Summer's End (Wildflowers #5) - Jill Sanders Page 0,70

in love any longer? Day and night, she thought about being with Aiden. And it wasn’t just physically any longer.

In her entire life, she’d only trusted a handful of people as much as she trusted him, her Wildflowers making up the majority of the list.

Pulling the blankets over her, she found the remote again and flipped on the set. She frowned up at a picture of herself.

Sitting up slightly, she turned up the volume to listen to the news report.

“Daughter of Harold Smith was seen here chasing down Bridgett Rowlett as she tried to visit her fiancé at the hospital. Bridgett is here today with us claiming that Aubrey Smith has accused her of poisoning her fiancé and has convinced the police that she set out to murder him.” The camera panned out to focus on Bridgett, who was dressed in a simple blue dress with a dark grey jacket and a set of pearls around her neck. Her newly colored dark hair had been lightened slightly and pulled away from her face so that she looked a little older and very professional.

“Aiden!” she called out. She knelt at the foot of the bed, pulling on her clothes as she watched the set. “She’s on the news.”

“Who?” He came rushing in, then cursed when he noticed Bridgett. “I’m calling the detective.” He dialed his phone while Aubrey listened.

“That’s right,” Bridgett was saying as she wiped a tear from her eyes. “My fiancé and I signed a prenuptial agreement. In his current will his entire estate is going to his daughter, Aubrey Smith. If I wanted to kill my husband”—she waved her hand in the air—“for his money, like his daughter is claiming, then wouldn’t you think I’d make sure I at least get some of the money? It just doesn’t add up. Aubrey came into town a few days ago. Until that point, my fiancé was in perfect health. Then, at our engagement party, he takes ill and she starts accusing me of poisoning him.” She wiped her eyes again. “I haven’t even been able to see him in the hospital. She chased me away.”

Aubrey glanced over at Aiden as he spoke on the phone, relaying the news stations’ information to the police.

“And you think that it is Miss Smith that is responsible for Harold Smith’s poisoning?” the news anchor asked.

“Well, it would stand to reason. I mean, Harold was fine up until she showed up.” Bridgett smiled slightly. “You know, we have some history. Aubrey and I do. Her and her little friends,”

“You’re talking about Aubrey’s friends and business partners, Zoey and Scarlett Rowlett, whose father, Jean Rowlett, you were married to?” the anchor asked.

“Yes.” Bridgett smiled as if she was remembering the good times. “Shortly before Jean passed, his daughters convinced him to change his will. Leaving me bankrupt.” Her voice pitched slightly.

“When you requested to come on the air, I did some quick research of my own. It appears that shortly before Jean Rowlett’s cancer diagnosis, you filed for divorce and received a hefty settlement,” the anchor said.

Bridgett waved her hand again. “That was all Jean’s idea. He knew he was sick and didn’t want the medical bills to drag me down. We both agreed he would leave everything to me in his will. I hadn’t counted on his daughters convincing him when he was so sick to change it and leave me out altogether.” She sniffled and wiped her nose.

“So, you’re saying that this is what Aubrey Smith is doing now?” the anchor asked.

“She tried to kill her father. The woman should be locked up.” Bridgett’s voice rose. “Harold and I belong together.”

“A man easily forty years your senior? It was rumored, shortly after your… relationship was made public that Harold had purchased a new luxury residence for you in Manhattan, along with several vehicles.” The anchor shifted some papers and looked directly at Bridgett. “It’s rumored that he has spent more than a million on items for you in the past month alone.”

“That’s preposterous.” Bridgett’s face heated. “If you want to investigate anything, you should be looking into that little summer camp Aubrey and the Rowletts opened up in Florida. Where did they get the money to open it? I’ve heard they’ve sunk a few million into that junk pile.”

Aubrey felt her entire body vibrate with anger.

“You are of course talking about River Camps?” the anchor asked.

“Whatever they call it. I’ve heard its nothing more than a run-down camp filled with swingers and drugs.” Bridgett