him with a knife in the back before I even opened the door.”
“Yes.”
“And then wracked with guilt over everything he’d done, and all the lives—innocent and guilty—that had been taken,” I said, “Reynard killed himself.”
Balogun met myeyes. “Yes.”
Micah, Rhodes, and I met each other’s eyes.
“I guess...” Micah sighed. “Maybe it says something for Reynard that his last act was to protect our family—protect Lily.”
“It would’ve said more if he reported to Lantana Day that there was a pedophile teaching at their school,” Kaplan said. “It would’ve said more if he hadn’t stolen from an old, sick woman and gotten himself into the position of being blackmailed. It would’ve said more if he’d come straight to the police after Mrs. Prado’s murder. If he had done those things, nothing that followed would’ve happened.”
“If you had listened to me, a couple of things wouldn’t have happened too,” I flung back. “Iaskedyou for a chart showing where all the officers were positioned. Itoldyou that Courtney didn’t hurt anyone and was framed. And Isaidthat Mrs. Prado’s murderer had to be the same person who returned and killed my mother. I told you all of these things but you dismissed me as a hysterical idiot and ignored me!”
Stony faces looked back at me. Stony... and contrite.
“You’re right,” Balogun said, her grip on my hand firming. “While it’s true we couldn’t share details of an investigation with you, or simply take your word on who’s innocent or guilty... it’s also true that we should’ve spent more time listening to you, and less time dismissing you. Two senseless deaths would’ve been prevented if we had.”
Rhodes pointedly removed Balogun’s hand, and laced his fingers through mine instead. “What about Mrs. Finley? You said a lot ofwe believeandit’s possible,” Rhodes said. “If you don’t have proof it was Layton, how will you combat her false confession?”
Balogun straightened. “We didn’t need to combat it. We simply explained to her that if she didn’t tell us the truth, she ran the risk of allowing a pedophile to die as an innocent victim—with people the world over crying over his memory and memorial. We asked her if she truly wanted a man like that to be made a saint in death.
“She recanted immediately.” Balogun flicked to me. “She admitted that she crashed your party hoping to get to either one of you—you or your mother—she didn’t care. But you were surrounded by guards, Mrs. Kim, and Madame Kim’s room proved too difficult to find. She never got nearany one of you.” She gave me a stern look. “That is until you walked right through her front door.”
“Not my smartest move,” I said simply.
“Quite.”
“There is one more thing,” Kaplan spoke up. “Mrs. Finley has asked to speak to you. She says there’s a matter you both need to settle, and she asks that you do so as soon as possible.”
I stiffened.The matter of me not being Soo Min Kim. I was wondering why she hadn’t yet told the world I was an imposter. I guess now I know.
“Obviously, if you don’t wish to see her—”
“No, I’ll see her,” I cut in. “Actually, I think that’s a good idea. If we talk, I know we can settle things, and any remaining charges she has for assaulting me can finally be put to rest.”
Balogun shared raised brows with her partner. “Put to rest? Mrs. Kim, whatever else she may have lied about, she still came to your home with the intent to harm you and your mother. We don’t put to rest attempted murder.”
“She got nowhere near my mother or me that night,” I corrected. “And she only attacked me in her home that morning because I provoked her. I told her something she wasn’t ready to hear so soon after losing her only child.”
Kaplan opened his mouth. “Mrs. Kim—”
“All of this will be resolved with one conversation,” I said firmly. “Mrs. Finley is giving me a chance to do that, and I will.” I gave them both a crazy look. “Is this really what you want to do? Press charges against a depressed, middle-aged woman whose son was basically murdered by medical neglect? I’m pretty sure she’s been punished enough.”
Kaplan threw up his hands, frustrated with me. “Fine. You’re the victim. If you intend to stand in the way of these charges, it’ll only make the case that much harder to prosecute, but are you certain?”
“I’m cert—”
