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“We know you stole one of the Vases of Destiny.”
Arabella tried to close the door, but he was faster. “No,” she cried. “Leave me. My mother is very sick. I have to check on her.”
“Are you working with a woman called Joan Canal?”
Arabella burst into tears. “That monsterusedme. She took all of my money and promised me she would help me get the other vases.”
Ryland and Caroline exchanged a glance. “But when the owners started to die, you knew you were in over your head,” Caroline guessed.
Arabella still tried to shut the door, but Ryland pushed through. “Is that right? Or did you have …” He stopped short and sniffed the air. He pointed toward Mel, who stood behind Caroline. “There’s a lynx in this house.”
“Joan?” Caroline gasped.
“Please,” Arabella whispered. “She willkillmy mother if I don’t help her.”
“Just like she’ll ruin my brother and me if we don’t pay back debtsandfind the vases for her.”
Ryland rushed into the house, Caroline close behind him despite Mel’s best efforts. They didn’t have to go far to find Joan. She stood over a sleeping old woman in a bedroom that looked more like a hospital room.
“Make a single move, and I’ll gut her,” Joan growled.
“Joan,” Caroline cried. “Stop! Why are you doing this?”
She laughed. “The vases have been trapped in that land too long. I need them. Iwantthem. You were useless. You were supposed to find the other three, but all you did was manage to tip off my family that I was after the vases. You ruined everything.”
Joan went to slash at Arabella’s mother with a lynx paw, but Ryland was on her in a second. He pinned her to the ground while Caroline and Mel wheeled the bed away. Arabella ran to her mother’s bedside, weeping.
“Did you kill Dino Fiore and Laurent La Forest?” Ryland asked through gritted teeth.
“I’m not saying a damn word.”
“You will,” Ryland assured her. “Why send Caroline to solveyourcrimes?” His fingers became paws, and he dug his claws into Joan’s side. “Speak.”
Joan struggled against him but soon said, “she was supposed to be good at solving mysteries. I shouldn’t have trusted her skills. She’s just as useless as her gambler brother,” Joan growled, fighting Ryland.
“All this? For what? A few pieces of clay?”
“For eternal life,” Joan cried. “I will live forever and take over the Canal pack. I will be invincible.”
Ryland shook his head. “All you’re getting is four walls and the rest of your life spent behind bars. I’m sure the Italian and French authorities will be pleased that we’ve got the woman who killed Dino Fiore and Laurent La Forest.”
“You can’t! You won’t!” Joan kicked and screamed, but she was no match for Ryland.
Arabella stepped forward when Mel and the other BMA guards led a wailing Joan away. “I’m sorry for all this, Ryland. I’ll bring the vase back to the museum and turn myself in.”
“Just bring back the vase,” he said. “Joan manipulated you because she knew you were desperate. Take care of your mother, and remember this. You can’t fix your problems with magic vases.”
Arabella sniffled. “Thanks, Ryland. I don’t deserve this much mercy.”
“You’ll find a way to make up for it one day,” Caroline said.
As they left the house, Ryland put his arm around Caroline’s shoulder and kissed her hair. “Now, the only person left to deal with is your brother.”
She stilled. “What?”
“I just wanna talk to him. Tell him that the Caroline Knight bank is closed for good.”
She laughed and rolled her eyes. “He’s my brother. That means I had to help.”
