Where the hell were Theo and Chloe?
I made my way up the staircase. It was wide and curved and covered in carpet. The Kings were old money. This house reeked of their wealth. Paintings, gilded ceilings. Venetian plaster. Marble.
They were an example of filthy rich but poor in everything else. Ghosts of parties reverberated in the halls. Had there ever been happiness in this house?
Before sickness consumed their minds?
At the top of the stairs, I paused to decide which way to go.
Where the hell was Theo?
It would be easier to navigate this mansion with him leading the way.
Then I heard an angry shout.
I hurried to the right side of the structure. This house reminded me of Zio Luca’s mansion where the servants’ staircase was on the right side of the building and led to the attic. The voice grew louder as I finally came upon a spiral staircase. Shit, okay. I glanced anxiously down the hallway, hoping Theo would appear, but it remained eerily quiet.
I kicked off my shoes and lowered my purse. Making sure to remain unencumbered with anything else, I snuck up the stairs, gun in hand. If Aralina was on the roof and Jeremiah was still shouting at her, then he was occupied. He must have seen us arrive. But the changed locks must have added to his complacency that we couldn’t interfere.
“This is childish! You’re going to fall!”
The attic door was open. I spied an overturned chair and ropes. Oh my God. The bastard!
“We need to leave, baby. Come away with me.” A frustrated growl. “Don’t sign because I don’t understand you! You’re going to fucking fall!”
I tiptoed across the room, gun pointed and level on Jeremiah’s lower back. He was leaning out the window.
And then the proverbial blasted floorboard creaked so loudly, it was like a gunshot ricocheting in the attic.
I froze and prayed he didn’t hear me.
But Jeremiah slowly straightened before cocking his head to the right and turning around.
He eyed the gun in my hand, his eyes crinkled with amusement. “Lucy. Lucy. Lucy. Always sticking your nose in everyone’s business.”
“Aralina is my business. And from what I’m gathering, you also killed Anya.”
His eyes flashed. “The only way you’d know that is if you’re in cahoots with the people who hacked my company.”
Is that an admission of guilt?
I should just shoot him, but I hoped Theo would hurry so I could check on Aralina.
He stepped closer.
“Don’t move!”
“How did you get in here?”
“What, because you changed the locks?” I spoke with bravado. Either the pain meds were giving me courage, or I could still attribute it to my impaired judgment. “I have skills.”
“You’re trouble, aren’t you?”
“Stay back!”
But he launched himself across the room. We fell on the floor, and I lost the gun. My sprained knees screamed at me. He straddled me, pinning my legs down, and I braced for his fist, but a dark shape tackled him off me.
Chloe was hauling me up, but my mind went to Aralina.
