“Liliana? I don’t understand. Where’s Jared?”
Liliana flipped her blonde hair over one shoulder and stepped inside the line shack, looking down her nose at what Tina was sure were accommodations below her standards. Nary a muscle moved on her ex-mother-in-law’s face, and she guessed Liliana must’ve had work done recently. While she’d been married to Jared, one of her secret hobbies was guessing what Liliana’s next plastic surgical procedure would be.
“Jared’s at home, exactly where he should be. The hospital depends on him, you know. He can’t just traipse all of the country, trying to find you.” She looked down her nose at Tina, before brushing a nonexistent piece of lint from her jacket. The dark navy suit probably wasn’t the best choice for Texas in a thunderstorm, but Liliana never had cared about what was practical; she was all about what worked to enhance her status.
“I never asked him to follow me. As a matter of fact, I made it perfectly clear I wanted him to leave me alone. He never seemed to get the message.”
“It’s my son’s one fault. Once he met you, he became obsessed.” She gave Tina a measured glance from head to toe, and from her moue of distaste, found her wanting. Not that she hadn’t seen the same expression on Liliana’s face almost every day from the time Jared proposed. Too bad she’d been so infatuated with him that she’d ignored all the warning signs that his mother was crazy as a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest.
“Ladies, as much as I’m enjoying your family reunion, I think we need to conclude our business and be on our way.”
“I agree. Tina, I’ve made arrangements for us to fly back to San Francisco immediately. I have my private plane at an airport outside Dallas, ready to leave as soon as we arrive. Please don’t cause any trouble, or I’ll have you knocked out.”
“I’m sick and tired of people pumping me full of drugs. Well, I’ve got news for you, lady, I’m not gonna stand by and let you drug me.”
Liliana’s cold smile sent chills down Tina’s spine. “Who said anything about drugs?”
The implication was crystal clear.
“My job is done.” Mr. Bad Dude crossed his arms over his chest, though Tina’ noted the slight tic in his jaw. His posture might be causal and relaxed, but standing this close, she couldn’t help noticing the muscles bunched beneath his shirt sleeves.
“I’m afraid we aren’t quite finished, Mr. Jones.”
Jones? Why don’t I believe that’s his real name?
“I’m afraid it is, Mrs. Webster.” Liliana’s eyes widened at the use of her name.
“How’d you know my name?”
His smile was even colder than Liliana’s had been moments earlier. “I never take a contract without knowing everything about the parties involved.” The slight hesitation after his words had the tiny hairs on the back of Tina’s neck standing at attention, before he added, “And I mean everything.”
Every ounce of color drained from Liliana’s face, though she rallied quickly, and she put on what Tina always called her public persona. The sweet butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth smile that never reached her eyes, and her backbone of solid steel. When she got like this, Tina tended to steer clear of her, because she scared her. Like a swaying cobra hypnotizing its prey, Liliana lured people into believing she was meek and defenseless. Tina knew better.
“Please do not think you are in a position of power, Mr. Jones. Since you know who I am, you are aware of the power I have available to me at the snap of my fingers. You will do what I say. I’ll make sure you are compensated appropriately.”
The look of hatred Liliana shot Tina wasn’t anything new, but there was an almost gleeful satisfaction in her eyes. She’d never understood why Liliana hated her so, had from the day she’d met her.
“Ah, you’re wanting to negotiate an addendum to our contract, Mrs. Webster. That could be arranged if the price is right.”
Tina took a step back, a small gasp escaping her lips. As stupid as it seemed, she’d started to like Mr. Bad Dude, or Mr. Jones, or whatever he called himself. Had actually felt like there was a chance he’d help her. How stupid was that?
“I need Ms. Nelson,” Liliana’s lips curled up at the use of Tina’s new name, “to have an accident.”
Tina’s breath caught in her throat at her words. “What?”
“Shut up. I am sick of you. Everything I’ve had to do is because of you. I curse the day my son brought you into my life. Into my home. You and your siren ways, seducing him into believing you were good enough for him. You are nothing but trailer trash, and I’m going to make sure that you end up back in the gutter where you belong. Or at least your body will.”
“I’m not an assassin, Mrs. Webster. I’m a businessman. I’m not going to kill anyone, certainly not Ms. Nelson.”
She whirled toward him and flung a hand in his direction. “You’re willing to kidnap her, hold her hostage, but you draw the line at ending her? What are you, a coward?”
“Believe what you will. Murder is a line I have never crossed.”
“Not even for half a million dollars?”
Tina felt the tension in the room ratchet higher, as Mr. Bad Dude straightened to his full height.
“Please…” Tina’s voice caught in her throat when he held up his hand, never glancing her way.
“You’re willing to pay half a million dollars to have your daughter-in-law murdered?”
Liliana simply quirked her brown, a reptilian smirk on her lips. “Murder is such an ugly word.”
“Accurate word, though.”
“Why, Liliana? I haven’t been a part of your life, of your family, for years. Why are you doing this now?”
Completely ignoring Tina, she squared off with Mr. Bad Dude. “Do we have a deal?”
“How do you want it done? Double tap to the head? Or do you want it to look like an accident?” He folded his arms over his chest, and that’s when Tina noticed he’d slid the gun back into his waistband. Turning his head toward her, he gave her a slow wink.
“I don’t care, as long as her body is found after the fact. There needs to be proof that she’s dead.”
“Your money, your job. Do you want to watch?”
Liliana recoiled, as if he’d struck her. “Heavens, no. I’m not a ghoul. I simply need her out of the picture.”
“You must really hate her.”
“You have no idea. She broke my son’s heart. Jared adores the ground she walks on, thinks she some fairytale princess. He treated her with kid gloves, and she walked away without a backward glance.”
“Are you insane?” Tina exploded around from behind Mr. Bad Dude, ready to scratch Liliana’s eyes out. “You think Jared treated me like a princess? I don’t think princesses get slapped in the face. I haven’t heard of any princesses who’ve had the bones in their arm cracked by having it slammed against the wall. I don’t know a single princess who had all their dreams of being a surgeon cut short because their husband deliberately slammed their hand in a car door. I will never have the full use of my hand again, never be able to do the intricate work of operating on anybody ever again. That’s not the acts of a saintly prince. Jared was an abuser, and I saved my life by leaving him.”
“Liar!” Liliana took a menacing step toward her, but Tina stood her ground. She’d never back down from her, never again allow her former mother-in-law to walk all over her like a doormat.
“Ladies, ladies. Calm down.”
Mr. Bad Dude turned and put his hands on her shoulders and guided her back a couple of steps. Leaning in close, he whispered, “Trust me.”
Tina pulled in a shuddering breath, her whole body shaking with anger. How dare Liliana act like she’d done something wrong? Did she honestly believe Jared had been the wronged party?
She gave him an imperceptible nod and took one final step back. For now, she’d follow his lead, but she wasn’t about to let Liliana kill her. She’d fight until her final breath, because she wasn’t going to give up, not now that she had something to live for.