“We could make it interesting,” I’d said calmly, slowly, as if it didn’t matter to me much at all. “We’d each put in a million. Winner takes all.”
There’d been uneasy laughter from each of them, and a general sense of impossibility.
“But wouldn’t it be nice,” one of them had said. I forget now who it was. I didn’t say much else. I’d dropped the bomb, created the niggle in their brains, and I’d walk away. If I was any good at what I did—spoiler alert: I was damn good—we’d be laying the plan into motion within a year.
The next month, Barrett got the call. They wanted to know if we could actually make it work. If I was serious.
I told them I was. Deadly so.
Six months, and a million dollar loss later, my husband’s wife was dead, and I’d just stumbled into my biggest win yet.
I took on many different names in my profession, Ms. Sheridan, Ms. Danes, Erica Spelling, Noelle Barton, Ms. Smith… The list went on. But my favorite name, the one I’d take the most pride in for the rest of my life, was the one I’d taken on a year after that day, when I became Mrs. Jessica Laguna—part-time con woman, full-time love of his life.
The next summer, they were ready to do it again. Strangers, this time. Roman needed to prove to Kyle he wasn’t going to lose to him so easily. And so, the tradition was born.
Win or lose, I never cared. As a con artist, I’d pulled off the biggest con of all already. I’d gotten the man and his fortune. The rest was just icing on the cake.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
PRESENT DAY
Ms. Sheridan had me follow her across the shore, walking several feet in front of me, her arms swinging at her sides as if this were just another sunny day in her life, and not the worst of mine.
As we made our way around the island, losing sight of our campsite and the only home I’d known for what felt like so long, I began to see the end of a boat. This was different from the one that had brought me here, and I briefly felt fear, rather than the relief I’d been expecting.
I didn’t think I’d ever be able to set foot on a boat again after this.
“Will you be riding back with me?” I called ahead.
“Oh, no. I have other ways of going home. No, you’ll be taken back with some of our employees.” She slowed her stride slightly as we grew closer, and I saw her glance back at me. “And don’t worry about the bodies. Our employees will clean them up, and no one will ever know you were involved in any of this.”
I shuddered at the way she’d phrased that. “I didn’t mean to do it… I didn’t have a choice.”
“Oh, sweetie,” she said, sickly sweet, though we were the same age and she didn’t need to use pet names for me, “I know that. Of course, I do. I’m not faulting you for what happened. I’m just glad you survived.”
She stopped when the boat had come into full view. “And”—her voice was lower now—“just between us, I know you wouldn’t, but I want to make sure you understand you can never tell anyone what happened over here. Not about the people you were with or that this place even exists. If your family, your friends, or anyone else asks where you were or what happened, you’re to tell them you were lost at sea after a storm and that a ship found you, alone, and returned you home. If they ask too many questions, deflect. Tell them you don’t have any memory of what happened. Tell them the crew that returned you didn’t speak English and sailed away after they dropped you back off at the resort. Whatever you do, you must refuse to tell anyone the truth. The crew will have you ride home below deck so you can’t tell which direction you came from, just in case you were to have any funny ideas.” She smiled. “But I don’t think that’ll be an issue, will it? You’re a smart girl.”
There was something empty behind her eyes. Cold. It chilled me more than anything else that had happened. Whatever was going on here, I wanted no part of it.
“I won’t say anything.”
“Good. I’d just hate for you to get into trouble. You understand. And, when you arrive, you’ll be given the hundred thousand in cash for all your troubles. Just don’t spend it all in one place.” I felt sick to my stomach watching her smile and laugh as if everything could be solved with money. As if heartbreak had a price tag.
“What about the police? The news stations? Won’t someone want to know how I got back to shore?”
She waved off the concern. “Oh, we’re friends with some very powerful people. We’ve taken care of it and made sure no one even knows you were gone. And those who do won’t be able to get anywhere with their theories.” She winked. “Come on now, we’ve got to get you on your way. I’m sure you’re dying to get home. No pun intended.” Her smile spread too wide, her teeth too white behind pale, pink lips. “I know I am.”
“Why did you help me?” I asked, it being the question I couldn’t stop thinking about.
“Because, my dear, I wanted you to win.” She said it so simply, as if that made any sense to me, but before I could ask anything else, she gestured behind me. “I’m sorry, you’ll have to go now. We really do have to keep on a schedule. I have a flight to catch.”
I looked away, stepping onto the small boat that would take me to the larger one that would take me home. A man helped me on board without a word. Did he know what was going on? Was he in on it, too?
The engine
