Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 126823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
“I don’t know. I don’t have any idea what to think. You’re positive that flower was from Saudi Arabia?” Raine asked.
Shabina nodded. “And I think the iris was as well. There was a Qaisumah diamond in the other evidence bag along with the rocks they’d gathered off the altar.” She rested her forehead in her palm. “I can’t imagine why anyone would want to kill Deacon.”
“Bale did make threats,” Raine pointed out. “It isn’t like your kidnapping isn’t common knowledge. It’s on the internet if anyone wants to dig up your history. Sean could have killed Deacon and left him on the trail for you to find.”
Shabina bit down on her lip. “That did cross my mind. Still, Sean’s a jerk, but is he really a cold-blooded killer? I can imagine Bale doing something like that—and that’s a stretch—but Sean? A ritualistic murder doesn’t fit with his personality.”
“None of us thought Denver could possibly be a killer. I didn’t think so,” Stella admitted, “right up until the very last moment when I was looking into his eyes. My heart stood still. Even then I didn’t want to believe it. Sam saved the day, or I would have given myself away completely. In the end, he was aware I knew, and he decided to kill me.” She pressed her hand over her heart. “It still hurts. I still have a difficult time believing he would do such a thing. I considered him one of my best friends. If he could do something like that, then Sean is just as capable.”
Shabina had looked into the face of evil every day for months. Sean was twisted, but she wasn’t convinced he could cold-bloodedly plan and carry out a murder as heinous as Deacon’s had been. Sean had been in charge of the young man. Just that alone would put him on the suspect list. He was an intelligent man. Sean didn’t make sense to her as the killer.
“I think we need more facts before we can reach any real conclusions,” Raine said.
“I hate that Deacon was murdered,” Stella said. “No one has told us if he was robbed. It’s the weird ritual that bothers me because that indicates the killer might strike again. We don’t need another serial killer.” She gave a little shudder. “Honestly, Shabina, it’s no wonder you’re having trouble sleeping. All these references to Saudi Arabia.”
“I think you should call Rainier,” Raine said. “I know you don’t want to, Shabina, but this could turn into a mess very fast. I think it already has.”
Stella looked up sharply. “Wait, what? Rainier Ashcroft? I know he’s headed Shabina’s security for a long time, but I thought he was out of the picture. He made her cry when we were in Vegas. I wanted to stab him with a fork.”
Shabina couldn’t help laughing. Even Raine had to smile. The idea of Stella attempting to stab Rainier with a fork was hilarious, but then when Stella had a bit too much to drink on a backpacking trip, she came roaring out of her tent in lingerie ready to take on a bear with her karate moves.
Stella looked affronted. “I don’t know why you two would laugh. He might be a badass, but no one makes my friends cry and gets away with it. He deserves to be stabbed with a fork.”
“He probably did deserve it at the time,” Raine said. “But I think you missed your opportunity. You can’t just decide months later to attack the man willy-nilly.”
“ ‘Willy-nilly’?” Stella echoed. “No one says that, Raine. And the only way I’d have a chance of skewering him is a surprise attack.”
Shabina couldn’t believe she had gone from despair to laughter in such a short time. She really needed to spend more time around these women. They were good for her. She didn’t dwell on the worst-case scenario every minute.
“Stella Harrison-Rossi, it sounds as if you have been planning to skewer him since Vegas,” Raine accused, doing her best to look outraged, but succeeding in looking as if she might fall off her chair laughing.
“Well, as a matter of fact, I have been.” Stella’s nose went in the air. “I dream about retaliation. He’s so sure of himself.”
“Does Sam have any idea that you carry grudges forever?” Raine asked.
“Unfortunately, yes.” Stella heaved a sigh. “I try to keep him with illusions, but he sees all. He always has. He doesn’t seem to mind that I have these little flaws.”
Shabina couldn’t help laughing again at the sigh in her voice. “I think Sam loves what you call your ‘little flaws.’ In any case, you have the wrong impression of Rainier. I don’t want you to think he’s some terrible brute. The truth is, I totally ruined his life. I destroyed his career. I lost him the one woman he loved. He’s on a dozen hit lists because of me.”