“Where were you?” He yawned.
“Potty.” She kissed him fiercely, throwing any more questions out of his head.
* * *
Cassie watched the shadows cast from the draped window; Ian’s warm body folded around her. They had made love when she returned to bed, and now he was again in a deep sleep. When the light on Ian’s cell phone flashed, Cassie grabbed it before the vibration could awaken him.
From Martin:Vera Liukin’s sister Irina is married to Viktor Sabitov. Relationship to Arkady to follow.
Cassie put the phone down as a voice sounded in her head.Tvoya matka prinadlezhit Irine.She untangled herself to race to the bathroom. The voice kept playing:Your womb belongs to Irina.
Cassie managed not to throw up, but she couldn’t bring herself to go back to bed. She spent the rest of the night watching Ian sleep.
As dawn approached, Cassie climbed back into bed. Ian’s alarm went off a few minutes later.
Chapter Forty-Three
The next morning, Monique wore a black silk A-line dress with a full brim hat and sat in a back pew of the Christ Reformed Church with Colby beside her. If anyone asked, her standard answer was that Colby was her personal assistant.
Robert Bynum Jr. was eulogized as a young man who made mistakes but was loved by all.Yeah, the rapist. Monique scanned the room for familiar faces. It didn’t take long to spot Garett Whitman and his very pregnant wife. He rubbed her belly as if it was a good luck charm. His body language screamed distress, and his face was drawn, but Cheyenne beamed at him like she was worshipping a god. The sight made Monique wish she could stick her fingers down her throat. Her breakfast was already whirling in her stomach. A twist of her watch snapped pictures of two young men sitting with them.
In the front of the church, Bradford and Adrienne Whitman sat behind the Bynums and the Marshalls. Two rows over, Phyllis Wilson’s parents sat grief-stricken.Those poor people. Wait until they learn of Robby’s ultimate betrayal.
Monique shot more photographs of the mourners. When the service concluded, she noticed Andy and Javier in the back of the church. She tipped her hat and headed out toward her car.
* * *
Ian stayed hidden in the parking lot in a low-profile car until he followed Garett from the church. After dropping Cheyenne at home, Garett headed from their neighborhood toward the highway. Before he could reach well-trafficked streets, Ian forced him off the road.
Garett ran toward the car. “You could have killed me, you idiot!” The wind emptied from his sails when he recognized Ian.
“I want to talk to you about Cassie.” Ian flipped his sunglasses onto his head.
Garett sat on the curb. “She’s dead, but you know that. There’s nothing to say.”
“I was helping her figure out what happened six years ago. I think you know.” Garett started to get up, but Ian continued, “I know about the baby.”
Garett sat down again. “What does it matter now? She’s gone.”
“He mattered to Cassie,” Ian said.
“It was a shame. I hoped she’d be happy.”
“Happy? You and your mother tortured her. You called her a whore. Made her feel dirtier than the attack. You demonized her. And your two friends Robby and Sebastian raped and sodomized her. You think that would make her happy?” Ian yelled.
Garett wiped sweat from his brow. “Robby and Seb? Is that why he stabbed her?”
“Garett, this is your chance to come clean. You couldn’t look at Ames at the dinner. Damn it. What happened before they got to her?”
“I don’t know?”
Ian shook his head in disgust. “You have a chance to fix this in her memory. Call me when you’re ready to tell the truth.” Ian tossed his business card at Garett and started to walk away.
“Did she suffer?”
“Yeah, for the last six years.”
* * *
