held it over my head because, despite the fact that I had returned it, I could still go to jail for embezzling it in the first place. I started following her, hoping that maybe I’d catch her in something that would cancel out what she had on me. I saw you two fighting and I saw when you hit her hard enough to lay her out with her head breaking the fall. You walked away, but you never looked back and I thought, hell, I can just finish her off and be free of her.”
“So you called nine-one-one before you murdered her.”
If Todd was surprised that Darcy knew about that, he didn’t let on. “Yeah, I wanted to screw up the timeline and then while she was still struggling, I gave one more slam of her head against the sidewalk and that was all it took. Her little black book fell from her purse when Vivian knocked her over. So I thought, why not take up where Heidi left off?”
“So what happened? Why are you here now?” Darcy asked.
“That fucking DA. He’s asking all kinds of questions, and it’s only a matter of time before they find Heidi’s connection to Vivian and”—he gestured with disgust at Vivian—“if questioned, she’ll squeal like a pig. It wouldn’t take them long to figure out how I fit into the picture. I was so desperate I even thought to blackmail Dane’s dad with what Heidi had on him. Thought instead of money, I could get him to leash in his fucking brother, but the man refused to take my calls.”
“So you decided since you’re already going away for murder you might as well take as many people with you as you could?” Sarcasm dripped from Darcy’s words.
“No, I figured I’d tie up my loose ends and then take off into the sunset with the money I got from my marks. I wasn’t expecting him here, or you.”
“You came here to kill me? How rude!” Vivian’s ladylike poise had returned. At least she was back in character, which meant she wasn’t about to flip out and do something stupid.
“Well, I don’t want to put pressure on you, but I was expected an hour ago and people knew I was coming here. You’re running out of time.”
“Damn it.”
“Let us go,” Darcy said again. “You can make a run for it.”
He looked as if he were thinking about it, but then he raised his gun and fired. Vivian crumpled to the floor.
“I’ll get farther with a hostage.”
Lucien flew through the door of the campaign headquarters and saw the body on the floor. His heart sank as he ran to it, but when he saw that it was Vivian, God forgive him, he sighed in relief.
“Charles is in here. He’s coming around from a blow to the head,” Brandon called.
“And Darcy?” Lucien demanded.
“Not here.”
Lucien pulled out his phone and called 911, and then turned to Brandon.
“Wait here until the cops come, and tell them what you know. They can’t know I was here because I need to go after your mom.”
At that moment Vivian started to stir.
“He took her.”
“Who took her?” Lucien demanded.
“Todd Samuels.”
“Shit.”
Lucien’s head turned when he heard the sirens coming. He stood and walked to his son. “I’ve got to go or I’ll be here all night answering questions. I was never here. You were here looking for your mom. Have the cops drop you off at Trace’s when they’re done. I know I’m asking a lot. Are you okay with staying?”
“Yeah, I’m good. Go get Mom.”
Lucien stopped halfway to the door and looked back at the boy who looked so young in that moment. “I’ll bring her back, I promise.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
On the sidewalk, Lucien pulled out his phone. He needed to call in a few favors.
Todd dragged Darcy through the doorway of Polly’s.
The events of the evening started to sink in for Darcy: she’d been held at gunpoint, witnessed a shooting, and then been kidnapped. More bizarre, her kidnapper was taking phone calls, even as he held a gun against her ribs. He just chatted away, as if he had not a care in the world. He was either a freaking criminal mastermind or the stupidest person ever. She heard herself asking, “What are we doing here?”
“My bookie works out of the backroom. He called earlier; he’s got my money. I’m going to pick up my winnings and then we’re out of here.”
“What about the money you’ve made from blackmailing?”
“I’ve