“Over the stove.”
She grabbed a bottle of vodka and guzzled it down.
“You’ll get your money after you answer my questions.” Behind his back, he was trying to undo the knot, but she’d secured it well.
“Fine, whatever. What do you want to know?”
“Everything.”
She started pacing back and forth. “Seven years ago, Randy went to prison because of you. Me and him were on a fucking roll. We were making more money than I ever coulda working my stupid daycare job. He was with some super-secret group that gave him access to the worst criminals. He tipped them off and they paid him for their freedom. You come along and he gets caught. I did what any loyal wife would do, I avenged him.”
Jesus, this can’t be true.
“I glammed myself up and got a job at your real estate company. I wormed my way into your life, sucked it up, and married you, but that marriage wasn’t binding because I wasalreadymarried. I thought that would get me your millions, but it didn’t. God, I was so pissed! So, I got pregnant. Even after I had that stupid baby, you still wouldn’t give me access to your money. I mean, c’mon, Dakota. I was your goddamn wife. What was up with that?”
“You had the checkbook,” he said.
She stopped pacing and glared down. “You had millions and you gave me access to less than a hundred grand. Big fucking deal!” She was flailing her arms and waving the gun around.
“So, you staged your abduction.”
“Bingo!”
A low, deep growl shot out of him. She’d put him through living hell when she’d vanished.
“I cut myself, dripped blood in that fancy-ass car you gave me, and cut out of town. That blackmail letter worked good enough. You wired enough cash to keep me going until Randy got out.” Her crazed smile made his blood run cold.
“Your husband didn’t mind you whoring yourself out to me?”
“No choice. He was behind bars, and I needed money.” Her soulless eyes sickened him. “I found myself a wealthy mark and I played the part of doting wife.” She shrugged. “Beats living in a shithole apartment. But I never loved you and I sure as fuck never wanted a snot-nosed kid.” She glanced around. “You never changed the locks, never changed the garage door code or your checking account. Thanks for making things easy for me.”
The fury he kept below the surface reared up like a tsunami. “You’re insane.”
Again, that chilling grin split her face. “What can I say? I love my husband, and we wanna be rich.” She tapped her fingernail on the keyboard. “C’mon. Be a good boy and give me that password.”
* * *
Providence slammed on the brakes and bolted from the car. She ran down the street toward home, her weapon drawn. The neighborhood was quiet, front porch lights illuminating her way.
Her pulse soared, but she remained laser focused. All that mattered was getting inside the house and finding Dakota.
She cut through the neighbor’s backyard and ran over to the side of their house. Using Miranda’s house key, Providence slipped in through the basement door. Once inside, she listened, and heard a muffled voice was coming from upstairs. She skulked up the carpeted steps and slowly opened the door to the first floor.
“I told you everything,” said a woman. “I’m not your wife, never fucking was. If Randy gets convicted, he’snevergetting out. This time, I’m not waiting for him. I’m starting over, somewhere warm, like the Bahamas.”
What the hell? It’s Lizzie.Providence froze in the dark family room, unable to see them. She didn’t know if Lizzie had a weapon or if Dakota had been tied up…or shot and was bleeding out. She hated flying blind.
“Password?” Lizzie demanded. Dakota told her and Lizzie started typing. “I’m in. I’ve been waiting for fucking ever to clean out this account.”
“It’s a big day for you, Lizbeth Maddox. You’ve been playing me for years. You should celebrate.”
“I’ll celebrate when you’re stone-cold dead.”
Oh, God, no.Providence inched her way toward the kitchen.
“Tell me why you killed Matt Hastings.” Dakota’s voice was calm and slow, like he was deliberately trying to stall her.
“We went to that stupid event so I could get the skinny on you. That idiot realtor was one of the luckiest things that has ever happened to us. What a perfect set up! He punches you, you body slam him, and the video goes viral.” Her haughty laughter made Providence grimace as she took another step forward.
