Beautifully Forgotten (32 page)

“And that’s where you come in.”

“Exactly. Whether the police believe I’m involved in the blackmail plot is unclear, but if the murderer really was there, then they’re going to think I was working with Heidi.”

“Goddamn her, even in death she’s fucking with us.”

“Agreed.”

“What’s the other theory?” she asked.

“That she had an accomplice who she double-crossed and they sought payback.”

Trace moved to wrap Ember in his arms. “There’s one person even more affected by this shit than us.”

Her heart stopped. “Seth.”

“He was there in that apartment with no alibi. Based on the police’s theory, he’s their number one suspect.”

D
ane’s head rested against the sofa while the drugs coursed through his blood. Lena was kneeling in front of him sucking him off, but surprisingly his thoughts were elsewhere.

Heidi was dead. And he had a feeling he knew by whose hand. That scared the shit out of him. He knew that Heidi had been blackmailing someone in his family, maybe even all of them. She’d believed she had them all wrapped around her little finger, but obviously the blackmailee disagreed. What concerned him was what Heidi had left behind. Could he be implicated in Heidi’s scheme? If so, would the killer come after him?

He had no illusions that he’d been spared because he was a blood relation; in fact, most of the time he knew his biological link to his family only served to piss them all off, including dear ol’ dad.

He’d been following the news and knew that the investigation was hovering over Heidi’s son and he knew from Heidi herself the connection with Trace Montgomery. If he shared what he knew, maybe Trace would uncover who did it before they came looking for Dane.

He was so lost in thought he didn’t realize that Lena had stopped working him and was watching him intently.

“What are you thinking?”

“I think I need you to reach out to Ember.”

Lena stood. “No.”

“I need you to call her.”

“I was giving you a blow job and you were fucking thinking about Ember?” Her next words echoed off the walls. “Why her?”

“I have information that might help them uncover who killed Heidi.”

“And we care about that why?”

“Because maybe they’ll find the killer before he comes after me.”

Confusion moved over her face and words didn’t follow for a few minutes. “Why would the killer come after you?” she managed.

“Heidi and I shared in a little activity for a while and if it got out I was her accomplice, the killer may think I was still working with her when she died. If they killed her to keep their secret, there’s no reason to believe they won’t kill me.”

The fight just drained out of her. “I’ll call her.”

Lucien was in the kitchen making lunch when his cell phone rang. Seeing it was Trace again, and knowing he had been off the grid for two days not taking calls or e-mails—hell, he wasn’t even paying attention to current events—he answered it.

“Trace.”

“I’ve been trying to call you for two days. I’m guessing things are not going well with Darcy?”

“She’s pigheaded and stubborn, but so am I.”

“Ain’t that true. Listen, Heidi’s been murdered.”

“What?”

“Yeah, and right now they’re looking at Seth as a suspect.”

“That’s bullshit.”

“You don’t have to tell me. You mentioned she fucked with you and Darcy back in the day?”

“Not just her. There was a man who came to see Darcy to get her out of my life. Whoever it was told her he’d watch out for me. Heidi helped get him past visitor sign-in and kept me distracted so he would have time to intimidate Darcy.”

“What the fuck? Who was he?”

“That is what we’re trying to figure out. I got Josh looking into it, but the man is like a fucking ghost.”

“Why the interest?”

“Same question we’re asking ourselves.”

“Man, I’m sorry. Especially knowing what Darcy means to you, that’s fucked up.”

Lucien’s voice was icy cold when he said, “Yeah, which will make bringing that fucker down oh-so enjoyable.”

“Count me in. Do you ever recall Charles or Vivian coming to St. Agnes when I was there?”

“No, not that I recall, but Sister Margaret would know. Why?”

“Ember made me think about Charles and his connection to Heidi and how far back exactly they’ve known each other.”

They had the thought at the same time: “You don’t think Charles came to see Darcy?” Trace asked. “What would be the point?”

“I don’t know, but it’s easy enough to find out. I’ll show her a picture of him.”

“Even though she isn’t speaking to you.”

“I can be persuasive.”

Trace was silent for a minute. “If it was him, you get first crack.”

“And you’ll finish him off.”

“Fucking straight. He has a lot to atone for.”

Darcy wiped her hands on her pants and stopped in the doorway of Lucien’s office. He looked up and immediately rose.

“Darcy.”

“Do you have a minute?”

“Yeah.” He walked around the desk and gestured to the sofa. She settled herself on the edge while she worked out in her head what she wanted to say. Her eyes met his and she could see what she was feeling staring back at her: love.

“I shouldn’t have walked out at the party.”

“I understand why you did.”

“It was just that hearing my nightmare being spoken out loud and hearing the censure in your voice . . . it was too much. I should have told you about the baby. I wanted to, but every time we were together, I found an excuse to delay because I was so happy and I didn’t want to ruin that.”

“Why would telling me ruin that?” he asked.

“Because I was afraid you would hold me responsible. If I hadn’t fallen, our baby would be alive. I’ve lived with that guilt for so long.”

“Jesus, Darcy. It was an accident. How the hell could I hold you responsible?”

Tears filled her eyes and she managed a small, sad smile. “Because I hold myself responsible and so I just assumed you would too.”

“Will you tell me what happened?” he asked.

“I found out right before we were going to leave together that I was pregnant. I had planned to tell you that day. When I found myself alone and pregnant, I was terrified, but I was excited too, because I was going to have a family. I was pretty far along when I fell. I don’t really remember much after the fall, except that it was Sister Margaret who took me to the hospital. The days that followed were like a blur and then I learned that our baby had died. I died that day too. My mom came for me and demanded that I come home with her. I didn’t understand why because nothing had changed, but I wasn’t given a choice.”

Darcy noticed the look that crossed Lucien’s face. “What are you thinking?”

“People don’t do things without a reason. I’d like to know what reason your mom had to get involved.”

Darcy had never really thought about it that way. It was a question she was going to demand her mother answer.

“Did the man that came to see you know you were pregnant?”

Darcy nodded.

“Any idea how he knew that?”

“Heidi. She was in the bathroom the day I took the pregnancy test. I’d bet money she fished the test out of the trash. At the time I just thought she was being her typical creepy self, but later I realized she had to be the link to the man.”

Anger turned Lucien’s voice hard. “Makes sense.”

“I’m sorry that you learned about our baby in the way that you did.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there at your side. If I had known, I would have been.”

“I don’t want to keep running from you. I’m so tired of running, Lucien.”

He ran his finger along her jaw. “We’ve both been hurt and are way more cautious this time around. You said once that we aren’t the same people we were. We’re not, but I want to get to know the person you’ve become. I still want you in my life, Darcy.”

“I want that too.”

“I’ve no other secrets, do you?” he asked.

“No.”

“Then let’s take it day by day.” He reached for her hand and pulled her to her feet. “Have you had lunch?”

“No.”

“Good, then I’ll whip something up in the kitchen and you can comment on my culinary skills.”

“You can forgive me that easily?” she whispered.

“Can you?” he asked.

Her reply was immediate and heartfelt. “Yes.”

He pressed a kiss on her forehead. “Me too. Come on. I’m starving.”

The following evening, Darcy sat across from Lucien at Tapas. They were doing exactly as Lucien had suggested, taking it a day at a time. She watched as he placed the order for their drinks before he turned his attention on her.

“There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you, but being a stubborn prick, I kept myself from doing so.”

“What?”

“How did you manage college?”

Her reaction to that question surprised her. A lump formed in her throat and her eyes burned. Lucien noticed when he gently asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I didn’t think you cared.”

“I’ve always cared.”

She accepted those words with the same sincerity with which they were offered. She collected herself before she answered him.

“Sister Margaret arranged it.”

His look of disbelief brought a chuckle from her. “How did that happen?”

“When I turned eighteen, she summoned me. Told me she had it all worked out and that all I needed to do was accept.”

“Why? Not that I’m not glad she gave you the opportunity, but that isn’t like her.”

“That’s exactly how I felt. She claimed it was because I had suffered through a lot, but I don’t know. I always had the sense that it was penance for something.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Like you said, she wasn’t that kind of person, so why take the interest? People don’t change overnight, and yet she did a complete one-eighty when she offered me a chance to change my life. And it did—going to college took my life in a direction it never would have gone.”

It was the thoughtful look on his face that made her ask, “What are you thinking?”

The waitress returned in that moment and they waited for the wine to be served and for her to move on before he replied, “It just seems odd that two people in your life known for their disinterest suddenly take an interest in you. Why?”