Roses Are Red - Miranda Rijks Page 0,99
die, but you’re just as greedy and entitled as Adam, flouncing around in your fancy cars, living it up in this mansion, screwing people over in business. What do you know about poverty and deprivation? We quickly realised that you have to die, too.’
My brain seems to have slowed down, and I’m finding it hard to follow what she’s saying. Is it really possible that Patrick was Adam’s half-brother? Then I think of those strange letters I found that Adam wrote to his father, and it’s beginning to make sense. But I must keep her talking. The longer she talks, the more likely I am to distract her and to make it out of here alive.
‘What have you got to do with Patrick?’ I don’t understand how Fiona knows all of this. Was she the solicitor to one or all of them? And why does she want to harm me?
‘Patrick is the love of my life.’ Her voice softens as she says this. She glances away and I wonder if now is my moment. If I can jump up and wrestle the knife from her hand. But that fleeting millisecond is already over.
‘Did you really think he loved you?’ she mocks. ‘He used you, Lydia. Patrick and I are lovers. Soulmates. We have been for years.’
‘He targeted me for my money?’ My voice is small. ‘He went to all of this just for money? Are you saying he never loved me?’ My throat feels as if it’s closing up, just as it did when I went into anaphylactic shock, and I wonder if it’s happening all over again. ‘But why didn’t Patrick just ask me for the money? I would have given it to him if I knew he was Adam’s brother.’
‘No, you wouldn’t,’ Fiona sneers. ‘You are just like Adam. You would never have handed over half your wealth to a stranger. We know your type. And then, when you started going on about changing your will, we knew we had to act quickly. You were about to cut Patrick out, just as Adam and their father did.’
‘My will,’ I murmur. ‘But you were going to change it for me.’
Fiona smiles and my stomach clenches. I realise then that it was all a charade. ‘You’re not really a solicitor, are you?’
‘Clever, clever girl,’ she mocks, waving the knife again. ‘You should have died from the peanut allergy. But lucky Lydia got away with it again. You have a lot to thank your daughter for.’
‘My children! What have you done to Mia and Oliver?’ Blood roars through my head. Has this evil woman hurt my kids?
‘You don’t need to worry about them. They’re safely upstairs. I’m sure pathetic Cassie will look after them when you’re gone. All the same, it’s a pity that they’ll be orphaned at such a young age.’
‘Did Patrick kill Adam?’ I need to know. I need to know before I die, so that I can make a silent apology to Ajay.
‘Of course he did. Adam deserved to die. He was so heartless towards Patrick. And he made it easy for us. Ajay was our perfect fall guy. How wonderful that his wife was sleeping with your husband. Everything was set up so it looked as if Ajay was to blame. The cut brakes on your car; a similar car to his on your driveway; the silent calls. The fear you had of Ajay was laughable. You really are so very easy to manipulate, Lydia.’
‘But the police will work out that you and Patrick killed Adam and then killed me.’
‘No, they won’t. We had it all planned out. You and Patrick were on your way to Ajay’s house and I was here as Patrick’s alibi.’ And then she moans. ‘What have you done, Lydia? You’ve killed the love of my life!’
Fiona sobs now, as if the realisation that her plan has failed has at last sunk in. But rather than crumbling, she seems more resolved. Anger makes her nostrils flare and her eyes narrow.
She stands above me, her legs planted wide, and lifts the knife high into the air.
‘You’ve stolen my love. I want revenge. Lydia Palmer, I want you dead!’
32
I refuse to die. I refuse to let this woman leave my children as orphans. What Patrick and Fiona have plotted is unfathomable, and there are so many strands that don’t make any sense to me, but right now, I can concentrate on just one thing.
Survival.
I make a slight movement as if I’m going to stand up,