Lana nodded.
“Sanderson hired me, but it was heavily implied that Scott was funding my contract.”
“That contract being…”
Lana reached down to a bag next to the bunk bed. For a moment, Eve felt foolish for trusting the woman. Now she wassure she was going to pay for being impulsive enough to follow the villain into the unknown.
However, all Lana pulled out was a small tin pack.
A first-aid symbol was on it.
She fumbled with the clasp, cussing lightly before responding.
“Technically, Scott wanted Mitchell dead, and you were just a piece of the story that made it all make sense. Woman tries to kill new husband for insurance money, but he kills her in self-defense before he succumbs to his injuries. Something that would be more believable after that family-lawyer guy was killed. Though, still not sure how he ended up at the wedding.” Lana shook her head lightly. The first-aid kit finally opened. She pulled out a bundle of different-sized Band-Aids and set them on her lap. “But then that detective of yours kept showing up, and the rumors of you two having an affair started.”
“Which is why you needed Mitchell to kill me and Darius,” Eve realized.
Lana nodded.
“No matter who shot who first, the general public would have bought it,” she said. “A jilted fiancé, a woman having an affair and a beloved local detective. Even if Mitchell or you survived somehow, the law around here would have come for your heads.”
Lana continued to try and sort through the different-sized bandages.
“Scott already knew that Mitchell and I found evidence against him,” Eve said. “That’s why he pushed us to get married before we could get everything we needed. He needed it to look like I wanted the life insurance.”
Lana surprised her. She didn’t snort. She laughed.
“Thisis where I prove I’m a whole lot smarter than these men.” Lana pointed to Eve, an unopened Band-Aid wrapper in her hand. “Scott never gave one thought to you, Miss Myers.He said Mitchell was the mastermind and that he only started dating you to gain access to Scott’s day-to-day because of your job position. Scott and Sanderson? Not even for a second did they think you were important.”
Eve instantly remembered what Lana had said the night before, after they had subdued her in the kitchen.
“But you realized last night that I wasn’t just there,” she offered.
Lana nodded.
“Mitchell killed a man to save youandDarius. Up until then I was under the impression that Mitchell was usingyou. Then I noticed that we had it backward. You were the one everyone kept looking at. You were in charge, even with the detective.” She laughed again. “Men like Scott Keys rarely see women as anything other than pawns. Which is ironic, if you ask me.”
The Band-Aid wrapper still wasn’t open, and the blood along Lana’s face kept dripping.
Eve sighed in frustration.
She grabbed the wrapper from the woman’s hand and opened it.
“Does it really matter who found what, though?” she asked, taking the bandage out. “If Scott wants us all dead, then who cares who found the evidence? Evidence that I only have copies of, at that.”
Lana’s eyes widened as she pushed her hair out of the way. Eve placed the Band-Aid on the woman’s skin.
She answered regardless of any surprise after the deed was done.
“It matters because they’ve been underestimating you,” Lana said. “You’re just some little pawn they want to move around to make the story of two guys fighting good.”
Eve didn’t like that. She patted the Band-Aid lightly to make sure it stuck. When she stepped back Lana was staring up at her with a new ferocity.
“To be underestimated is to be overlooked, andthat’swhy they won’t see you coming until it’s too late.”
“You want to—what?—ambush Scott? I won’t help you kill anyone,” Eve cautioned. “Even if it’s him.”
Lana waved the thought off.
