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“Along a country road somewhere between here and Haven Cliffs, on the coast.”
“I don’t believe a word of it. Why would someone want to murder Hunter?”
“He was murdered in retaliation for the murder of Lina Mielkute, the accountant atExclusives.”
“Hunter murdered Ned’s accountant?” He barks a laugh. “You are delusional. What is this, some kind of joke?”
“No, none of this is a joke! Hunter didn’t murder Lina, your son did. Hunter’s murder was a warning, a warning that Ned understood. It’s why he hid himself away in Haven Cliffs. He knew they’d be coming for him and thought it would be the last place they’d look for him.”
“How dare you! How dare you accuse my son of murder!”
“I saw it with my own eyes, Mr. Hawthorpe.” I stand and walk toward him. “I saw him suffocate Lina with his bare hands right outside that door.” My eyes well with tears as I point to the hallway.
He moves away from me to stand at the window. “Why would he murder this woman?”
“Because she threatened to tell the police about the payments Ned had asked her to make to staff members who he had sexually harassed. She was a friend of—”
He holds his hand up. “I’m not going to listen to any more of this. You need help, you’re fanciful and dangerous.”
“It’s the truth!”
He walks past me, our shoulders almost touching as he heads toward the door. I can’t let him go.
“Did you know that Justine Elland, the woman who accused Ned of sexual assault a few weeks ago, has disappeared?” My voice rings out across the room, stopping him in his tracks.
“She’s in France,” he says, turning to face me. “Like you, she was after Ned’s money and when he offered it to her, she took it and ran.”
“That’s what Ned told you. But when I go to the police and tell them that I saw your son murder Lina, I’ll also tell them that he told everyone she’d gone back to Lithuania, just like he told everyone that Justine had gone back to France. I’ll ask them to check that Lina actually arrived in Lithuania and when they find that she did, I’ll suggest that they dig deeper. And when they do, they’ll find that the person who went through immigration at the airport in Vilnius was not Lina Mielkute, but someone traveling on her passport, someone who was paid to travelas Lina by Ned. That’s how he hid Lina’s murder, Mr. Hawthorpe, by getting someone to fly to Lithuania using her passport. Lukas, the man we had lunch with on the day of Hunter’s murder, knew Lina. He had discovered this cover-up and made Ned understand that he knew what had happened. Ned was worried and told Lukas he’d asked Hunter to take Lina to the airport, suggesting that if anythinghadhappened to Lina, it was down to Hunter. We left soon after—and then Hunter was murdered.”
“If what you say is true, that you saw my son murder this woman, why haven’t you been to the police?”
How can I tell him that in the month since I married Ned, I’ve had no access to the outside world? It would add to the fantasy he thinks I’m creating. I need him to drop his threat. I need him to listen.
“Because of your foundation,” I say.
“And why would you be concerned about the foundation?”
I take a step toward him. “Mr. Hawthorpe, I know how important the foundation is to you. If you persist with your claim that Ned was murdered, the truth will come out about the women he has killed, and your foundation will suffer. Do you think your benefactors will continue to donate if your son is accused of murder, even if he’s no longer alive? The best thing, for everyone, is to accept the truth, which is that Ned took his own life because he knew that Lukas was coming after him for Lina’s murder.” I pause, worried he’s not buying it. “There’s another thing. The day before Ned died, I told him that I’d seen him murder Lina. I also told him about the letter I’d sent to a journalist detailing what I’d seen and instructing her that if she didn’t hear from me within seven days, to go to the police and give them my letter. Ned knew then that one way or another, he was going to have to pay for Lina’s death. If Lukas didn’t get him, the police would.”
“No.” He shakes his head. “I won’t believe it. My son wouldn’t have taken his own life.” He’s at the door, he walks through it, into the hall.
“I need to know by tomorrow morning what your intentions are,Mr. Hawthorpe,” I call after him. “If I don’t hear from you, I’ll go to the police!”
I hear the front door slam and running to the window, I see him get into his car and drive off. Once he’s through the gates, I hurry to the hall and using the remote, close them behind him. I’m panting now, my breath raspy. But I did it. I feel a strange exhilaration, because there had been no instructions for this part, only guidelines.
At some point, you may have a visit from Jethro Hawthorpe. We cannot help you with this; we can’t predict what he will say. He knows the terms of the postnuptial agreement so he may accuse you of marrying Ned for his money. To put a stop to those allegations, tell him that you plan to donate any monies due to you to his foundation. You should know that Jethro Hawthorpe, unlike his son, is an honorable man who, through his foundation, works tirelessly to help others.
There’s the possibility he may not want to accept that his son took his own life. If so, you may use any of the information contained in this letter to persuade him that Ned was depressed and feared for his life. If necessary, tell him that Ned was responsible for the murder of a young woman, Lina Mielkute, and that he feared he would be killed in retaliation for her murder. He will not want to accept that his son was a murderer, but we know you witnessed the payback murder of his security guard, so use this to your advantage.
You should also know that it’s probable Ned also killed Justine Elland, the woman who accused him of sexual assault. You may use this information to persuade Jethro Hawthorpe that his son was guilty, not just of Lina’s murder, but also of Justine’s.
In the kitchen, I make a pot of coffee. My euphoria has disappeared and is replaced by an awful doubt. Was it terrible to tell a bereaved father that his son was a murderer, even if it was true? But Jethro Hawthorpe had accused me of murdering Ned, an accusation that, with his connections, he could make stick. It would be my word against his. I also have terrible doubts about insisting to Jethro Hawthorpe that Ned took his own life when I don’t believe that he did. He was too happy to be finally free. Which means he was pushed. By whom?
As always, my mind circles back to Lukas. To the line in the letter of instructions—we know you witnessed the payback murder of his security guard.The only way the kidnappers could have known that I witnessed Hunter’s murder was from someone who saw me in the car with Ned. And the only person who had seen me was the gunman, sent by Lukas to kill us.
CHAPTER FIVE
I’m nervous the next day, waiting for Jethro Hawthorpe’s visit. I should have given him my phone number so that I wouldn’t have to see him again.
