Framed: A Psychological Thriller (Boston's Crimes of Passion Book 2) (21 page)

A stiff ocean breeze swept over the second-floor piazza, giving a welcome relief to the humidity of the hot July night. The familiarity of the scene around Riley reminded her of what her life had been.

Horses clogging over the stone-paved streets, pulling tourists around the historic architecture; tree-canopied streets; majestic churches; stately homes: the sights and sounds of her beloved Charleston.

But the comfort she once took here was no longer.

Despite the heat, she felt a chill. The realization that she was truly alone in this venture overwhelmed her.

But she was committed. She couldn’t give up now. She was too close to the truth.

Doubts crept within her. What if she was wrong? Maybe she should have let the authorities handle it.

No, she sternly chastised herself. She couldn’t take the chance.

She knew what she was getting into. The moment she started down this path, she was in the battle of her life.

For the last few years, it had consumed her every move. She was so close. She couldn’t give up now…no matter the danger.

Nothing mattered except exposing the truth—getting Harrison out of prison.

If it meant pushing away those who she cared for, she would ignore the ever growing pain in her heart. She had to keep Josh safe and away from her.

He had saved her life once and it almost cost him his.

She already had to live with the guilt of Olivia’s death.

“God forgive me,” she whispered into the night’s air.

She gripped the railing tightly and took a deep breath. She had come here tonight at the request of Clayton Edmunds. For the last few years, he had served as her financial lawyer. Overseeing her every financial move, he knew exactly what she had planned.

Clayton had worked in the background, not wanting to endure any backlash for his son in his representation of Riley. Now, it wasn’t of importance. Dennis’s ties to the Ashcrofts had been severed.

Shockingly to Riley, the will that Helen Barlow sent to her had been proved authentic. Clayton wanted a meeting to discuss their next course of action: to negotiate a settlement with the Ashcrofts and avoid a long, drawn-out legal battle or, if that didn’t happen, to prepare for a fight.

There were few people Riley trusted, but Clayton and his wife, Adele, were two of them. After her father passed, they were the only ones of her father’s friends who didn’t turn their back on her.

Riley wished Clayton, a top-notch lawyer, had been able to oversee Harrison’s case in the aftermath of her father’s suicide, but he wasn’t a criminal lawyer. Clayton was a certified tax specialist.

Harrison had needed a top-notch criminal lawyer. Her heart still pained when she thought of that incompetent public defender bozo, Ward Arrington, who represented Harrison after her father died. Harrison hadn’t a chance.

Clayton arranged the meeting at Dennis’s home, situated a street over from the Battery. The large stately house had two piazzas that oversaw the flourishing gardens below. A lovely home by any standard.

It had been Olivia’s wedding present from her parents.

Dinner had passed well enough. Dennis had sat in silence while Riley and Clayton made small talk. Adele wasn’t home. She had taken Chloe to their place in Beaufort. It was safer there for the little one.

Riley would never have come otherwise.

Looking out into the night’s air, Riley realized that Olivia would never have wanted her in her home. A wave of sadness surged through her at the thought.

Was she grieving the loss of her cousin? Perhaps. Or maybe she was grieving what might have been.

Now, though, she would never know why her cousin hated her long before Dennis came between them or why Olivia could never let go, even after she had won.

Olivia had everything a woman could desire: A lovely home. A beautiful child. A husband she loved.

Not many men could fit the bill for Olivia. Most felt overshadowed by her wealth. Her demands. Dennis had been perfect for her. Handsome and wealthy in his own right, Dennis had done extremely well as a forensic accountant with his connections to the Ashcroft family.

Or had Olivia’s attraction to Dennis stemmed from the fact that he had been Riley’s fiancé? Had Olivia gained satisfaction from wedging herself between Riley and the man she had promised to spend the rest of her life?

Was that the reason that Olivia wouldn’t let go of that one indiscretion? Why she had let her hatred for Riley gnaw at her soul until it festered into a wound that would never heal?

“Dad is taking a call. He’ll be with you soon.”

Riley glanced back over her shoulder. Dennis stood in the doorway and then walked over beside her at the railing.

His usual immaculate appearance was somewhat disheveled. He had changed to an old T-shirt and shorts, bare-footed, with the distinct smell of liquor.

“I’m not in a rush.” Riley gave a slight shrug. “If you don’t mind, I think I would like to wait out here until Clayton is done.”

“Not at all.”

A long moment of silence ensued. Finally, Dennis spoke, choking on his words. “I chose wrong. If you ever wondered…I chose wrong.”

Dennis was wallowing in self-pity, lamenting his poor choices of the past. She supposed she had been one of them.

Her blood ran cold. She wasn’t in the mood to console him.

“We’re not doing this now.” She didn’t bother to hide the cynicism.

“No,” he insisted, rubbing his hand over his weary face. “You need to know this. Have to know…”

His slurred words pleaded, his face drawn in heart-felt pain. Her empathy played, she wavered.

“I’m listening.”

“Walter,” he stuttered. “It was Walter…all those rumors that were rampant against your father. It was Walter. Walter was the one embezzling money from your grandfather. He was the one who stole the power of attorney that Witt had given your dad.”

Exasperated, she stepped back. “I already know this, Dennis. I’m not going to rehash—”

“They all knew,” he said bluntly. “Your family. They all knew what Walter had done.”

Her lips tightened. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, hell, Riley, do I have to spell it out for you? When Witt discovered it was Walter who had had the power of attorney…that it was Walter who had stolen from him…he let your dad take the fall. Your grandfather betrayed your father…his own son.”

“How? How would you know such a thing?” Riley questioned in a low, distant voice.
No…no…no. It couldn’t be true
.

His face grew taut…dark. “I know because I’ve been working for the FBI for the last two years. They came to me to help make a case against Walter. I agreed. I helped Walter get arrested.”

“The FBI? You sold out your own family?”

“It wasn’t that difficult.” He gave a forced laugh. “I signed my soul over to the devil years ago…when I chose Olivia over you… I knew Olivia was using me to get at you. I took the bait and have paid for it ever since. See, you weren’t the reason my marriage sucked.”

“You’re not making any sense.”

“Olivia wanted me. Daddy got his little girl what she wanted. I was bought and paid for, Riley.” He waved his hand around in the air. “All this. This is what I got.”

Confused, Riley shook her head. “What has marrying Olivia have to do with working for the FBI? She loved you. Wanted you. She got what she wanted.”

“You poor little thing. You have no idea, do you, how much Olivia hated you,” he snapped. “Olivia truly loved only one person in this world. Her daddy. Walter blamed all his shortcomings on your dad. Being the Daddy’s girl she was, she absorbed his hatred…Cora’s hatred… Vivien’s…for you.”

“Vivien’s?”

“A woman scorned,” he said absently, rubbing his hand over his tired face. Sighing heavily, he glanced about the piazza. “You need to lay low.” He said the words in almost a whisper.

She shook her head. “I’m not going to do that.”

“Listen…I’m not lying about working for the FBI. They came to me and asked me to help them prove a case against Walter. I’ve been working as a forensic accountant for the government ever since…His arrest will only be the beginning.

“There are going to be more arrests within WAS. Walter allowed his partners from Chicago to come into the company after Witt died.”

Not shocked, Riley said, “Don’t ask me to feel sorry for him…”

In a sudden motion, Dennis reached out and caught Riley by the shoulder. “Walter associates with some really bad people. That’s what you need to know.”

“It has nothing to do with me.”

“You’re wrong,” Dennis insisted. “His associates want their money from Walter, Riley. With the new will being found, you threaten their bankroll from your uncle. The FBI is about to freeze his accounts.”

Riley jerked herself out of his control. “They can’t freeze money that should be mine.”

“I’m afraid they can and will. Not only that, but I don’t know what Donald has…if you can get your share from him. He has spent his time lately hiding his assets.”

“You need to tell Clayton.”

“I am going to come clean with him tonight. I just wanted you to understand the danger you’re in. What if Walter’s associates were the ones who shot at you… and killed Olivia?

“Riley, I think they found out and killed Olivia because of me.”

Dennis moved toward her, but she put her hands up to halt his progress.

“Don’t,” she asserted. “Don’t touch me. If you believe your confessional changes things between us, you’re sadly mistaken. You’re drunk and letting your guilt talk.”

“No, I’m worried about you. I want to make amends. I want you back in my life…I want—”

“Stop,” she demanded. “I’m going to heed your advice and not trust anyone…especially you. Now, please step out of my way.”

He made no attempt to block her exit. “I’m not going to force anything. I will give you time, but don’t speak of our conversation to anyone or Chloe will become an orphan.”

She met his eyes, but said nothing. Pivoting on her heels, she left him.

* * * *

As she walked down the stairs, Dennis’s words stung. The drunken idiot hadn’t a clue what he had said that set her off.

Dennis had a high opinion of himself. Knowing him, he thought she was upset because of him. Did he think she would thank him for betraying her uncle?

Honestly, she couldn’t have cared less. Walter was getting what he deserved.

No, it had been Dennis’s insistence that Grandfather and Nana had known that her father was innocent. She had always believed in her daddy. Never for one moment had she even considered that Daddy had stolen her grandfather’s power of attorney.

But she had always believed that Nana and Grandfather thought it had been their middle son who had committed fraud and stolen money from the company.

Instead, Dennis was maintaining that it had all been an act to protect Walter. Everything Walter had put her through had been a smoke screen to ensure no one looked at him. His righteous anger!

She expected as much from Walter, but Grandfather…Nana? She loved them.
No…no…no!
All this time, they knew it had been Walter and had let her daddy take the blame!
No, no, no!

Her mind raced, a million thoughts a minute. Everything they had put her through to be a part of the family again…making her feel worthless about her one night with Dennis when all along no one seemed to mind that Olivia had stolen her fiancé…forcing her to work for acceptance…making her feel like a poor relation…making her take that fucking DNA test to prove she was Jack Ashcroft’s daughter.

All the while, they knew…
knew
her father was innocent.

Why…why?
To convince themselves that Walter was a better man than he really was. So they didn’t have to face the truth about their son.

Maybe that was what Grandfather had meant the last time she had seen him.
You’re the only one who has never asked for a penny. The only one who truly loves me. The only good one.

Deep in thought, she hadn’t noticed voices echoing up from the foyer. Pausing at the handrail, she looked down and saw him before he noticed her.

A shiver ran through her spine.

Ellis Dean in Charleston
?
Oh, God, what is that man doing here?

A weight settled in her stomach as she braced herself for the encounter.

He looked like shit. His clothes were wrinkled; his tie hung loose around his unbuttoned collar. Unshaven, he needed a haircut. Then his eyes met hers.

Her stomach clenched. His eyes were dark, wild, sparking panic. For what reason, she didn’t know, but she had the immediate urge to get away from him…far away.

She glanced at the door, silently calculating the distance and time it would take to make a run for it. It was a crazy thought, without reason or cause.

She was secure inside the home of one of her oldest friends. Clayton stood no more than twenty feet from the man, Dennis was behind her, and for God’s sakes, it was Ellis…boring, stuffy Ellis.