Chapter 41
Chapter Forty-One
Aurora sat in a stiff wooden chair, her hands bound behind her. Beck Neuman stood casually across from her, holding the revolver. He hadn’t taken his eyes off her once.
“Not very talkative, are you?” she asked.
“Throat surgery.” His voice was scratchy and low. “Cancerous tumor. I nearly died.”
“How upsetting for you.”
He nodded, as if she were sincere. “I realized I wanted more out of life. To have a family. I asked Jennifer to marry me. My fee for this operation will get us started.”
“Heartwarming,” Aurora deadpanned.
The guy was a psychopath.
And she still didn’t understand what he wanted with her. They’d parked in front of a white stucco house, and Jennifer had disappeared. Beck had carried Aurora down a set of stairs along the cliff to this guesthouse.
At first, she’d been terrified. But the longer they sat in silence, the more her anger took over. She didn’t know this man. He had nothing to do with her. Yet he was willing to kill her, all in the name of settling down and starting a family? Aurora couldn’t imagine being that twisted.
Yet Jennifer was far worse. She’d looked into Aurora’s face time and again, pretending to be her friend. Aurora was pissed at herself for letting that happen. She’d probably beat herself up about it later. But right now, she let all that rage fuel her.
She was going to get out of this, and she was going to make them pay.
Starting with Beck Neuman—because he had shot and wounded Devon. Even if she could somehow forgive everything else this man put her through, she was not going to forgive that.
Neuman eyed her, like he could somehow see the thoughts passing through her brain. “No one’s going to find you here. Might as well accept that now.”
She looked through the huge windows at the view. The guesthouse was small and modest compared to the grand white house uphill, but the ocean panorama was breathtaking.
“We’ll see,” Aurora said.
Then she heard footsteps approaching along the path.
Nadia Wolfson appeared in the windows. She slid open the glass door and walked inside.
“Nadia?” The nausea in Aurora’s stomach increased. She had suspected that Mrs. Wolfson could be involved, but hadn’t wanted to believe it.
“I’m sorry about this.” The woman did truly look regretful. “I’d hoped it wouldn’t be necessary.”
“Why am I here?" Aurora’s wrists strained as she pulled at her bindings. “I want an explanation.”
“I suppose I owe you that much.” Nadia took a seat in a comfortable upholstered chair, her long legs crossing.
“It’s not personal, Aurora. At least, it didn’t start that way.
I never wanted you to get caught up in this.
You were supposed to plan the party where Brandon would die, take your generous pay, and go home none the wiser. But you had to complicate things.”
“You planned your husband’s murder. Didn’t you?”
“Jennifer helped.” Nadia stood up, sweeping her hair over her shoulder.
“Oh, don’t look so shocked. Brandon was really as despicable as they say.
It was his choice to start laundering money for Dominic Crane and the Silverlake Syndicate.
But that’s how I met Eric. He hated working for a weak leader like Crane, and I hated my husband.
We both saw a way to free ourselves. Take control of our situations.
You seem like a strong woman. That has to be something you understand, right? Wanting to forge your own path?”
Aurora didn’t give her the satisfaction of agreeing. But Nadia went on anyway.
“It was my idea for Brandon to divert funds from Crane for us to start our own competing enterprise. Eric helped from within the Syndicate. Meanwhile, we made sure that Crane found out about Brandon’s betrayal just when we wanted him to.
I set up the ‘Angels and Demons’ party as the perfect opportunity for Crane to deal out vengeance.
Eric was right there, to make sure that Brandon didn’t survive the night, even if Crane was too soft.
Which he was. There was never supposed to be anyone there to witness Eric pulling the trigger. I’m sorry you had to see that.”
“But you were planning to blame the murder on Crane? How was that supposed to work, without any witnesses or evidence? Because Crane was never going to be the one to fire the gun.”
A man like Crane never got his hands dirty. Aurora could tell that much about the man, whatever else she thought of him.
Nadia shrugged dismissively. “I never intended to send Crane to prison. The plan was always to undermine Crane’s position within the Syndicate.
We helped Brandon cheat him and make him look like a fool.
Eric was going to take advantage of Crane’s weakness within the organization and make his move to seize control.
That part of things is still going forward, at least. Crane isn’t going to be the leader of the Syndicate for long.
But I can’t allow Eric to wind up in prison.
He’s my ticket to a powerful role within the Syndicate.
They should have a West Oaks native like me in charge of their operations here.
It’s good business sense, which they might’ve seen if I wasn’t a woman. ”
“So, you had to make sure I didn’t testify against Eric. You hired him to get rid of me.” Aurora tilted her chin toward Beck Neuman, who still watched her impassively.
“Crane’s allies went after you first. The Syndicate has informants all over—including inside the court records department.
They passed on your identity as the witness, and I already knew where you lived.
I gave them access to the Bennett Security system at The Lighthouse Club so they could figure out your brother’s weaknesses.
Of course, I was hedging my bets, sending Beck after you as well.
Sadly, the Syndicate goons botched the job, and prolonged all this mess.
Then Crane put out the word to leave you alone.
Yet one more sign of his weakness and his selfishness—because he was guaranteeing you’d testify against Eric.
As if Eric was expendable, just a pawn. So, Beck carried on himself. ”
The man nodded. “But I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without your and Jennifer’s help.”
Aurora glared at the woman. “What did you do?”
Nadia had the nerve to look sheepish. “None of us had any idea where you’d gone after you fled your brother’s apartment building.
But then, you and I had that video call.
I could see the old water tower through the window of the house where you were staying.
I’ve lived in West Oaks since I was a child, even longer than you.
I’d know that water tower in a heartbeat.
It didn’t take much effort to pinpoint exactly which house you were holed up in.
You never should’ve spoken to anyone while you were there, Aurora.
It was foolish of you to be so trusting.
The real world is too harsh for a girl like you. ”
Aurora tugged at her wrist ties again, shaking with fury. “You sent Neuman to kill me. You’ve wanted me dead this whole time. Why am I still sitting here? Why are you keeping me alive at all?”
Lines appeared in her otherwise flawless skin.
“Because you sent Jennifer and me Beck’s picture yesterday.
Obviously, you and your brother were getting way too close.
I couldn’t let you discover my part in this.
You’re here to tell me everything that Max and Lana Marchetti know.
Have they learned Beck’s real identity?”
“Yes,” Aurora spat out. “Sending the photo yesterday was a test. My brother knows you’re involved, and any minute he’s going to show up. His people have probably already surrounded this place.”
Nadia slowly shook her head, regarding her like a disappointed mother. “I don’t think Aurora has a future on the Vegas poker circuit, do you, Beck? She really needs to work on her bluffing.”
Damn. It had been worth a try. “Then I’ll make a deal—let me go and I’ll testify that Crane pulled the trigger. I’ll say that Eric was never inside Wolfson’s office at all.”
“All right. I’m convinced.” Nadia headed toward the glass door.
She paused with her fingers around the handle.
“Convinced that you don’t know a thing that I need to worry about.
Beck, you can toss her off the cliff, and the current will get rid of her.
I should get back to my guests. I told them I was upset and needed some time alone, and they’ll be worried.
My party was already disrupted enough by your friends looking for you. ”
My friends? Who had been looking for her?
“Wait! Nadia, please.” Aurora’s chair nearly tipped over as she struggled. But Nadia was gone, leaving the glass door open. Cool, salty air blew through the room.
Beck advanced on her. He still had his gun, but he wasn’t using it. Probably so there wouldn’t be a bullet in her body that could serve later as evidence. She’d simply wash up along the coast somewhere, and no one would have any idea she’d been here.
Aurora kicked at him. Her heel connected with his knee, and he grunted in pain. “Don’t make this harder on yourself.”
He pulled her up from the chair, leaving her hands still bound. Neuman forced her outside, half dragging and half carrying her. Aurora kept kicking, but it wasn’t any use.
“Help me!”
Neuman pushed her toward the edge of the cliff. The low metal railing pressed into Aurora’s hip. Her weight tipped forward. She saw the white foam. Heard the crash of the waves on the rocks below. Hair whipped across her face in the wind.
“No,” she screamed.
“Neuman, take another step and you’re dead.”
She knew that voice. “Devon?”
He was here for her. He’d really come.
Too fast, Beck spun himself behind her. She felt his gun barrel at her temple.
Devon stood on the cliffside path, holding a weapon in both hands. His shoulders were back, his face a mask of concentration. He wore civilian clothing, but he was every inch the soldier.
“It’s over. Give up and step away from her. Now.”