better, I might feel sorry for him right now. But I did know better.
“How did she die?” I asked.
“Her cause of death is unknown. She had enough time to call me and leave a garbled voicemail saying she needed help. But, by the time I listened to the message and tried to call her back, it was too late. The man you overheard me talking with is a private investigator out of Seattle I used to keep on retainer. He altered the scene to make it appear like it was an accident.”
When he finished speaking, I could hardly believe he’d owned up to all of it. Maybe it was as much of a relief for him as it was for me to finally unload.
“Why did you cover it up?”
“For the precise reason you suspect, I’m sure. To save my family from the scandal, and to keep my boys safe from future threats.”
“Did you know Lily was responsible?”
He stuffed his hands in his front pockets. “No, and I’m still not convinced she was. At the time, I did think Green was responsible, and I had that same investigator digging for evidence. Unfortunately, he never uncovered anything beyond the grudge Green held against me.”
“But you must have at least suspected Lily. Otherwise, why would you have invited her to move into the mansion and then built her a cottage on the property?”
Vincent returned to his chair and leaned forward, his stare probing. “You’re smarter than I give you credit for.”
I snorted. “Thanks a lot.”
“Lily’s behavior has always been erratic, but she seemed more unhinged than usual after Amber’s funeral. So, yes, it did cross my mind that she might have been the culprit. For Hayle’s sake, though, I didn’t want to know if she was. Instead of investigating her, I chose to keep her close so I could keep an eye on her.”
“Did it help? Keeping her close, I mean?”
“Yes. There is a direct correlation between Hayle’s proximity and Lily’s stability. I realized it after I obtained sole custody of him. It was different with the other boys. Their mothers were more interested in their settlements than their sons. But Lily always needed Hayle close, and she was inconsolable until I started allowing her weekly visitations with him. Having her just down the path was the best thing for her.”
When I could tell he wasn’t going to add anything else on the subject, I asked, “Why did you tell me all of this? You could have continued denying and walked away.”
“There are times to hide the truth and times to reveal it. This one was the latter.” He rested on his forearms, leaning closer toward me. “The real question is, now that you know all of this information, what are you going to do with it?”
“This was never about exposure. It was about the truth.” I straightened my spine. “No matter what you think, I believe Lily poisoned my mother and tampered with Bodie’s car. And I sure as hell know she tried to come after me. So, think about that before you decide she’s ready to be released back out into the world. She’s dangerous, and if anyone else ends up hurt, that’s on you.”
Vincent nodded and rose. “Understood. And, for the record, I was devastated by your mother’s death. That may be difficult for you to believe, but it’s the truth. She was the one I wanted to be my forever wife.”
He took a few steps toward the door before turning back. “Oh, and I know you don’t like accepting gifts from me, but you really should take the vacation. You deserve a break.”
“If we’re going on the record, I’d like to make it clear that I’m not staying quiet about Lily and all the rest for you. I wouldn’t, even if it did come with the keys to my own house.”
He held up his hands in surrender. “I get it. You’re doing it for Hayle. I knew he would convince you to make the right decision.”
And, with that, he walked out the door, leaving a path of shock, betrayal, and devastation in his wake.
Chapter Twelve
Thea
I stared at the closed door until I couldn’t stand it anymore. I had get out of here, now.
Despite my trembling limbs, I reached for my crutches, grabbed my keys, and left the townhouse without a thought of where I was headed. My body screamed at me to jump on my bicycle. More than ever, I needed to ride until I couldn’t think or feel