19
WILLA
The quieter part of the venue turned out to be a narrow corridor behind the main floor that led to a fire exit propped open for ventilation. The music was reduced to a manageable thud through the brick wall beside them. The night air coming through the gap in the door carried the smell of rain that hadn’t arrived yet.
Willa stood with her back against the wall and looked at Ace.
He looked back at her as if he was still trying to decide if the decision he had made was the right one. His eyes flashed as he stopped negotiating with himself, reached into his shirt, pulled out a small device, held it up briefly, then pushed it into his pocket.
“Is that a wire?” Willa stared at the pocket he’d shoved it into in disbelief.
“It was,” Ace confirmed.
“Who are you working for, Agent McKenna?” Willa smiled teasingly.
“Holt and your mother,” Ace replied, making her brows shoot up.
Willa stared at him for a moment as she absorbed his reply. She looked at the device now sitting in his pocket and thought about how cold and impersonal one phone call had made him at the memorial.
“Holt approached me at the memorial,” Ace explained. “They needed me to get some information from Sienna that they knew she wouldn’t just tell them.”
“You were gathering information on Sienna,” Willa gaped at him. “So you really were spying for Holt and my mother?” She knew she was repeating things like a parrot, but she’d been joking when she’d called him Agent McKenna. Turns out it wasn’t so much of a joke.
“That was the idea,” Ace confirmed. He leaned against the opposite wall with his arms folded and looked at her. “Holt and your mother both feel that something about the case doesn’t feel right.” He paused. “They asked me to get close to Sienna and find out what or if she’s hiding anything.”
Willa was quiet for a moment.
“So you’ve been acting like a complete idiot to me and your other friends,” Willa pointed, “because Holt and my mother asked you to spend time with Sienna to get information.”
“Yes,” Ace said.
“And you couldn’t tell me.” Willa’s brows rose accusingly.
“I promised Holt I wouldn’t tell anyone.” Ace held her gaze steadily. “I’m telling you now because I can’t keep pretending,and I’ve probably gotten everything from Sienna that she’s going to give me anyway.”
“What did you get?” Willa asked.
“That she absolutely hates her mother,” Ace said plainly. “And that’s all I can tell you. Sorry.”
“That’s okay, I understand.” Willa’s eyes narrowed as a thought struck her, and she remembered one of the meetings at the Sandpiper Inn boardroom. “At one of the meetings Holt and my mother held, I can remember that Mina never trusted Sienna,” she pointed out. “Even before any of this. She also warned Harvey about staying away from Sienna.” Her frown deepened curiously. “I’d been meaning to ask Mina why she dislikes and distrusts Sienna so much. Even to the point that she said she trusted Victoria more.”
“After speaking to Sienna tonight, I think Mina was right,” Ace said. “Sienna is the most deliberately controlled person I’ve spent time with in a long time. Every reaction is managed. Every conversation gets steered back to where she wants it.” He shook his head. “She’s not a grieving or worried daughter. In fact, I’d say that Sienna is a woman who got exactly what she wanted and is very pleased about it.”
Willa looked at him.
“Oh, dear,” Willa said. “So, trouble in your Sienna paradise then?” She couldn’t help but tease him.
“Trust me, being with Sienna is no paradise, and I’m so glad it’s over,” Ace said and snorted. “After my lashing out at her, I doubt she’ll want to talk to me again.”
“Uh, oh.” A thought struck Willa, and she asked. “I hope Sienna didn’t drive you here?” Her eyes widened. “Are you stranded now?”
“No, I drove,” Ace replied. “My car is in the parking lot.” The corner of his mouth moved. “So it’s Sienna without a lift. She’s the one who is stranded.” He grinned. “But I did give Sienna some money for a cab before I walked away from her. My grandmother raised me to be a gentleman after all.”
Willa stared at him, trying not to smile and berating herself for feeling so elated by the fact that Ace had walked out on Sienna.
“Ace. That’s quite rude,” Willa berated him gently. “You should never leave anyone stranded, even if you did give them money for a cab ride home.”
“I know,” Ace agreed, blowing out a breath and running a hand through his hair. “But, honestly, I couldn’t manage another minute of being there with her, Willa.” His jaw clenched. “She said something I wasn’t prepared to let go past without a response. Then I responded, gave her the cab money, and walked away.” He paused. “While it might have been rude, I’m not particularly sorry about it.”
