Chapter Forty-One
Another hour later, reality suddenly hit after Wren sat for a while on a ledge at the peak of Crystal Rock, near the beach at Dragonfly Pointe. Jeff had promised that they’d walk to the top sometime, but so far, they’d never had a chance because of all the security measures they’d had to follow.
The view of Crystal Rock Lake was breathtaking, she had to admit as the sun descended, a glittering ball of fire on the horizon.
But it had definitely been unwise for her to leave the house, and incredibly stupid to hike up here on her own, where she would leave herself totally isolated.
And as she stood to begin her walk back down from the top of the cliff, she heard the hollow thud of footsteps from someone approaching along the path. Reaching into her pocket, she tugged out her phone which she’d just finished using to take a few pictures, switching the video button to record before stuffing it back into her pocket.
It took more than a moment to finally recognize the identity of the man she’d noticed at the Riverbend Lodge weeks earlier. In his hand was a Glock, which he pointed right at her.
“So,” she muttered. “It really was you that I noticed at the Riverbend Lodge before we began filming the video. You’ve put on some weight since high school. Quite a bit, as a matter of fact.”
Even though she hadn’t recognized him until now, he might think twice about whatever he had in mind if he thought she’d mentioned his name to anyone else after she’d noticed him at the Lodge.
“Hello, Wren,” Garret Mason Junior said in a steely voice. “It took long enough for you to come out in the open. I knew that if I was patient, you’d get tired of hiding out with your latest boy toy.”
“Before you do whatever you’re planning on doing, could you explain to me what’s going on? I really don’t get it,” Wren admitted, trying not to show her fear.
Her only hope was that Jeff had come home and called Jake Loughlin to check on her tracking coordinates. God, it had been so stupid for her to leave the house.
Junior shrugged. “Dad had so many opportunities. For years I kept waiting for him to find a way to grab a hold of some of that money you had him handle for charities. The size of those accounts had become very tempting as interest accrued, despite all the payments going out through the years. And then there was your will and its addendums.”
“So what did you do – kill him in hopes that you would gain control?” she asked.
His smile was snide.
“I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out until now,” Wren admitted grimly after exhaling an unsteady breath. “He really wasn’t that old. Not to mention a small-town lawyer doesn’t necessarily have to work at too speedy a pace.”
“He had some heart troubles that no one really knew about except for me,” Junior responded matter-of-factly. “All it took was a little foxglove. Easy enough to research. Heck, every mystery show on TV kills someone off with it. And in a podunk little town like Lawton, the coroner isn’t going to bother with an autopsy when he’s also the town doctor.”
“Explain to me what the scheme was.”
He glanced around.
“No one knows I’m here,” she said dryly. “We’ve got time.”
“It would have been a hell of a lot easier if you would have been at that recording studio like you were supposed to be,” he muttered. “But all this newfound success of yours should pay off even more in the long run. I’ve got to say, I never expected the big comeback. I thought for sure your career was on its way into the gutter.”
“I still don’t get it,” Wren admitted, puzzled. “If you’ve already taken control of the charity funds since your father died and I’m regularly paying into them, what would be the purpose of getting rid of me? According to my last will, everything would automatically revert to charity once I die, even any recording proceeds.”
“I’d gain your complete inheritance of course, because I made sure that it wouldn’t revert to charity. There was a clause in that will of yours. Any direct remaining heirs would inherit everything, including control of any charities your money was designated for, which of course – as you just figured out – I haven’t updated for you since your dad died. I’d have access to any paperwork saying otherwise since I’d have control of your entire estate. I made sure that you never knew you had a sister. And then I married her.” He stepped up to the edge of the cliff, sneering as he glanced at the rocks below. “Of course, falling off the cliff right here would be the perfect way to die, since it will have to look like an accident.”
There was some movement behind Garrett, and Wren realized that it was Robin, creeping up behind him.
Of course. Wren . Robin . Mom had once had a fondness for nature, which was why she’d named her Wren, according to her dad.
Robin had to be Wren’s sister.
When she noticed Wren had seen her, Robin held her index finger to her mouth as she continued to creep up on Garrett.
But if she was working with Garrett, why was she sneaking up on him?
“I suppose you’ll find a way to eliminate your wife once you gain control of my millions,” Wren said, trying to distract him.
“Of course. Who needs a sniveling little sexpot like her? I deserve better. Once I’m living the life I deserve, I’ll be able to have anyone I want.”
Robin accidentally sent some rocks from the pathway flying, and as Garrett turned, his Glock shot off when Robin flung her entire body towards him.
Despite the blood, Wren rushed up to them, kicking the Glock off the edge of the cliff where it dropped into the lake below.
With nearly superhuman strength, Wren yanked Garrett off Robin and pushed him to the edge of the cliff. “Leave her alone you jerk.”
“Wren,” Jeff screamed out from somewhere nearby. “Get away from him so you don’t go over the edge. The rock’s about to give out from under him.”
Sure enough, Jeff was right.
As Garrett dropped over the edge of the cliff, hysterical screams echoed through the air.
* * *
Jeff watched as Wren wrapped her arms around Robin, who was supposedly her sister. Jeff and Jake had managed to bandage Robin’s arm tight to stop the bleeding where she’d been shot.
But the prognosis was good since the bullet had gone awry. There’d be a huge gouge in Robin’s arm, but she should eventually regain most of her range of motion, Jeff determined, based on his experience in search and rescue. At least it had been her left arm that had been injured, as opposed to the right, since she was right-handed.
Jake walked over, standing beside Jeff. “This isn’t the first time someone has died going over that cliff.”
“I know. I remember that Josh Loughlin’s father was one of them.”
“Who just happened to be my perverted sexual predator uncle,” Jake admitted grimly.
Jake’s cousin, Captain Joshua Loughlin, was a family friend, and was also in charge of the wounded warrior home.
“We’ve had some pretty creepy things happen here at Dragonfly Pointe,” Jeff admitted.
“Yet the folklore speaks of magical new beginnings,” Jake replied.
“I know this sounds a little crazy, but maybe it’s meant to be the balance needed to abolish the evil,” Jeff said softly.
“That could very well be,” Jake admitted, becoming thoughtful.
They both stood and watched as Robin appeared determined to spill her guts to Wren, who just seemed to be nodding her head in reassurance.
“I think I hear the ambulance. I’ll go meet them while you stay with Wren and Robin,” Jake said. “It might take a little longer to wrap up the investigative side of things. A team from the FBI will be arriving shortly. We’ll probably stop by the hospital with some additional questions after we’re finished on scene.”
“Thanks, Jake,” Jeff said.
“For what?” Jake asked grimly. “You did what you were supposed to. My guys were the ones who must not have been watching your house carefully enough since they didn’t even notice her leaving the house. We’re talking about one guy on the lake and another parked at the end of your road. At least you remembered that there was a tracking device on her SUV in case you hadn’t found her at Crystal Rock. But if it hadn’t been for Wren’s sister, Wren might very well be dead.”
“Tell me about it. Come to think of it, it was probably the only time we’ve been apart since Wren moved in,” Jeff said, blinking at the realization. “But if it hadn’t been for my sister Kate showing up, thinking she was protecting my honor, Wren probably wouldn’t have been upset enough to leave in the first place. I’m going to have to have a serious talk with Kate about butting out of my personal business.”
Jake gave him a slow smile. “It all worked out, so go easy on Kate. Speaking of new beginnings – we’ll have to see what we can do about dropping some of the charges that are probably going to be in the works since Robin was an accessory.”
“Good. I’m sure Wren would be incredibly grateful. I remember her telling me once that she’d always felt so alone,” Jeff answered.
Jake nodded his obvious understanding before heading over to talk to the paramedics while Jeff joined Wren and Robin.