Chapter 34

 

Del stuck his head out the front door. “All right. You can come in.”

Aunt Bay rushed past him. She hugged Michael, Amy, and then Emilie. “Thank God you’re safe! Dafiq saw someone climb out of Emilie’s car and sneak to the house. I contacted Del.”

Amy wilted against Michael. Help had been on the way long before she called. If she’d known, would she have been less afraid?

Another man stood at the threshold, watching. A stranger. Or — Amy gasped. Hissed at Michael. “Is that—?” But she didn’t need his answer. She slipped from his side and walked toward the door. Slowly, her eyes never leaving those bright, brown ones she’d last seen dazed with pain.

He held out a hand.

She took it. Smiled. Dove into his arms and held on as if she were the only thing keeping him anchored to this world.

“Women still run to me.”

His chuckle was the same, but his touch… definitely didn’t spark the same reaction. Amy stepped back and grinned at him like an old friend. “Nathin. Thank you. For everything.”

He winked at her. “Send me an invitation to the wedding. I hope to bring a guest.”

“I want to hear your whole story — but you need to talk to Emilie.”

Gilles frowned. “I can’t believe she did this.”

“She needs help.” Amy turned back to the group. “Emilie?”

Del ushered the others into the living room. Michael stopped just outside, waiting.

Gilles closed the front door and walked with Amy to meet his sister.

Emilie stared dully at him. Sudden light flashed in her eyes. Her lips quivered. “Gil—”

“It’s Nathin for now. But it’s me.” He pulled her into his arms and let her sob on his shoulder.

Amy met his gaze. “Join us when you can.”

She crossed the floor to Michael and looked up into his face. “Were you worried I’d change my mind? About us?”

“Not really.” But his gaze flickered away from hers.

“Michael. Your best friend is now my very good friend. Nothing more. You are my one and only, lifetime love.” She traced the collar of his shirt with a finger. “That means you’re stuck with me.”

“Mission accepted.” He squeezed her hand. “Let’s join the debrief.”

Del stood with his back to the window, tapping the fingers of one hand against his leg. Likely impatient to get on with his job. Amy and Michael sank onto the couch.

Amy looked over at Aunt Bay in the recliner. “I wonder how Safia’s managing to keep Dafiq away.”

The older woman smiled. “She took him for ice cream. And told me we were all welcome to go to her place if we had to.”

“There was a little fire upstairs, but they put it out quickly.”

Michael shifted nearer. “The insurance adjuster will not be pleased. But it made the distraction we needed to jump Ross. I’ll take that any day.”

Amy shivered. “I don’t ever want to be that scared again.”

“You’re likely in shock, child. I’ll make you a hot drink as soon as I’m allowed into the kitchen.”

Del shifted his feet. “As soon as the prisoner is removed. Which will happen as soon as our friends in the entryway decide to join us.”

Amy tucked her feet under her and concentrated on the warmth emanating from Michael. “Del, thank you. That’s not enough, but… thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Thanks to Michael for challenging Zarin verbally. Every bit of evidence helps. We want this pair put away for a long time.”

“Pair.” Amy blinked. How could she have forgotten the scope of this? “Reza Zarin. Did you get him?”

“A strategic response team apprehended him not long ago.”

Gilles led Emilie into the room. The girl didn’t make eye contact with anyone.

Amy jumped up. “You two sit here together. Emilie needs someone near.”

For a second, the girl glanced at her, surprise on her face. Then she looked down again. She subsided into a corner of the couch. Gilles sat close enough that there was room for another person between him and Michael.

Mindful of Michael’s doubts, Amy opted for the other chair.

Emilie spoke to the floor, her voice barely audible. “I’m sorry.”

Del cleared his throat in a way that said “time for business”. His shoulders squared. “Miss Renaud, your actions will require an investigation. Beginning with a psychiatric evaluation. You’ll be taken from here to hospital, where we’ll arrange for your family to meet you. Nathin will leave you before they arrive. Please understand his former identity is not to be revealed until this case comes to trial. We need to get him back into hiding. He shouldn’t even be here.”

“Couldn’t keep me away.”

“But can I keep you alive?” Del walked to the door. “You can transport the prisoner now.” He glanced over his shoulder at Gilles. “You, keep out of sight.”

Del occupied the doorway until the men escorted a still-cursing Ross from the house. Then he resumed his position at the window. He inclined his head toward Aunt Bay. “Thank you for your cooperation. The kitchen is yours. But I’m about to ask these folks to tell their stories.”

Conflicting emotions chased across her face. As Aunt Bay started to rise, Amy said, “I’m warmer now. Or we could all move into the kitchen.”

Aunt Bay settled back in her chair. “You deserve to be comfortable.”

Del fixed Emilie with a stare. “We know what happened here in the house. Tell us the background. How you got involved with the Zarins and what you thought would happen here today.”

Emilie paled even further. “I met Ross here. At the gallery. He seemed interested in Amy, so I tried to encourage him.”

“To what end?”

“She wanted Michael. But I’ve loved him forever. I wanted Ross to take her away.”

Del tapped his pen against his chin. “Literally?”

Red filled her cheeks. Her hands twisted on her knees. “Not at first. He’s gorgeous. Why couldn’t she fall for him? When she didn’t, I sent some warnings. To scare her away. To make her think she wasn’t in a safe place. But she wouldn’t go.”

“Did Ross know about these warnings?”

“He did. He was mad, though, when he found out I was telling her to leave.”

“Why?”

“He didn’t love her, but he didn’t want her to go away, either.” Emilie’s fingers picked at her skirt. “Men! Why do they all go for her? What’s wrong with me?”

Amy’s heart echoed that need to be loved — to belong. She ached for the girl. Couldn’t Emilie see herself? How bright, popular, energizing she was? Had it become all about the disappointment of not attracting Michael?

Del glanced at Amy as if gauging her reaction, then continued his questions. “And how did today’s plan come about?”

Emilie sniffled. “When Amy told me she and Michael were engaged, I was devastated. I texted Ross. He promised he’d think of something. Then he asked me to meet him today before I came out here. I needed to talk to Michael face-to-face, to make him see.”

She let out a hiccuping sob. “Ross was so kind. He said, what if he could take Amy away and I could be with Michael? I drove to his condo. He hid in the trunk. My job was to get everybody up to the studio, pretend to see someone in the back. When Michael sent the guard to check, Ross slipped in through the front door.”

Del held up a hand. “How did he bypass the alarm?”

“He borrowed the remote key fob the night of the open house.”

“Were you aware that he later broke in and vandalized Michael’s studio?”

“He was clever about that, using a window, so the remote would be a surprise for later.”

“And so, knowing he had already committed criminal activity, you willingly aided him in a kidnapping attempt?”

“It wasn’t like that! He had to take her away so I could have Michael.” Emilie’s face darkened. “Except he lied to me. He wanted to kill us — all of us. How could Michael love me if we were dead?”

“How indeed?” Aunt Bay’s tone was dry.

Gilles draped an arm around his sister’s shoulder and pulled her close. “We’ll get you help, Emilie. Don’t be afraid.”

She started from the couch.

Del positioned himself between the girl and Amy. Gilles tugged her back to her seat.

Emilie dissolved in sobs. “Not afraid? I’ve ruined my life. I’ll go to jail! Because of her. And Ross. Michael will never love me now. Our parents will disown me. My life is over!”

Del paced back to the window. “You’ll be remanded for a psychiatric assessment and you will go to trial. But you have family and friends who will stand by you.”

Emilie turned her face to Gilles’ chest and sobbed.

Gilles’ arms circled her. “This is as much the terrorists’ fault as my supposed death. She wasn’t like this before. They’ve destroyed my entire family.”

He’d built a new life at least. But Luc, Emilie, and Honore had paid a higher price. Only his married sister and her family seemed untouched. Or was that simply because Amy hadn’t interacted with them since the crash, to know?

Emilie’s shoulders heaved. Her sobs spoke despair, not her usual drama. What would become of her? She’d nearly caused their deaths. Now she had to live with the fallout.

Amy’s heart twisted. “Em? For what it’s worth, I forgive you. If you want, I’ll still be your friend.”

Emilie’s sobs might have slowed, but she didn’t respond. Gilles’ smile carried gratitude.

Del tucked his notepad into a pocket. “Time to take you to the hospital.” He shook hands with Michael, Amy and Aunt Bay. “I’ll be in touch. Take some time to talk this through among yourselves. We have the recorded evidence, but we’ll have some questions as well.”

He held out a hand to Gilles. Between them, they guided Emilie to her feet and led her from the room.

 

~~~

 

[Not ready to leave these characters yet? See the bonus chapter on the next page.]