whole story and knew what to ask. “You think someone else is involved, don’t you?”
“It’s possible, even probable. The money in the Seychelles account came from somewhere. He didn’t conjure it up on his own.” He studied her. “Did Austin give you any indication before now that he might be capable of committing murder?”
Shifting to try to ease the ache in her ribs, she snapped, “If I had ever once seriously entertained that possibility, I would have left him a long time ago. At worst, I expected unpleasantness. An inappropriate confrontation. Maybe a slap, or he might have grabbed me again and left more bruises.”
“You’ve known him a long time. You also have good instincts, possibly even a touch of precognition. Now that he’s attacked you, what do you think? Is this a part of his personality that he’s been hiding, or is this outside his norm?”
The way he asked the questions made her consider things in a way she hadn’t before. “While you wouldn’t know it from what happened at the party, Austin’s a charmer. He likes things to go his way as easily as possible. It’s only when you cross him that his uglier side comes out, but even so, this is something far outside what I would have predicted he might do.” She shook her head. “I’ve been feeling so stupid this evening, like I should have seen it coming, but I didn’t.”
“So it’s outside his norm.”
“Yeah. I’m surprised he was capable of it.” Her mouth tilted in an ironic slant. “But you’re giving me too much credit. I lived with him for a long time, and I never really knew him. We were both playing the roles that were expected of us.”
“How long were you married?”
She blew out a breath. “Twenty damn years.”
His eyes narrowed. “He liked playing the married role.”
“I think we both did. He likes the trappings of a successful life and the reputation that comes with it. He likes being a partner in a successful law firm…” Her voice trailed away as she remembered the night of the party.
And Russell as he turned away, telling Austin, Get her under control.
Then Austin, moving to obey. Austin always moved to obey Russell. Holding parties when Russell told him to, going to the right dinners, taking on the right clients.
Austin was smart and cunning, but he didn’t have the power of personality that Russell did, nor did he have the same kind of power politically or financially. Russell was the undisputed alpha at Sherman & Associates. Where he led, Austin would follow.
And Russell Sherman wasn’t just the firm’s managing partner. He was the founder, and he had built his firm from the ground up. Now Sherman & Associates was the largest, most powerful corporate law firm in the state.
Josiah watched her with the patience of a predator. He looked like he could wait all night if he had to.
She said softly, “Austin takes orders. He’s not a maverick. He’s a team player.”
“That would have been my assessment,” Josiah replied. “But I don’t know him like you do.”
She felt it then, a click of certainty, the way she had known Austin would think like a lawyer when she left him. Only instead of telling Austin to get her under control, this time Russell had said, Shut her the hell up.
And Austin had tried.
She was so sure it had happened. She could see it as clearly as she could see what had happened the night of the party. As clearly as she had seen the gas cans and rope in the back of the BMW. Was this what Josiah had meant by precognition?
Rage flared, as hot and fiery as the car’s explosion. How dare they—how dare they think they could just end her life as if she were a disposable commodity? She wanted to hurt them. She needed so badly to make them pay it left her shaking. She didn’t have the physical reserves to sustain that kind of powerful emotion.
She met Josiah’s waiting, calculating gaze. “Austin might have been the one who tried to kidnap and kill me, but Russell was the one who ordered him to do it.”
His expression turned fierce. “Are you sure?”
“I’d bet my entire divorce settlement on it,” she said grimly. “And I’m going to get a lot of money.”
Chapter Nine
After she said that, exhaustion slammed home. Her mind ground to a halt and blackness hovered near. Even though she fought to stay upright, she couldn’t and sank down on the bed.
Josiah took