“Fine,” he growls. “Yes, I was sleeping with her. So what? I wasn’t married yet. A man has needs, and Charlotte has been so focused on her social media empire, she barely had time for me.”
He’s admitting to cheating,Fish gasps.That’s not usually a good sign in a murder investigation.
No, it is not a good sign.
“But she was blackmailing you about it,” I continue, as I start picking up fragments of his increasingly panicked thoughts.
Can’t let Charlotte find out... fifty thousand... I didn’t have that kind of money... the wedding was in a week... everything would have been ruined...
“Yes!” The word explodes out of him with obvious frustration. “Yes, she was blackmailing me. Happy now? She threatened to tell Charlotte about us right before the wedding unless I paid her fifty thousand dollars.”
I don’t have a dime to my name and could never have held her at bay,his thoughts become crystal clear.That’s why Charlotte is such a find. I’ll get my hands on her money and sleep with whomever I want on the side. It’s the perfect setup—a rich wife who’s too busy with her social media followers to pay attention to what I’m doing. She getsthe ring, I get everything I want, cash, women, and a future filled with endless vacations and booze. It’s a win for everyone.
I gasp, unable to hide my shock at the cold calculation in his heart. “You don’t have any money. You’re a complete gold digger.”
His expression shifts from defensive to dangerous, like a mask being ripped away to reveal something rotten underneath.
“You need to stop talking right now,” he warns with a growl.
“It’s true, isn’t it? You’re absolutely broke, and you were counting on Charlotte’s trust fund to solve all your problems. But Tessa threatened to expose your affair and ruin everything.” I continue backing away, but the rocks behind me are getting treacherous, and I’m running out of escape routes.
“She was going to destroy my entire future over some meaningless fling,” he snarls, reaching into his jacket pocket. “Some stupid secretary who thought she could cash in on my personal life.”
What he pulls out gleams in the moonlight—a switchblade that clicks open with a sound that makes my blood run cold.
Bizzy, run!Fish yells.
We need to get help!Sherlock barks.
We are the help!Fish yowls back.
I’ll bite his ankles really hard and maybe his shins, too, if I can jump high enough!Truffle announces with fierce, tiny dog determination.Nobody hurts our Bizzy!
“You killed her to protect your meal ticket,” I continue, desperate to keep him talking and buying time for someone to notice I’m missing. “But here’s the really funny part—Charlotte doesn’t even have any money, does she? Bea’s been hiding the fact that they’re completely broke. I have news. You’re marrying intodebt, not wealth,” I point out while relishing the fact way too much.
The look on his face would be comical if he weren’t holding a knife. It’s nothing but pure shock followed by rage followed by a desperation that makes people do very stupid, veryviolentthings.
“What are you talking about?” he demands, but I can see in his eyes that he knows I’m telling the truth.
“The Van Buren fortune is gone. Charlotte’s daddy gambled it all away before he died. There is no trust fund, no family money, no financial security. You just married into the same broke situation you’re already in.”
Piers lunges forward with the knife just as all three pets launch themselves at him with claws, teeth, and a heck of a lot of righteous fury.
Fish goes for his face with her claws extended, Sherlock tackles his legs with the determination of a linebacker, and tiny Truffle latches onto his ankle with surprising strength and absolutely zero intention of letting go.
“Get off me!” Piers shouts, stumbling backward as he tries to shake off the furry assault team while maintaining his grip on the knife. “You mangy little?—”
“FREEZE! Sheriff’s department!” Jasper’s voice booms across the beach as he and Leo come running with weapons drawn, flashlights cutting through the darkness.
“He’s confessed to everything!” I call out as Piers stumbles backward, still fighting off three very determined pets who have absolutely no intention of letting a murderer harm their human. “He killed Tessa because she was blackmailing him about their affair!”
Leo tackles Piers while Jasper secures the knife, and within moments, the would-be killer is face-down in the sand with handcuffs around his wrists, cursing a blue streak about everything from blackmailing secretaries to lying mothers-in-law to attacking cats.
Good work, team,Fish yowls, sitting down to clean sand from her fur with the satisfaction of a job well done.
I bit him SO HARD and held on and he tried to shake me off, but I’m really good at holding on. And also, I think I got his shoelace, too,which was kind of chewy but not in a good way!Truffle announces proudly, her tiny tail wagging with victory.
I may have gotten some of his sock in my mouth,Sherlock adds, making disgusted faces.A murderer’s sock tastes worse than regular people’s socks.
