THE WOMAN IN HIS LAST WILL

SSA'

quiet, I knew someone was right behind me. Not a nervous cop. Not

. "Who'

th

my phone. Before I could gr

Lucien's body. Everyone was there, just as befo

a slow cir

ake it. Someone had been inches

room?" The detective's

anced at each o

corridor!

ers bolte

kept staring at the doorway. Someo

etective's voice sn

stomach was twisti

to come

ady knew, but I

he st

ot don

ect in your hu

ed. "I

stand why you c

he thought caught me off guard. Three hours ago, I would've done anything ne

alm, but stubborn. "She's

wned. "You're not

en't heard all o

e hesitated.

ad it with his wife and

ily isn'

g open. Footsteps echoed, and Isolde Arden-Lucien's mother-swept in. Every stitch of her b

caught his eye. He glanced from me to Lucien's body, and for a sec

I barely saw them. My attention

res

ck, instinct

nched. "I c

id do

drop to my hands, where dr

ere when it

es

happ

swer. I laughed, col

"You were

were his

de cut through. "Enough." Her voice

e brushed his forehead. For a single moment her mask f

ou

wed. "Mr

last person to

was

rrowed. "Th

n't k

t us to be

are what y

ened. "You des

snapped. "I di

ed for d

. "You think leaving a mar

hated

confession. Everyone in the

t he did to our marriage." My voi

vrin cleared his throa

d. "Then re

I stayed standing, apart, as I always had. Ard

as Arden." His voice echoed. Legal jargon droned on-accounts, ass

a Noir

d jerk

ife, Varessa Noir Arden, all controlling sha

oom e

olde shot

said, stari

an't be

e all personal holdings, investment portfolios, private p

verything? He'd lef

ook. "Stop. All c

es

would

ssed, notarized, and legall

accused him of cheating again, but he just looked at me and said, "You will understand o

a final

hed. Sevrin

rder, his wife must remain the sole controll

ng up. "Thi

aid, voice like stone.

e. "You're not taki

re. "I never

n't des

id quietly, "but

u think money ma

Lucien's empty chair.

k envelope on the table. My name

art r

from L

nod

black wax seal. Inside was a s

re

I died suddenly,

hated you, don't

family tells you tha

rred. My ches

sharp on me. "Wha

the note.

closer. "Gi

N

ing my son's

kno

right to keep

Apparently, your s

Sevrin finally spoke. "

He looke

te instruction about

t of inst

d that his wife not be arrested for his murd

tive frow

lope. The detective read for a

believed you

h dropped

that if evidence pointed to you,

the knife, the fingerprints, the locked do

ollar empire. Someone killed Lucien and tried to set

raph. The one taken in my bedroom.

blurted ou

thing else in

hen shook hi

ad always been a master at using silenc

nt to go back

tween me and the doo

nd left s

eady se

dn't fi

o you

d, you'd stop aski

ve us. Another crash followed-breaking glass. Footsteps, shouting, som

" the detec

oom door hung open, and inside-chaos. Clothes ev

m. Nothing looked missing-until I remembered th

Sevrin. "Some

t pale. "Wha

And a key. An

hrough from the door

l black envelope.

et that?" My voi

pillow," he said,

photograph. Me and Lucien on our wedding day. Bu

ned i

OU MARRIED TH

ed it. Unknown number. The firs

her: RUN,

ed me just now, standing

een watching

e still insi