Page 40 of Tell Me Your Lies

Shock radiates through me. Who was left at the house? I take a deep breath. “Someone in the house has been tampering with my files since I arrived. Who else is here at the station for questioning?”

“Linc Boswell, Isabelle and their daughter Mia.” Watkins scans my face as if looking for deception. “You insisted you were with Lucas around the time Allison was murdered. The kitchen staff verified you’d been in the galley at the time you stated. The DNA clears you, so we believe your story. Mia insists she checked on Oliver overnight, but we’ll question him later if necessary. He’ll have login times when he played games overnight. We’ll access them if necessary.”

I gave Lucas an alibi. The thought that Lucas is guilty grips my heart. I like him and he seems to be such a kind and gentle person. I suck in a deep breath as something Lucas said to me when we talked about Oliver floats to the surface of my memories. It’s always the quiet ones. Was he telling me that antisocial Oliver is capable of murder? I look at Watkins and recount everything I can recall from Jenny’s files and my experience working with Isabelle. “The problem is, most of the time I can’t believe a word Isabelle says. She has completely different recollections from everyone else. I guess she wants her own spin on things but it makes finding out the truth difficult.”

“Isabelle told me why she was being blackmailed and nothing you’ve told us comes close.” Brunel squeezes my arm. “Isabelle insisted she told no one, so maybe she was telling the truth for once.” He collects his things and stands. “I’m going to speak to Mia. I doubt anyone will have more questions for you but, like before, say nothing unless I’m at your side.”

I nod slowly, so exhausted I want to slide off the chair and crawl into a fetal position on the floor. I look at Watkins. “Can I go home soon?”

“Yeah, Sam Fairchild is in the waiting room.” Watkins shakes his head. “He’s not happy.”

“It shouldn’t be too much longer.” Brunel heads for the door with Watkins on his heels.

One and then two hours drag by. I’ve eaten the donuts and enjoyed the coffee. I lick the sugar from my fingers and stare at the clock. It’s become the only companion I have in this barren place. I’m mentally cheering it on as the second hand climbs to the twelve spot and staggers over into another minute. The rattle on the air conditioner has become a melody I can make up lyrics to. A sober thought grips me. If Lucas is the killer, will I be charged as an accessory after lying about our alibi? It’s bound to be discovered sooner or later. Lucas is like a flashing beacon; someone would have noticed him moving around the yacht.

The door opens and Brunel walks back into the room with Linc close behind. I look from one to the other not knowing what to say. To my surprise Linc sits down beside me and holds my hand. I gape at his face, still unable to believe he is actually paying for my lawyer. He looks happy and yet a little sad all at the same time. I frown, not understanding. “I’m so confused.”

“I’m not surprised.” Linc is examining my face closely, as if looking for something. “Sam insisted on speaking to the cops. He informed them that the blood sample he took from you shows traces of the date rape drug ketamine. This is why you were so out of it during the night and fell into the hot tub. It makes recall difficult, gives dreamlike sensations and often causes time distortion.” He shakes his head. “I’m so sorry that happened but people believe anything goes during a band party.” He sighs. “It’s just as well Lucas found you or we’d have had two potential murders on my yacht.”

“I’ve spoken to Mia.” Brunel’s expression becomes serious. “I’ve insisted on her having a psychological examination because what she’s revealed is very disturbing.”

I look from one to the other. The pain in Linc’s eyes is palpable. Whatever Brunel is going to say to me, it’s hurting him. “Can you tell me?”

“Linc has insisted that you get the full story. He was in the room when she opened up to me.” Brunel flicks through his legal pad and then lifts tired eyes to me. “Mia is totally convinced she has been doing the right thing. She wanted to protect Isabelle at all costs. She discovered that Rachel had been blackmailing her mother for a long time but didn’t know the reason. Isabelle had planned to meet Rachel at the motel for one last payment. Mia insisted on going in her place. It seems that Mia planned everything. She murdered Rachel and then set the scene the same as the ‘Black Valentine’ lyrics and convinced herself that the publicity would be a good thing.” He blows out a long sigh. “Isabelle has never divulged the reason why she was being blackmailed to anyone, not Linc or Mia, but she did allow Mia to read the manuscripts that Jenny had written. When Isabelle became upset over what she’d written, Mia convinced herself that Jenny had gotten too close to discovering her mother’s secret. Mia told Jenny she needed to show her something important and told her to meet her at the airport. Mia and Jenny went to the Everglades. Mia murdered Jenny and then tossed her into the water for the alligators to dispose of her body.”

I swallow the bile in my mouth. I can’t believe what I’m hearing. “Oh my God. Is this for real? Mia would never do such a thing.”

“She knows too much about the murders, Alani.” Linc is deadly serious. “Details the cops didn’t reveal.”

“Then you come along and investigate Isabelle’s background.” Brunel lifts his eyes to me. “You have a curious mind and are well known for digging into the facts about people before you write about them. This was Isabelle’s downfall. Then Allison gave you the information on the flash drive, which we assume contained the details of Isabelle’s secret.”

I shake my head. “I haven’t read all the files but the most important information was in the files I read. Isabelle told me about the night Barnes tried to kill my mother in the hospital but now I know that was a lie. I doubt the truth about why Isabelle was being blackmailed would be in any of the other folders. They looked like notes to me and sample chapters. I still have a copy hidden in my parents’ house.” I grip my palms so tight my nails break the skin. “Is it my fault Allison died?”

“No.” Brunel shakes his head. “I’ll get to Allison in a minute; we need to follow the timeline. Mia overheard you speaking on the phone to Susan Bright, about meeting her to get information too sensitive to be risked over the phone about the night of your birth. Mia heard you repeating the address but then Linc came running up the stairs and she ducked into her room.” He leans forward on the table and clasps his hands before him. “She considered you a threat to her mom and the family and went to Susan’s home in the hour before you were due to arrive and killed her. She knew you’d show and expected you would be blamed for the murder.”

“They bugged your room.” Linc rubs the back of his neck. “Isabelle spoke to everyone in the family about you and Allison colluding against her. She became very upset because she’d trusted Allison for so long and now you’d turned against her as well.”

I’m shocked. “I never turned against her. I just wanted her to tell me the truth, so her book would be a bestseller.”

“Mia felt she needed to protect her mother again and made plans to set you up for murder. We’re not sure if Isabelle was involved. Someone put the idea of killing people into Mia’s mind and Isabelle is very manipulative.” Linc looks at me, and it’s as if he’s reading my mind. “You’re safe, Alani. We know you’re innocent. Mia has told us a story only you can confirm, although I believe Lucas stepped up to protect you. We have always believed in you. In our business it’s really good to be able to see through lies—I’m not saying you’re lying. Just tell me how Mia tried to set you up for Allison’s murder.”

“We know she put something in your drink, which has already been proven.” Brunel nods encouragingly. “Tell us what really happened.”

A lump rises up the back of my throat. Tears run down my cheeks in an uncontrollable rush. “I don’t know what happened to Allison. I spilled my drink, felt dizzy and next thing I know, I woke up on deck at sunrise with a knife in my hand and covered in blood. Lucas found me before anyone was around. He made me jump into the hot tub, added more chlorine and then he cleaned the deck and kicked the knife into the sea. From then on, I told the truth; we were together all night. I was vomiting and he was trying to keep me awake.” I sigh. “That’s the truth. I’ve been so scared I murdered Allison because my father and brother are both psychopaths. I liked Allison, I couldn’t imagine why I wanted to murder her.”

“You didn’t murder her, Alani.” Linc reaches up and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. “They held you here because when the DNA results came in, the cops believed the labels on the DNA samples had been switched or mislabeled. Nothing was making sense, but now new samples have been taken, and the DNA has been checked and rechecked. The confusion came about because your sample showed, without a doubt, that you’re Isabelle’s daughter. The cops believed your sample had been mixed up with one of my kids.” He smiles. “The thing is, Alani, your DNA proves it without a doubt. You’re my daughter.”

FIFTY-TWO

I gape at Linc in wonder as everything slips into place. The reason why I have no physical attraction to Linc or Lucas but like them both so much. Some part of me must have known I was family. I blink away tears. “How could I possibly be your daughter? I can’t believe it. I don’t know what to say. All this time I believed my father was a monster.”

“Well, I’m not a monster and I hope you’ll come home and rejoin your family.” Linc smiles at me. “I need to make up for lost time. Sam has done a good job of raising you but you’re my daughter.”

Dumbfounded, I shake my head. “What about Mia? She’s your daughter too. She’s never known anyone else but you. I know she’s done terrible things but, in her mind, she was only trying to protect her mom. You can’t turn your back on her now—and what about Isabelle?”

“Isabelle gave away our baby to protect her status and cozy lifestyle. This is what Rachel was blackmailing her about. The night you were born, Isabelle panicked. She believed because you had blonde hair that you were her lover’s child and she swapped you with the dark-haired baby belonging to Rachel. She figured the moment I saw a blonde-haired baby I’d know she’d had an affair—the thing is, my mom is blonde and so is my sister.

“Isabelle should have known I would have raised any child of hers as my own—no matter who had fathered it.” Linc’s mouth flattens. “I was so in love with her I overlooked the fact she had affairs all through our marriage. The moment I go on tour she has a new man in her bed—now this. There is only so much a man can take. I can’t trust her and we don’t know if she’s involved in the murders. She made it quite clear when I spoke to her that it’s over between us. Her lover will support her and she obviously likes him better than me. She doesn’t care about her boys, or Mia. She is a very selfish woman.” He wipes away my tears with his thumbs. “You should have been raised in a family with two brothers. You’ve missed so much.” His eyes fill with tears. “I’m devastated about Mia. She is still my little girl, no matter what she’s done and I’ll do whatever is necessary to get her help, but she’ll go to prison for a long time.”