Millie looked around and didn’t see any other fishing boats. The stretch of river between Valerie’s and Verna’s homes was more rocky and tough to navigate than much of the watercourse, so it was unlikely they’d see anybody else today. The Derby was taking place on the New River, so most anglers would be over there.
Even so, she kept her eye out for anybody who might spot her. She wouldn’t make a sound and get someone else hurt. But witnesses might be helpful, unless Verna was as unhinged as she appeared.
“Did you kill June?”
“I don’t know. I cracked her pretty good,” Verna said carelessly.
Millie studied the woman she’d known since they were children. The wind whipped Verna’s hair around, and the sight of the gun so close to her pregnant belly was garish. “June’s been your friend for decades.”
“Yeah, well, June couldn’t keep her mouth shut,” Verna muttered, pulling the steering handle toward her.
“Why? Why did you hurt June?” Millie couldn’t make sense of this, and she couldn’t stop thinking about Scott. He’d been unconscious and bleeding, but hopefully soon the party guests would show up and somebody would see him. He fell at the side of the house, but June remained in the kitchen. Somebody would see her and surely they’d call the police, who would certainly search the property.
But did Scott have that kind of time? Millie clutched the side of the boat with one hand, her teeth chattering from the chill. “Why did you hurt June?”
“June wanted to talk with you. She confronted me first, which was a huge mistake.”
Apparently so. “What did June want to tell me?”
“That I had had an affair with Clay. The bitch saw me one night with him, but I swore it was a one-time mistake, and she agreed to keep my secret. Liar.” Verna turned into a small cove and expertly ran the boat up on the sandy beach. Using the handle for balance, she stood, having to stretch her back and place one hand on her belly. The other hand remained on the gun. She pointed the weapon at Millie and gracefully stepped over the side, her heels sinking in the sand. “Come on, Mills, let’s go.”
Millie vaulted over the edge of the boat, her feet landing in the chilly river. She sank a couple of inches and lifted up her kitten heels as she waded onto the wet sand. Verna gestured her to move on ahead. Millie did so and could feel the barrel of the gun pointed between her shoulder blades. “Why did you kill Clay?”
“Hurry up, Millie, or I’m going to shoot you right here.”
Millie started toward the house.
“No, go to the right, to the boat shed.”
Millie turned. Verna and Alex’s boat shed loomed down the beach; she slipped over rocks on the way. “Don’t do this,” she said.
“Inside now,” Verna barked.
Millie opened the door and stepped inside, surprised to see the lights already on. A dismantled motor sat in the corner. Alex had always liked rebuilding motors.
“Get over there, Millie.” Verna gestured with her gun toward the motor.
Millie walked over to the motor, looking for any sort of weapon. A wrench perched on a low table, though in her experience, wrenches never beat guns. A plaintive meow caught her attention and she looked down to see a cage behind the motor. “Kat?” she asked, bending down, then turning to look over her shoulder incredulously. “You kidnapped the cat?”
Verna grinned. “Yeah. Little bugger was running around when I dropped Alex off the other day, so I tossed him in the car. I figured it’d be a good way to get you out here if necessary.”
“You kidnapped a cat.” Millie opened the cage before Verna could say anything and grasped Kat, pulling him out and hugging him. “Oh Kat, are you okay?” He meowed plaintively and licked her neck. “You are sick, Verna,” she said, standing with the cat in her arms. He snuggled right into her and purred. “I don’t suppose you fed him.”
“No, I haven’t fed him. I’m going to kill him along with you,” Verna said.
Millie gaped at her old friend. “What is wrong with you?”
“I am sorry about this, Millie. But all of this ongoing stress isn’t good for the baby. I have to do what’s right for her.”
The woman was maniacal. “Did you hire that hit squad?”
“Of course.”
Millie drew connections in her mind, and it hit her. “Henry Halcomb! That’s where I’ve seen him before.” Oh, it had been a good ten years ago, but she’d met him on the river briefly. He had been with a group of anglers, including Verna.
“Yes,” Verna said. “I dated Henry when I attended nursing school those few weeks. Oh, he didn’t attend school or anything, but we met in town. We kept in touch.”
Evilness had nothing on this bitch.
