Hell, yes.
But he had an idea growing within him now.Because he had a source.“You ever hear any other useful bits while you’re in there with Lily and Magnolia?”
The guard smiled at him.“You’re gonna need more money.”
“I can get it.”
Gage climbed into his car,excitement filling him.He’d go to Lily, he’d convince her to take him back, they’d work together and?—
His phone began ringing.He grabbed the phone, recognized the agent from Baton Rouge that he’d talked to before, and Gage put the phone to his ear.“Yo, listen, about Dr.Francis?—”
“He’s dead,” the agent cut in to tell him.“Body is decomposing.Been dead in his greenhouse for days.No one thought to look out back for him.It’s…fuck, he smells.Hot as hell in there.”
Tension swept through Gage.“How did he die?”
“The medical examiner suspects it was a heart attack.No sign of foul play.Guy seems to have been pruning his flowers, and then he just dropped dead.Shit happens, you know?”
Uh, yeah.Shit did happen.
And so did murder.
ChapterFifteen
Present Day…
“Sloane,Sloane, I am all right, I promise.”Lily gripped the phone tightly in her hand.Since her phone was long gone, Atlas had brought her a replacement.“I’m in a safe place.”
“Definesafe placefor me,” Sloane Armstrong demanded, voice tight.“Because I saw the story on the news.The reporter said a cop is dead, and you werekidnapped.Nothing about that isall right.”
“I’m with Atlas Bennett.”
Silence.
Lily paced quickly across the guest room.She peeked out the curtains.Darkness had fallen again.The darkness had fallen long ago because it was edging close to midnight.She should have been asleep but, when you woke up at 4 p.m.you weren’t exactly tired when midnight came rolling around.
“Atlas…Bennett.”Sloane inhaled.“He’s cooperating with you?”
Yes, this would be where things got tricky.“You will probably see stories soon that say he’s my fiancé.”After Gage had finally left, Atlas had begun pulling strings like crazy.He’d talked to certain powerful reporters, an effort to gethisstory out there.Probably because he realized Gage wanted to take him down.
But in gettinghisstory out, Atlas had been very clear that she was linked to him.His fiancée.
“We don’t talk for a few days, and suddenly you are engaged?”Sloane’s voice rose.“That’s fantastic!Congratulations!”Her enthusiasm poured over the line.
That was Sloane.Brighter, happier than Lily.They’d met in college.Sloane had been interested in pursuing a PhD in psychology while Lily had been determined to get her MD and work in the field of psychiatry.Sloane had been bright, bubbly, a flame that drew everyone to her.Lily…
I’ll never be described as the flame that draws people close.Lily knew she was quiet, withdrawn.
But she and Sloane had sat next to each other in an abnormal psych class, and Sloane…Sloane had kept talking to her.Walking with her after class.Inviting her to lunch.Sloane had been the president of her sorority.She’d always had an eager circle of people around her.Lily had never understood why Sloane wanted to be her friend so badly.
Then she’d learned the truth.
Sloane glowed so brightly because her darkness was buried deep inside.
“Lily.”The enthusiasm had faded from Sloane’s voice.“You’ve said nothing here.This is making me nervous.Do you love him?Are you happy?”
“It’s…not like that.”She let the curtain fall back into place.
“Uh, yeah, yeah, it’s exactly like that.You marry someone because you love them, no other reason.”
