While Frannie contacted her friend, Dani led Abby to the house phone and had the girl call her therapist. The woman agreed to meet them at the mansion ASAP.
After Dani sent a text to Spencer explaining the situation, she insisted that Abby eat lunch while they waited for the lawyer and her therapist to arrive. Being diabetic, the girl couldn’t afford to skip a meal and it was unlikely that she’d be fed any time soon at the police station.
As Abby ate, Dani and Frannie stared sadly at each other. The poor girl. She had been doing so well until she’d fallen into Regina’s web of deceit. Dani felt sorry for Abby and could only hope that she would get the help she needed rather than a long prison term.
Two hours later, Abby, her attorney, and her therapist left the mansion for the police station. Spencer had contacted the chief and she would be there to process the girl personally. No one wanted to see Abby turned over to Mikeloff.
It was nearly five o’clock when Frannie finally left the mansion and Dani was exhausted. As she collapsed across her bed, her last thoughts before drifting to sleep were that although it seemed as if Abby had been pushed to her limit and Regina had been responsible for her own death, that wasn’t true.
Everyone had to be accountable for their own actions and that included Abby. She made the wrong choices and she would have to pay the price. It was a shame that mean girls like Regina always seemed to bring other people down with them.
In the end, everyone suffered because of Regina’s narcissism. Dani just hoped that those who had been involved in the whole disgusting mess would learn a lesson and be better people because of it.
Epilogue
Dani tugged on the skirt of her black dress. The hem was several inches above her knees and she felt naked. Either the sheath was a lot shorter than she remembered, or her hips were a lot bigger and were hiking it up. When she’d stood in her closet looking for something appropriate to wear, she’d discovered that her go-to navy suit had a huge hole where the breast pocket of the jacket had caught on something and torn off. Which is why she’d been forced to settle for the only other dark piece of clothing she owned, whether it fit well or not.
She hesitated halfway up the steps of the funeral home and stared at herself in the mirrored wall. The length wasn’t as bad as she feared. The black tights certainly helped, as did the ballet flats. As long as she didn’t bend over, it would be fine.
Slipping the straps of her handbag over her forearm, Dani finished climbing the stairs and walked through the double glass doors. The overpowering smell of flowers hit her full force, and she squeezed her eyes shut trying not to sneeze.
She hated wakes and usually managed to talk herself out of attending them, but due to her involvement in the murder investigation, she’d considered herself duty-bound to come to Regina’s. Dani felt torn between her abhorrence of someone taking another’s life and her sympathy for Abby.
Although a week had passed since Abby had confessed, and her attorney was working on a plea bargain, they wouldn’t know for months what would happen to her. And Dani feared that the best the girl could hope for was an offer of involuntary manslaughter, which in Illinois carried a two- to five-year prison sentence and up to twenty-five thousand dollars in fines. Her parents had stated that they would pay any fines, but Abby would definitely have to spend time behind bars.
Pushing thoughts of Abby aside, Dani took her place at the end of the line of people waiting to pay their respects and studied the Bournes. Although she shouldn’t have been, she was surprised to see Honoria looking her usual sleek, patrician self. Any evidence of grief or regret was well hidden by makeup and there were no telltale mascara tracks on her cheeks.
Anson stood next to his wife, sober in a charcoal-gray Brooks Brothers suit. His countenance was stoic, but Dani noticed an occasional tic near his left eye and he constantly clenched and unclenched his fists.
Dani was trying to interpret the tycoon’s expression when she noticed she was next in line.
“Mr. and Mrs. Bourne, you have my deepest sympathy.”
Regina’s mother nodded regally, but her father asked, “How did you know my daughter?”
Dani thought fast. Now that Abby had confessed, was it okay to acknowledge that she’d catered the luau? Maybe, but it was probably best to avoid it. “She and the girls who live with me were friends.”
Before Anson could respond, Honoria said, “Thank you for coming.” She took Dani’s arm and firmly propelled her down the line.
Spotting Mrs. Carnet chatting with a group of people, Dani waved and the housekeeper walked over to her.
Mrs. Carnet held out her hand and said, “I just wanted to express my gratitude to you for helping me when I had that flat tire. I should have sent you a note long ago, but I started a new job and have been so busy.”
“No need. You already thanked me that night.” Dani clasped the older woman’s fingers. “It’s wonderful that you found work so quickly. What are you doing?”
“I’m the new housemother for Alpha Beta Delta and I love it. Better pay, hours, and the girls are so polite.” Mrs. Carnet beamed. “Bliss recommended me when she heard that I was out of a job.”
“That was really sweet of her.” Dani looked around. “Is she here?”
“Yes.” Mrs. Carnet nodded toward a trio of young women. “She’s over there with some of her sorority sisters.”
Patting the older woman’s shoulder, Dani said, “I’m going to go say hi to Bliss. See you later.”
When Dani reached the girl, she hugged her and introduced herself to her friends. They all seemed genuinely concerned for
